JOIN USMost people dream of soaring high in the skies. But one needs an eagle’s heart to stay in the air for long hours — only one kind of people can achieve such a feat with ease and they are the Gunner Dare Devils.
A team of pilots set the record for ‘non-stop distance to a declared goal’ on Friday when they landed at Sanderav in Rajasthan’s Pali district.
The previous record was 325 kilometres, while the record-breaking attempt covered over 350 kilometres from Bikaner to Sanderav. The expedition took off from Sri Ganganagar to Bikaner on Thursday, and a record was created when they landed in Sanderav a day later.
The team will go to Udaipur on Saturday. The entire trip, including the record-breaking segment, covers a total of 700 kilometres in four days. Under the aegis of the Army Adventure Nodal Centre (hang-gliding) based at the School of Artillery in Devlali, the unique expedition in Rajasthan is the first of its kind. The pilots are flying in powered harness hang-gliders. A total of 10 pilots flew in the 120 CC and 5 horsepower engine attached to a carbon-graphite propeller.
This contraption gives pilots the ability to take off from small clearings of land and cruise at 70 kmph for several hours, depending on the wind direction.
Led by Colonel Sanjeev Jarial, the team comprises Major Raman Mishra, Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh, Havildar Mangal Debbarma, Naik Gurmeet Singh, Naik AK Singh, Naik Ravinder Lance Naik A Selvam, Lance Naik Sanjeev Kumar and Gunner P K Pradhan. The aim of the expedition is to publicise the adventurous lifestyle of the army and to inspire youth to join the armed forces.