Boeing 777-300 ER may be next VVIP aircraft

NEW DELHI: India is looking at the Boeing 777-300 extended range (ER) as a replacement to the ageing Jumbo Jets used as VVIP aircraft for flying our president and prime minister on long overseas tours. Air India has five B747s in its fleets that are maintained mainly for such VVIP flights. But with these aircraft almost 25 years old, a replacement has to be found very soon.

"The B-777 300 ER is being considered as the next VVIP aircraft. AI has been operating these aircraft for years and has the technical and engineering knowhow for their maintenance. It also has the best pilots for the planes in India," said a source.

The Maharaja extensively uses the B 777-300 ER for long haul flights, including the nonstops to North America. Choosing this aircraft would mean that AI can use this for commercial flights when the same are not required for VVIP visits and make it an 'earning' member of the AI fleet.

"There is also a practice that when a VVIP flight goes from Delhi, another aircraft is kept on standby here in case AI One develops a snag. When AI One lands abroad, say for instance in US, another nearest AI aircraft, in this case at New York where it has gone for a commercial flight, is kept as standby for the VVIP plane. Having a 777-300 ER as the next AI One would mean this practice can continue without any break," said a source.

Security and safety considerations, including in US, have so far favored four-engined jets like B-747 over twin engined ones. The B-777 is a twin-engine jet. "In case of an engine failure, both twin and four-engine planes can land safely at the nearest airport. So technically speaking, safety considerations of modern day jets are the same for both these planes," said a source.

In fact, the overwhelming majority of commercial jets being used globally are twin-engine. Four engine options are mainly restricted to three commercial planes — Airbus A 380 and 340 and B-747.

Both Boeing and Airbus are struggling to find buyers — read commercial airlines — for these planes as twin engine aircraft are ruling the skies now. Once phased out as the VVIP aircraft, AI will remove the B-747s from its fleet. And then no Indian carrier or IAF would have any four-engine commercial airliner.