IAF chief attends valedictory ceremony of flight test course graduates

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 23 (ANI): Chief of the 47th Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Friday was the chief guest at the ceremonial Valedictory function of Flight Test Course of the Indian Air Force Test Pilot School, which concluded function, "Suranjan Das Dinner", at Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), Bengaluru on Friday.
IAF chief awarded the graduating officers with certificates, along with trophies to the meritorious officers, recognizing their exceptional performance during this demanding and specialized course, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence.
"The Flight Test Course is known for its rigorous training for a duration of 48 weeks and is a cornerstone towards building the nation's flight testing capability for cutting-edge aerial platforms and systems," the statement read.
In his address, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh highlighted the vital role of test flying as a specialist domain, requiring highest standards of professional competence, integrity and dedication to service. Emphasizing the Indian Air Force's commitment to self-reliance, he underscored the indigenisation efforts through development projects such as Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and LCA MK-II. He also called upon the graduating officers to uphold the core values of Precision and Excellence, which are essential in shaping a Sashakt, Saksham and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The prestigious "Suranjan Das Trophy", for the best all-round student test pilot, was awarded to Squadron Leader S Bhardwaj, while the "Chief of the Air Staff Trophy", for the best student test pilot in flight evaluation, was awarded to Squadron Leader Ajay Tripathi. The "Maharaja Hanumanth Singh Sword", for best all round student flight test engineer, was awarded to Squadron Leader Subhrajyoti Paul The "Dunlop Trophy", for best student test engineer in flight evaluation, was awarded to Wing Commander Ashwini Singh The "Kapil Bhargava Trophy", for the best student in ground subjects, was awarded to Major Kaustubh Kunte. (ANI)