School for Naval Airmen celebrates golden jubilee next week

Kochi, Aug 11 (UNI) The School for Naval Airmen (SFNA) here will be celebrating its golden jubilee on August 17, completing 50 years of playing a key role in training non-technical sailors of the aviation arm of the Indian Navy.

The Indian Navy had emerged as a three dimensional force in December, 1952, with the induction of the Naval Aviation wing. The first SFNA was set up in the Garuda barracks at the naval base here on August 17, 1956, under Lt. Commander B S Ranjit, the first Officer-in-Charge, a spokesman for the Southern Naval Headquarters here said today.

The school trains the non-technical sailors in aircraft handling, photography, air traffic control, aircraft recognition, safety equipment and motor transport driving.

In addition, it also trains officers and aviation technical sailors in airmanship.

While the Sealander aircraft formed the first squadron of the aviation wing of the Navy, the induction of the sophisticated HMS Hercules from Britain in January, 1957, made it essential for the force to train personnel to work with the equipment onboard the carrier. This task was entrusted to the aviation schools.

In 1978, the Kochi SFNA shifted to its present location adjoining the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology. Keeping up with the technology, the training has become computer-based, involving LAN, CBT packages, working models, simulator and a well equipped computer laboratory.

The school presently trains 300 officers in 25 courses and 1500 sailors in 50 courses every year. It has trained 9,482 officers and 33,706 sailors in the past five decades.

The school is presently headed by Cdr. A K Roy Choudhury.

UNI ARC1310