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 Air
Chief Marshal N A K Browne told India Strategic
in and interview that IAF was under a major transformation
to induct hi tech systems, and that the young
officers needed to flirt with flying in youthful
spirits while training.
He said that IAF was all for supporting HAL
and indigenous industry but HPT 32 has had a record
of accidents which did not inspire confidence.
There has been a persistent fuel supply problem
which had not been sorted out, leading to 108
engine cuts and mishaps, claiming lives of 23
pilots.
HPT 32 was grounded after a crash 31 July, 2009
in which two senior pilots, both instructors,
were killed.
The HAL-made Deepak first flew in 1981, and was
delivered to the IAF Training Command in 1984
for formal instructions in basic flying. Notably,
many of the top IAF officers have trained on the
HPT 32. But there seems to be a unanimous opinion
that it is the time for change.
Said a lady officer: "I want to soar to
the skies, play with the aircraft and my spirits.
I expect the Air Force and the country to give
me the technical capability to do that with confidence.
Preparing for security of the country is serious
business."
IAF has meanwhile decided to acquire the Swiss-made
basic Pilatus-7 aircraft.
Air Chief Marshal Browne said that the formal
agreement to buy 75 of these aircraft would be
signed within a few weeks as the negotiations
were in the final stages between the Government
and the manufacturer. The technical report shortlisting
the new trainer had been sent to the Ministry
of Defence some time back and has been accepted.
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