History was created at the Air Force station here on Saturday, when Air Marshal Kulwant Singh Gill, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command, flew a three-aircraft close formation sortie on a Hawk Mk132 along with his son Flying Officer Shahbeg Gill, who is also part of the same formation.
A statement by the Ministry of Defence said that the three-aircraft formation took off from the runway at 3 pm and landed after remaining in the air for approximately an hour.
Kulwant Singh described his experience of flying a sortie with his son as a “historic moment for Air Force as well as very much proud moment for himself and his family”.
He said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) was one of the most advanced and well equipped in the world.
Ranjeet Gill, Kulwant Singh’s wife, became emot-ional about the special moment.
She said, “Two dearest people to me in this world have flown together and it is difficult to express the feeling in words. Obviously, I feel proud as wife and mother.”
He has rich experience of having worked on different assignments in India and abroad.
He has the distinction of commanding various frontline bases of IAF and being the contingent commander for the first United Nations mission to Congo.
Air Marshal Gill is an outstanding sportsman and a highly decorated officer.
For his distinguished service and exceptional professionalism, he has received three Presidential awards.
Air Marshal Gill hails from Patiala. Flying Officer Shahbeg Gill is undergoing stage-III training in fighter stream.
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