The Public Enterprises Selection Board yesterday selected Arvind Kathpalia (Executive Director, Air India) for the post of Director (Oerations) Air India. Five candidates were short-listed for interview namely; Capt Anil Kumar Govil (ED, AIL), Capt Chetan Prakash (ED, AIL), Capt Arvind Kathpalia (ED, AIL), Capt Amitabh Singh (GM, AIL) and Air Vice Marshal Amit Tiwari (MoD). The post, created in the third week of November last year, was advertised on March 09 this year. Subject to requisite clearance and ACC ratification Kathpalia would be the first one to hold the coveted post of Director (Operations) Air India. Unlike the other CPSEs, Air India had narrowed down the competition by making flight experience a mandatory qualification. The post requires a commercial pilot with at least 10,000 hours of flying experience in the various type of aircraft available in the passenger transportation in India, of which 5,000 hours should be as Pilot-in-Command on any type of aircraft in the current fleet of Air India i.e. Airbus, Boeing and turbo-prop type of aircraft. Weblink: Story dated 23 May 2016 http://www.indianmandarins.com/04-air-india-pilots-01-mod-officer-vying-for-post-of-ai-director-ops/