As an Indian and a lifelong aviation enthusiast, today’s tragedy strikes especially close to home. Among those on board Air India flight AI171, The weight of this loss is indescribable. It’s not just a news story or a flight number—it’s real people, real voices, real futures, gone in an instant.
AI171, operating from Ahmedabad (VAAH) to London Gatwick (EGKK) , went down earlier today in a catastrophic crash, claiming the lives of over 230 passengers and crew. The aircraft was VT-ANB, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner —one of Air India’s earliest, delivered in 2012. With this heartbreaking incident, it becomes the first-ever hull loss of a Dreamliner, a milestone no one ever wanted to see.
A machine built to connect the world became the site of unimaginable loss. For those of us in the Infinite Flight community—and aviation lovers around the world—this loss hits close to the heart. We recognize the tail numbers. We track their journeys. We understand the weight these aircraft carry—not just in cargo and passengers, but in meaning.
To pay tribute to those who perished, I propose the Infinite Flight community is to fly a memorial route—the very one AI171 was meant to complete:
- Route: Ahmedabad (VAAH) → London Gatwick (EGKK)
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
- Callsign: AI171
- Cruising Altitude: FL350
- Guideline: Fly in silence, with our strobe lights strong
- Suggested Time: As and when the community moderators/admins deem appropriate
This flight isn’t about logging hours or XP. It’s about memory. It’s about coming together, virtually, to say that these lives mattered.
Even in the digital skies, we can carry real emotion. Let this flight be a quiet tribute, a moment of stillness, and a symbol of collective mourning from a global community that cares.
Rest in peace, VT-ANB. Rest in peace, AI171.
Gone, but never forgotten.
