Eleven test pilots and six flight test engineers of the 48th Flight Test Course graduated from the Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) in Bengaluru on May 23 post completion of a 48-week multi-discipline training curriculum.

This year, the graduating course comprised 17 officers including 14 officers from the Indian Air Force (IAF), one officer from Indian Army and two officers from Indian Navy.

The graduates will join the Aviation Wing of the IAF’s Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh presented certificates to all graduating officers and awarded trophies to the meritorious performers.

This year, the Suranjan Das Trophy for the best all-round student Test Pilot was awarded to Sqn. Ldr. K.K. Singh, while the Chief of the Air Staff Trophy for the best student Test Pilot in flight evaluation was awarded to Sqn. Ldr. Aditya Jamdagni.

The Maharaja Hanumanth Singh Sword for the best all round student Flight Test Engineer was awarded to Wg. Cdr. Abhinav Kumar.

Wg. Cdr. Pranav Sharma was awarded the Dunlop Trophy for best student Flight Test Engineer in flight evaluation and the Kapil Bhargava Trophy for the best student in ground subjects was awarded to Sqn. Ldr. Paras Sharma.

Air Chief Marshal Singh exhorted the graduating officers to continue toiling hard with focus, and reminded them of the crucial role that they would go on to play towards capability building and modernisation of the Indian Armed Forces.

Emphasising self reliance as a strategic necessity for developing resilient indigenous defence capabilities, the IAF Chief highlighted the onerous responsibility that the test crew needs to shoulder to proliferate the nation’s indigenisation drive and strengthen the aerospace ecosystem.

He also emphasised the need to optimise design to delivery time cycles while upholding highest standards of safety and quality of equipment.

He further stressed the importance of professional competence to ensure that aircraft and systems meet the operational requirements of the services, while urging the officers to uphold the virtues of honesty, integrity, precision and excellence.