FIJI Airways pilot Captain Mukesh Patel experienced a flight that many aviators could only dream of while flying the new A350-900 XWB home to Nadi on Saturday.
The pilot in command of the inaugural flight to the Fiji Airways hangar, Mr Patel, said the experience was one he would savour .
“I’ve been flying for 33 years and this was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” he said.
“It’s one of the most advanced aircraft in the world and it was a privilege to do this.
“I’m approaching the end of my career and I can say that this was one experience I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Also flying the new bird home was Captain Gideon Leweniqila, who was the only iTaukei pilot in the cockpit.
“The A350 is the latest technological product in the market right now and we were privileged to have been part of the few pilots in the world to fly it,” he said.
“This design was put together through the feedback of pilots and we can tell how everything was well designed from the nose to the wingtip of the aircraft.
“This is a great moment in history for Fiji Airways and for the Fijian people.”
Airbus Pacific head of global accounts Marie-Frederique Romain said pilot feedback was vital to the design of the A350.
“When we design an aircraft, we ask for that kind of feedback,” she said.
“We build the aircraft together.
“We ask the pilots what we can do better and how we can improve and it’s true that the cockpit of the aircraft is the latest generation.
“It’s truly has modern state of the art avionics and it’s true that the feedback from the pilots has been accessibly unanimous in the cockpit.”
