''I believe India is in safe hands'': Kalam

Pune, June 8 (UNI) ''After the sortie I believe that India is in safe hands,'' said an elated President A P J Kalam after touching down at 1110 hours from his Sukhoi-30 MKI completing a 30 minutes sortie, expressing satisfaction at the performance of the combat aircraft at the Lohegaon Air base here today.

Addressing reporters after alighting from the aircraft President APJ Kalam said, ''I have completed 30 minute sortie and my dream has been fulfilled, as my friend Wing Commander Ajay Rathore who was a good teacher helped me right from the takeoff.'' ''I could bend the aircraft to the left and right side. Since 1958, I had wanted to be a pilot and my great aim has been fulfilled'' he said patting his name plate and his 'G'suit proudly.

The Indian Air Force and South Western Air Command (SWAC) have done a fantastic job,'' he added.

Talking about the flight, Wing Cdr Ajay Rathore said that the President did well and handled controls nearly 5-10 minutes at different stages during the sortie. The President wanted to see the performance of the Radars, Sensors and importantly the Indian Computers in the aircraft. As far as the profile was concerned the President was to handle air to air targets and air to ground targets, buddy refuelling, besides handling mild manoeuvres.

He got acquainted with the controls and turned the aircraft to the left and right, and ''it was a tremendous flight,''he said. ''The Indian Air Force, and the 20th squadron is proud, happy and elated for achieving what we had set out to do. We went about 150 kms in the north-east direction, scaling upto 7.5 kms in height touching a maximum speed of 1.25 Mach (1 Mach is 1500 kmphs),'' Wg Cdr Rathore said.

To a query about the aircraft, Wg Cdr Rathore said that the President is an eminent scientist, he has been associated with the project from its inception and been involved from contracting it.

The President was received by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief-SWAC, Air Marshal P K Mehra, Station Commander, Lohegaon Pune and other Air Force personnel as the Sukhoi-30 MKI touched down.

Later, the President witnessed a scintillating air show of Jaguars and a unique display of aero dynamics of the capabilities and versitility of the Su-30 MKI comprising refuelling mid-air, combat air petrol, chasing air raiders, loops, somersaults, flat turns and twists, combat manoeuvres, changing paths to overcome adversaries, mid air rolls, and dropping to low speeds.

UNI DWN MJ RP DS1615