Prez Kalam fulfils childhood fancy, takes to sky in Sukhoi-30MKI

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 in the Indian Air Forces's (IAF) latest all-weather air dominance supersonic fighter, Sukhoi-30 MKI at the IAF base at Lohegaon Air Base here today.

Creating history, President APJ Kalam, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, at age 74 became the first Indian President to fly a combat aircraft. Alighting from the Su-30MKI, a happy President showing no signs of nervousness told mediapersons, ''I have completed the 30 minute-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 take off and I could bend the aircraft to the left and right side, expressing satisfaction at the performance of the aircraft. 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 adding that the Indian Air Force and South Western Air Command(SWAC) have ''done a fantastic job''.

Talking about the flight, Wing Commander Ajay Rathore said that the President did well and handled controls nearly 5-10 minutes at different stages during the sortie. He had briefed the President about three panels and to identify and make selections of switches.

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 was exposed upto ''2G'' Force, 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 1500kmphs),'' Wing Commander Rathore said.

To a query about the aircraft, Wing Commander 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 took off at 1035 hrs and 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. Soon after, 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 maneuvers, changing paths to overcome adversaries, mid air rolls, and dropping to low speeds. The show displayed the prowess of the IAF including formation flying, mock interception (aerial dog fight), saturation strike and low level aerobatics by a single Su-30 MKI was also demonstrated to the President.

The President was presented a 'Guard of Honour' by Air Warriors of the Airbase on his arrival at the Lightening Squadron tarmac. In his address to the officers at Air Force Station, Pune, the President said, ''I had a beautiful flight in the Su-30 aircraft. I can see the skill of the pilots and all support personnel during this mission. During the 50 years of operation the 20 Squadron has graduated from Vampires to Hunters to MiG 21 and now to Su-30. I am also happy to know that 20 Squadron was the formation aerobatic team for about seven years in the past. Earlier, the 20 Squadron had trained many pilots including the present Naval Chief, Admiral Arun Prakash, who are proving themselves to be great asset to the nation.

They have left a great tradition of sacrifice for all of us to follow.'' Spokesperson for the IAF, Wg Cdr T K Singha informed that the President had been provided the customary pre flight meal and was given a briefing by Air Marshal P K Mehra. Yesterday, the Air Marshal also met the President yesterday alongwith Wing Commander Ajay Rathore for preparing and briefing the President at Raj Bhawan. However, the first briefing of the flight took place on May 19th at New Delhi after the President had decided to fly the combat aircraft. Earlier, this year a team of experts has declared the President medically fit to undertake the exercise. He had expressed his desire to fly the Sukhoi after his maiden underwater voyage in a submarine in early February. The IAF officials had worked out the 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 (1,500kms per hour), 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, he said.

The President later left to attend the first convocation of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT).

UNI