Flying nowhere

Martin Parr

India. Delhi. Captain Gupta's plane to nowhere. A plane bought by Bahadur Chand Gupta, a retired Indian Airlines engineer allows customers to experience plane travel without leaving the ground. 2009. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

I'm boarding an Airbus A-300 in Delhi. The plane's destination is Mumbai, but with only one wing and a third of the fuselage missing, I know this flight will not take off. Captain Gupta's bought the Airbus from Indian Airlines in 2003 then spent many years re-assembling it in his garden which is about 5 miles from Delhi International Airport. Captain Gupta, an ex airline engineer, has a passion for aeroplanes and wants to share this with as many people as possible.

© Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

Despite the fact that the domestic Indian airline industry has boomed in the last few years, it is worth remembering the great majority of India's population- 96%- has never flown, nor stepped inside an aeroplane. Captain Gupta's mission is to give Indians a chance to experience the inside of a plane and to learn a little about how aircraft operate.
The day I visit, a group of very excited young children is lining up ready to board, accompanied by keen helpers.

© Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

After boarding the aircraft, they watch the safety routine conducted by the chief air hostess, Mrs Gupta, who is also a professor of International Studies at Delhi University, but doubles up in this role, whenever she can. Two other hostesses are also on duty.

© Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

Boarding passes are inspected as the kids enter the plane, and it is explained how essential these are in ensuring the right person boards the right flight. The doors are shut. Seat belts are firmly fastened. The safety briefing is very familiar: oxygen masks and the emergency lifebelts are demonstrated. The children are asked the names of various items and they shout these out with great relish. Then refreshment trolleys are pushed up the aisle and everyone is served with biscuits and toffees. Then some music is played over the intercom and some of the kids are encouraged to get up and start dancing around the aisle. Quite what this has to do with flying is beyond me, but everyone is having a great time. Groups of five or so kids at a time are then invited into the cockpit and Mrs Gupta explains that although trains and buses have one driver, a plane has three: the pilot, the co-pilot and the auto-pilot.

The climax to the visit involves sliding down the emergency chute. This resembles a fairground ride, and goes down very well with the children. Snacks and drinks are then served, and they all sit down and watch a few videos. I imagine that this party of children will never forget this day out, and Captain Gupta has converted another fifty people on his mission to educate the public and to de-mystify the business of flying.

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	Reader comments (6) Subscribe to this article's comments via RSS
	fantastic !! love captain gupta... thanks for this.- Comment posted by david b on March 4, 2009
	Saw this on tv the other night on "Paul Merton in India" what a hoot!! Good stuff.... Comment posted by Ross Nolly on March 5, 2009
	Thought I'd better mention "what a hoot" as in a great attraction. It was not meant to be disparaging.... Comment posted by Ross Nolly on March 5, 2009
	Martin: u and this story were in my dream last night....go figure?....only, you were shooting in Australia and i was shooting you shooting captain gupta (who happened to be a bare-chested, blonde haired old Aboriginal with white face and chest paintings)...well, it was a brilliant and trippy dream and have no idea why you popped into my skulll...(i'd looked and read this post yesterday afternoon)....i love captain gupta too (saw a doc on him produced by the CBC)...pic 3 (with girl and yellow flotation device) is brilliant....more importantly, the great majority of Indians (as opposed to n.americans or europeans) WILL NEVER fly....and in this sense, both his mission and the experiences is quite a surreal example of the faith in quontum belief....for in the end, they are flying...with a smaller carbon imprint.... wild stuff.... thanks for sharing...now, go out and find that Songline Chief you were shooting, before i find him and snap up the story.... cheers bob Comment posted by bobblack on March 7, 2009
	I was looking forward to seeing this thread. Unfortunately, having seen also the film version, I have to say the images here in no way capture the magic, the excitement, the movement, the life the fun of this attraction. "Blow in to this bag and don't look bored....no I said don't look bored...oh ok then let's just take the picture anyway" Comment posted by Alan Walters on March 24, 2009
	fantastic !!!! Comment posted by Nike Kobe IV on June 10, 2009

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