Tata Group-backed AirAsia India on Saturday unveiled its fourth aircraft, with a livery (visual theme) dedicated to JRD Tata, as a mark of respect to the pioneer of civil aviation in the Indian sub-continent.
Tata Group-backed AirAsia India on Saturday unveiled its fourth aircraft, with a livery (visual theme) dedicated to JRD Tata, as a mark of respect to the pioneer of civil aviation in the Indian sub-continent.
Mittu Chandilya, CEO, AirAsia India, said, "We wanted to celebrate the growth of AirAsia India by honoring the man without whom flying would have been impossible in India."
It is customary in the aviation industry to name aircraft after eminent personalities and places.
The AirAsia aircraft has been named 'The Pioneer'. The plane bears an image of JRD Tata with a Pussy Moth, the aircraft which he flew on October 15, 1932, leading to the birth of Tata Airlines and flagging off civil aviation in the sub-continent.
AirAsia India is a joint venture between AirAsia Bhd of Malaysia, which holds a 49% stake and Tata Sons, which has 30%. Arun Bhatia of Telestra Tradeplace holds the remaining stake. AirAsia, which had earlier spoken of making a break-even by November last year, is now talking May or June. The airline plans to purchase about 10 more planes in the current year. It needs a capitalisation of $30 million by 2016, airline insiders said.
As per Tata group archives, JRD Tata was the first Indian pilot to qualify for a license; he held a pilot's license since March 1929. In 1932, he founded India's first national carrier, Tata Airlines, which was renamed Air India Limited in 1946. In 1948, JRD founded Air India International Limited, as a joint venture with the Government of India, to undertake long-range international operations. He was its executive chairman until it was nationalised in 1953. On his recommendation, the Union government created two air corporations, Air India and Indian Airlines, to run international and domestic operations respectively. He was appointed chairman of Air India, which position he held till February 1978.
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