IAF chief undertakes flying sortie with NCC cadet, trains young personnel in flight manoeuvers

New Delhi: The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, undertook a flying sortie with a senior wing cadet, Jakkula Tejasvi Reddy of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal (Hyderabad) on Friday.

This comes days ahead of the Air Chief’s final flying sortie with his first flying instructor. With this one-of-a-kind initiative, NCC cadet Jakkula Tejaswi Reddy got an opportunity to get a closer understanding of the world of aviation.

Notably, the Chief of the Air Staff is set to retire this month. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will be the next Chief of the Air Staff and is slated to take charge on October 31.

As part of the pre-flight preparations, the NCC cadet first underwent cockpit familiarisation, safety briefings, ejection-procedure familiarisation and medical checks.

Before boarding the Kiran aircraft, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief briefed her on its specifications, major components, engine functioning, cockpit procedures and safety mechanisms. During the sortie, he explained various flight manoeuvres, flight angles and steep turns. He also gave the cadet an opportunity to practise manoeuvres under his guidance.

The sortie provided Cadet Tejasvi with practical exposure to aviation, encouraging her to pursue her aspiration of becoming an aviator. It also highlighted the opportunities available to NCC Air Wing cadets to gain experience in aviation and explore careers in the Defence Forces.

This experience helped Tejaswi realise that flying an aircraft requires not only technical knowledge but also the ability to make sound decisions, remain vigilant, and the need to strictly adhere to safety protocols.

The initiative also highlighted the opportunities available in the aviation sector for cadets in the Air Wing of the NCC. Through the NCC, young people get the chance to gain practical flying experience and explore the possibilities of pursuing a career in the defence services.

“The National Cadet Corps is expanding its training programmes to foster skills, self-confidence, and leadership qualities among the youth. In line with the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' (Developed India 2047), the objective is to empower young people to hone their talents and contribute to nation-building,” NCC, the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces, said in a statement.

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