What to Know About Pilot Who Made Last Call Before Plane Carrying 242 Crashed

• Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the pilot of the Air India plane that crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad
• The airplane which had 242 people onboard, crashed about 30 seconds after taking off, killing all 242 onboard except one
• Information about the captain has been made public, as he is said to have extensive experience in flying

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal piloted the Air India plane, which tragically crashed and killed 241 people onboard.

The story of the captain has been trending online since the news of the plane crash broke.

Here is a list of a few things to know about the pilot.

1. He has close to 30 years of experience

The pilot who flew the ill-fated Air India aircraft is not new to the job, as he has a lot of experience in flying.

According to available information, the pilot has logged more than 8,200 hours in the cockpit.

He is described as a veteran of flying on the job, as he has been working with Air India for a long time.

2. He said he would call his family when he lands

Shortly before departing the Ahmedabad Airport, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had said he would call his family when he lands in London.

He was said to have called his family from the airport before boarding the plane.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was supposed to land at the London Gatwick Airport.

However, the plane never made it out of India, and the promised call never came.

3. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's colleagues speak about him

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's fellow pilots describe him in glowing terms, noting that his death was a huge loss.

He was described as a quiet and diligent man who did his job with a lot of care while keeping his head down.

They said, as quoted by the Times of India:

“He was a very quiet, diligent man. He flew Airbus A310s, Boeing 777s and the Dreamliner. He always kept his head down and did his work."

4. He had promised to spend time with his father

The pilot's father is still alive and he is 82 years old. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had promised to take a leave and spend some time with his father.

His father is a former official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aviation regulator in India.

5. He was 54 years old

The late pilot died at the age of 54, leaving behind his family.

He was part of the nine Mumbai-based crew members on the London-bound flight.

His photos and name went viral shortly after the plane perished.

The crashed plane is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

We now know that the plane which crashed on Thursday near the Ahmedabad Airport was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

The crashed Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was said to have been delivered to Air India in January 2014, having flown for the first time in 2013.

Poonam Patel, a woman whose relative was in the plane, said she heard the news after an hour of the plane's departure.

She told ANI news agency:

"My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed."

Student-pilot celebrate after flying airplane

Earlier, Legit.ng man who is training to be a pilot has finally manned an airplane all by himself for the first time.

The trainee pilot was spotted celebrating after completing his first solo flight after his instructor's authorisation.

His friends and colleagues poured water on him to mark the moment as he sat on the ground in celebration.

Source: Legit.ng