New Delhi, Oct 20: Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Tuesday completed his final flying sortie in an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft, flying the HJT-16 Kiran Mk-1 trainer with his first flying instructor, Wing Commander V S Kochar (Retd).
The 55-minute sortie marked the culmination of more than four decades of the Air Chief’s flying journey, bringing his career in the cockpit full circle.
The sortie was particularly significant as Singh flew in aircraft bearing tail number U 707 alongside Kochar, who had guided him during his earliest days of flying training in the IAF.
Singh undertook his first-ever flying sortie on January 28, 1984. More than 42 years later, his final sortie in the Kiran trainer brought him back to the aircraft type associated with the training of generations of IAF pilots.
The Kiran, an iconic trainer aircraft of the IAF, added special significance to the occasion, reconnecting the Air Chief with the formative years of his flying career.
The reunion between Singh and Kochar also served as a tribute to the Indian Air Force’s tradition of flying training and the mentorship that continues to influence aircrew throughout their careers.
With the sortie, Singh concluded a distinguished chapter of flying in IAF aircraft, carrying forward the experience and commitment that have defined his association with the force.
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