New Delhi, Oct 20 (KINS): Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, completed his final flying sortie in an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft on Tuesday, flying the HJT-16 Kiran Mk-1 trainer and bringing a memorable chapter of his flying career to a close.
According the statement the 55-minute sortie held special significance as Air Chief Marshal Singh flew alongside his first flying instructor, Wing Commander V. S. Kochar (Retd), in an aircraft bearing tail number U-707. The flight marked a memorable reunion between the instructor and his former student, reconnecting the Air Chief with the beginning of his flying journey in the IAF.
Air Chief Marshal Singh undertook his first-ever flying sortie on January 28, 1984. More than four decades later, his return to the Kiran trainer symbolised the completion of a remarkable journey in the skies with the Indian Air Force.
The occasion also highlighted the enduring contribution of flying instructors, who train and mentor generations of air warriors and continue to play an important role throughout the careers of aircrew.
The Kiran, an iconic trainer aircraft associated with the training of IAF pilots, added special significance to the occasion. Flying alongside the instructor who guided him during his earliest days in the cockpit made the sortie a fitting moment of reflection on his long association with military aviation.
With this final sortie, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh concluded a distinguished chapter of flying in the Indian Air Force, carrying forward the experience, discipline and commitment that have defined his journey in the service.(KINS)
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh completes final flying Sortie in Kiran Trainer
