Date:01/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/01/stories/2008060150630200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

High-flyer makes history with take-off from BIA

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: He was the first to use the spanking new facilities at Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) when it became operational on May 23.

Captain Ishwar Pal Panwar, who commanded Air India’s IC-957 flight to Singapore, made history by being the first pilot to take off from the greenfield airport.

“It was a very good feeling,” Capt. Panwar told The Hindu. Subsequently, he has used the airport facility thrice and has only praise for it. “The new airport is better than other airports. You are in no hurry to manoeuvre the aircraft as the runway is over 13,000 feet long. Even the design of the terminal building is good as it allows natural lighting.”

“We are trained to take off or land at any airport,” said Capt. Panwar when asked if he was anxious before the take-off.

Capt. Panwar has two other firsts to his credit. He co-piloted the first flight to the new airport at Bhavnagar in Gujarat from Mumbai and commanded the inaugural Airbus A-320 flight of the erstwhile Indian Airlines, from Kolkata to Chittagong in Bangladesh.

He joined Indian Airlines in April 1987 and has flying experience of nearly 14,000 hours. He is one of the senior pilots in the country.