Kalam Medically Cleared for June 8 Sukhoi Flight

New Delhi, May 26 (UNI) President APJ Abdul Kalam today received a clean bill of health, less than a fortnight ahead of his date in the sky on June eight next -- the first Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces to fly in a fighter aircraft.

Coming June eight, President Kalam will fly in a Sukhoi-30MKI -- the country's frontline fighter aircraft -- from Pune's Lohegaon Air Force Station. India's Missile man will utilise the opportunity to familiarise himself with the systems and capability of the Russian-built aircraft.

Aviation Medicine experts of the Indian Air Force, after giving the 76-year-old President a thorough medical checkup here today, declared him ''mentally and physically fit'' for the various rigours he might face during the less than half-hour flight sortie.

Dr Kalam, during a recent Presidential Fleet Review at Visakhapattinam, had undertaken a nightlong trip in a submarine.

Subsequently, he had expressed a desire to fly in an Air Force fighter aircraft too.

The President would undertake the flight in a two-seater, trainer version of the SU 30MKI.

Jockeying him will be the Commanding Officer of the IAF's Number 20 'Lightnings' squadron Wing Commander Ajay Rathore -- a veteran of all Russian MiG fighters that the IAF possesses as well as the Sukhoi, which his fifty-year-old squadron now flies.

UNI DG SHB PC1913