AI flight with all-woman crew lands, Captain Aggarwal says she felt on top of world

''I was on top of the world'' saidan elated Captain Zoya Aggarwal, who headed the four-memberall-woman cockpit crew that flew into Indian aviation historyon Monday, landing the San Francisco-Bengaluru AI directflight after going over the North Pole.

As AI-176 landed at the Kempegowda International Airporthere and the crew members walked to the lounge, a huge crowdof people gave a rousing reception for scripting history withthe about 17-hour journey, the longest flight by the nationalcarrier or any other airline in the country.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri said the four-membercockpit crew created history while Governors of variousstates, leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and TDPchief N Chandrababu Naidu, and social media users lavishlypraised the women pilots.

Captain Aggarwal, the first pilot, said she felt as if shewas on top of the world flying over the North pole, surroundedby Arctic ocean and the northernmost point on earth.

''I was on the top of the world. I would rather call it,top of the North Pole because the North Pole was the world forme when I was commanding that Boeing-777 200 LR above 34,000feet,'' she told PTI here.

The other three women pilots were Captain PapagariThanmai, Captain Akansha Sonaware and Captain Shivani Manhasand the flight that departed from San Francisco in the USA ataround 8.30 pm (local time) on Saturday landed here at around3.45 am on Monday.

The direct distance between the two cities at oppositeends of the world is 13,993 km with a time zone change ofaround 13.5 hours.

Asked if there was any fear flying over the Polar region,Aggarwal said she only felt excitement and her instructors hadall along inculcated complete confidence in pilots like her.

''I am very motivated...I don't think the word fear existsin Air India. No, not at all,'' she said.

Thanking the ministry of civil aviation and the AirIndia for reposing faith on her and other crew members,Aggarwal said she was grateful, felt happy and humbled.

She also gave credit to the 'weather God' as theweather across the polar region was ''immaculate and suitablein order to make a polar flight happen''.

''In a moment to cherish & celebrate, women professionalsof Indian civil aviation create history. Heartiestcongratulations to Capt Zoya Aggarwal, Capt PapagariThanmai, Capt Akansha Sonaware & Capt Shivani for flying overNorth Pole to land in Bengaluru from San Francisco,'' Puritweeted. He hailed it as an embodiment of 'Nari Shakti'.

Gandhi said: ''Congratulations to the all-women cockpitcrew for completing Air India's longest flight from SanFrancisco to Bengaluru over the North Pole. You have made thecountry proud,'' he said in a tweet.

Aggarwal, hailing from a conservative family and theonly child of her parents, broke the glass ceiling to becomean AI pilot and carved a niche for herself by steering theinaugural flight from America.

''I am the only child of my parents. So, I grew up in aworld where I was taught to walk behind the men and theirshadows and to grow up and get married and look after mykids,'' she recalled.

She said when she told her parents her wish to becomea pilot, her mother cried out of fear but today her mother'stears were out of joy.

The AI flight, after getting airborne from SanFrancisco under the command of Captain Aggarwal left the polarregion at a speed of 940 kmph as Captain Thanmai, the secondpilot, steered the aircraft.

''...Kudos for making Air India proud. We alsocongratulate passengers of AI176 for being part of thishistoric moment,'' the airline said, describing it as alandmark journey.

The flight was operated with a Boeing 777-200LRaircraft with a seating capacity of 238 seats, including eightFirst Class, 35 Business Class,195 Economy class configurationbesides four cockpit and 12 cabin crew.