50 years later, IA still answers to colonial call

‘‘50 Years of flying’’ — these words were proudly painted on all Indian Airlines aircraft as the state-owned airlin...

‘‘50 Years of flying’’ — these words were proudly painted on all Indian Airlines aircraft as the state-owned airlines celebrated its golden jubilee on Friday. But the registration number displayed close by on the fuselage may have marred the sense of pride a trifle.

Starting with the initials VT, the registration number of all Indian civil aircraft serves as a reminder of the country’s colonial past. Standing for Viceroy’s Territory, the registration prefix VT was assigned to India in 1929, and it continues ever since. ‘‘Bombay became Mumbai, Connaught Place became Rajiv Gandhi Chowk and Curzon Road became Kasturba Gandhi Marg. But nobody has thought of writing to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) asking for a change in the call sign of Indian aircraft,’’ disclosed an official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

So whether it is an Indian Airlines, Air-India, Jet or a Sahara owned aircraft, all have the prefix VT in their registration numbers. The alphabets following VT depend upon the type of the aircraft. ‘‘For example, the registration number of the IA aircraft (flight IC 814) — an airbus A 300 — which was hijacked to Kandahar in December 1999 was VT-EDW. Registration numbers of most IA aircraft have the alphabet E following VT,’’ the official added.

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However, India’s helicopter company Pawan Hans — which came into existence in 1985 — uses PH as a prefix in the registration numbers of choppers in its fleet. ‘‘Our neighbours and other Asian countries have more apt call signs as their registration prefixes. Pakistan uses AP, Nepal’s aircraft registration prefix is 9N and Japan’s is JA. It’s time for India also to do the needful,’’ a Ministry of Civil Aviation official said.

When contacted by The Indian Express, Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said he had issued written instructions to get him evidence that VT actually stood for Viceroy’s Territory. ‘‘If VT has any colonial connotations, the Government would be more than willing to get the call sign changed. So far, the DGCA has not been able to provide any proof,” Rudy added.

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