ID :
91661
Wed, 11/25/2009 - 19:53
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/91661
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President enters records books by flying in a Sukhoi-30 MKI
Pune, Nov 25 (PTI) President of India Pratibha Patil
Wednesday entered the record books by becoming the first woman
head of state to fly in a frontline, multi-role fighter jet
aircraft as she undertook a 30-minute sortie in a Russian made
Sukhoi-30 MKI.
Flashing a victory sign after landing at the Lohegoan
air force base here, the 74-year old Indian President shook
hands with the pilot Wing Commander S Sajan of the two-seater
Sukhoi and patted him for a smooth sortie in the combat jet
plane.
Patil, who has also become the oldest woman to fly in a
warplane, posed for photographs on the tarmac with the pilot,
who has over 3200 hours of flying experience, top officers and
the aircraft maintenance staff.
Shortly after landing, the India President was driven to
a rest house where she underwent a medical check up.
Before taking off, Patil was briefed about emergency
exit procedures and various parameters of the flight in the
Sukhoi-30 aircraft of city-based 30 squadron, the 'Rhinos'.
Patil is the second Indian President to fly in a fighter
aircraft after A P J Abdul Kalam who was flown at speeds a few
notches below supersonic levels for 30 minutes without sharp
manoeuvres also from the Lohegaon airbase.
Patil, who was seated in the co-pilot's seat in the
aircraft, had donned a 'G-suit' worn by fighter pilots to
counter the gravitational effects due to high speed
manoeuvres.
A Sukhoi, India's most advanced fighter plane, can carry
eight tonnes of armaments and fly over 3000 kms with onboard
fuel and can undertake an extended journey of upto 5000 kms
with a single air-to-air refuelling.
The aircraft flying the President, who is the Supreme
Commander of the country's Armed Forces, was accompanied by
two other Sukhoi jets which flew in a formation.
A special red-carpet welcome was given to Patil before
she got into the cockpit wearing a helmet and the gear donned
by fighter pilots.
The jet flew at a speed of about 0.9 Mach which is few
notches below the supersonic levels starting at one Mach which
is about 1,236 km per hour. Kalam was flown in a Sukhoi in
2006.
The pre-flight medical test had given the Indian
President a green signal for undertaking the journey. PTI SKL
RDM
Wednesday entered the record books by becoming the first woman
head of state to fly in a frontline, multi-role fighter jet
aircraft as she undertook a 30-minute sortie in a Russian made
Sukhoi-30 MKI.
Flashing a victory sign after landing at the Lohegoan
air force base here, the 74-year old Indian President shook
hands with the pilot Wing Commander S Sajan of the two-seater
Sukhoi and patted him for a smooth sortie in the combat jet
plane.
Patil, who has also become the oldest woman to fly in a
warplane, posed for photographs on the tarmac with the pilot,
who has over 3200 hours of flying experience, top officers and
the aircraft maintenance staff.
Shortly after landing, the India President was driven to
a rest house where she underwent a medical check up.
Before taking off, Patil was briefed about emergency
exit procedures and various parameters of the flight in the
Sukhoi-30 aircraft of city-based 30 squadron, the 'Rhinos'.
Patil is the second Indian President to fly in a fighter
aircraft after A P J Abdul Kalam who was flown at speeds a few
notches below supersonic levels for 30 minutes without sharp
manoeuvres also from the Lohegaon airbase.
Patil, who was seated in the co-pilot's seat in the
aircraft, had donned a 'G-suit' worn by fighter pilots to
counter the gravitational effects due to high speed
manoeuvres.
A Sukhoi, India's most advanced fighter plane, can carry
eight tonnes of armaments and fly over 3000 kms with onboard
fuel and can undertake an extended journey of upto 5000 kms
with a single air-to-air refuelling.
The aircraft flying the President, who is the Supreme
Commander of the country's Armed Forces, was accompanied by
two other Sukhoi jets which flew in a formation.
A special red-carpet welcome was given to Patil before
she got into the cockpit wearing a helmet and the gear donned
by fighter pilots.
The jet flew at a speed of about 0.9 Mach which is few
notches below the supersonic levels starting at one Mach which
is about 1,236 km per hour. Kalam was flown in a Sukhoi in
2006.
The pre-flight medical test had given the Indian
President a green signal for undertaking the journey. PTI SKL
RDM
