With Air-India running short of pilots, the Indian Air Force has finally agreed to release its pilots to the carrier in a phased manner.

Announcing this in New Delhi today, new Air chief Fali Homi Major said: “Around 15-20 pilots will be spared from the IAF periodically for absorption by Air-India which will be a second tenure for them.” He said “they may be released either annually, half-yearly or quarterly, depending on the requirement and availability.”

Current estimates say Air-India, which will eventually merge with the domestic carrier Indian to form a single entity, is 118 pilots short.

Negotiations on specific terms of the MoU on pilots signed between the IAF and A-I are in the final stages.

The process will commence in six months. An IAF officer said that senior pilots interested in premature retirement will be considered for deputation. Officers of the rank of Group Captain and Air Commodore, with experience of 3,000-4,000 flying hours, will be released in a phased manner, the officer said.

After one year of deputation, these officers will be given a chance to revert to the IAF if they wish to. Their absorption in Air India will take place after 2-3 months of training in it.

Asked if Air India would consider seniority of the pilots, Major said that no civil airline in the world maintains seniority of military pilots since it’s a second-career option and they have to start afresh.

In the pipeline for the last 7-8 months, the move is being considered for officers who can be spared, whose exit will not affect the IAF’s operational capability. In short, pilots likely to be released would be in their late 40s.

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