110 flight cadets commissioned

Proud parents, peers and instructors at the Air Force Academy (AFA) here at Dundigal witnessed the grand Combined Graduation Parade, which marked the momentous occasion of the passing out of 110 flight cadets as Flying Officers of the Indian Air Force, on Saturday.

Fourteen of these cadets were women. Air Marshal K V B Jayampathy, Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, who was the Reviewing Officer of the parade, conferred the President’s Commission to the graduating flight cadets, who successfully completed their basic and professional training.

He also gave away various awards to the Flying Officers who had excelled in training. Flying Officer Ankit Agarwal was awarded the President’s Plaque and the Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for standing first in overall merit in the pilots’ course.

Flying Officers Chayan Agarwal and A Varadharajan were awarded the President’s Plaque for being first in overall merit in navigation and ground duty branches, respectively.

Addressing the parade, the Sri Lankan air chief said, “It is a matter of great honour to review the Combined Graduation Parade of flight cadets and witness these fine men and women joining the Indian Air Force as future military leaders and aviators.”

Earlier, the Reviewing Officer was received at the venue by Air Marshal S R K Nair, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, and Air Marshal Amit Tiwari, Commandant, Air Force Academy.

The display by the Indian Air Force Sky Diving team Akash Ganga dotting the skyline with colourful parachutes; the fiery aerobatic displays by the PC-7 MK II (the aircraft currently used at the air force academy to train greenhorn pilots); and breathtaking aerobatics by the Suryakiran Formation aerobatic team and the Hawk Formation team  enthralled the
audience.