President to fly in Sukhoi

Pune, May 28, (UNI) President A P J Kalam is all set to fly in Indian Air Force's (IAF) advanced multi-role Sukhoi-MKI combat aircraft at the Lohegaon base here on June 8, a defence source said.

This is the first time that an Indian President will undertake such an exercise. The 74-year-old President who is also the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces, had expressed a desire to fly the Sukhoi after his maiden underwater voyage in a submarine in early February.

A team of experts has declared that the President is medically fit to undertake the exercise. The IAF officials are working out a special sortie profile keeping the President's age in mind, ruling out any tactical manoeuvres.

Earlier, former Defence Minister George Fernandes had undertaken a similar sortie in May 2004, clocking 1.15 Mach (1,500 kms per hour), Mr Fernandes was exposed to 3G Forces. 'G' is the gravitational force that acts against the body weight and density while flying at supersonic speed. Fighter pilots are specially trained to take a maximum of 9G.

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