Jan11

My warm greetings and best wishes to all Air Warriors, NCs(E), DSC personnel, Civilians and families for a Happy and Prosperous 2011.

2010 has been a year of high operational preparedness for the Indian Air Force. I am proud that we have achieved all our assigned tasks successfully and my compliments to you all for your dedicated efforts and commitment. The Indian Air Force participated in a number of joint exercises within and outside the country, reinforcing our reputation as a professional force and generating goodwill & respect. Our prompt response during natural disasters in Leh, Andhra Pradesh and other flood affected parts of the country has been exemplary. The IAF continues to provide vital support to our security forces engaged in restoring peace in beleaguered areas of the country. The effort towards air maintenance in the North and the North-East has also increased. Our professionalism and commitment have earned accolades from all quarters and have rightfully increased the Nation’s expectations. It is your effort that has enhanced our reputation and I am sure that you all will continue with the same energy and vigour in 2011.

As the Nation marches ahead and strives to take its rightful place on the world stage, we in the IAF should be able to handle increased challenges and project aerospace power, whenever and wherever required. I am confident that with your dedication and professionalism, the IAF will rise to every single occasion.

The IAF is poised for a major transformation in the coming decade. We continue on our path towards modernisation with acquisition of state-of-the-art combat assets and infrastructure development. I urge you all to be alive to these changes and play your roles to perfection. Refinement of welfare measures and HR policies is being undertaken continuously to balance organisational and personal aspirations, because your well being as well as that of your family is vital for the growth of the IAF.

I compliment each one of you for your contribution in every sphere, over the last one year. On this day, let us resolve to better our own high standards and Touch the Sky with Glory.

Jai Hind !

Air Chief MarshalChief of the Air Staff

I extend my warm greetings to all personnel and their families on the occasion of the New Year.

IAF is acquiring cutting edge technology and reshaping its doctrine for future war. The process requires sincere effort on part of every air warrior. Professionalism, dedication and safety consciousness are implicit requirements for maintaining IAF’s combat potential and delivering a lethal payload any time, any place. I am convinced that each one of you is fully capable and continues to strive for achieving organisational goals.

We witnessed a few accidents in the last couple of months. Not withstanding that, our Branch is proactively and relentlessly pursuing all measures to enhance ‘Aerospace Safety’. After a thorough introspection at this headquarters, we have instituted in-house studies to find and recommend adequate measures to address safety concerns of the IAF on a short and long-term period.

Interaction visits, implementation of AFSEM and ORM have all begun to pay dividends by unfolding the latent issues at our airbases. I am sure that in the coming days we will be able to unravel more such issues, and deal with them timely and effectively before they manifest in chronic problems.

I must re-iterate that safety is neither a one-man show nor an issue to be resolved by a group of people. It is a collective contribution of all air warriors at all times. No matter where you are or what you do, never lose focus on the safety issues. Only then, will we be able to intrinsically transcend to higher levels of safety culture and in future produce enviable safety records.

Ushering in the New Year, let us take a collective pledge to immerse ourselves in every work with utmost safety and develop zero tolerance for accidents. I wish you all the very best in all your future endeavors, God speed and safe landings!

Air MarshalDG(I&S)

IND IAN A IR FORCE6 Aerospace Safety J a n u a r y 2 0 11 IND IAN A IR FORCE 7 2 0 1 1 J a n u a r y Aerospace Safety

Air Mshl Anil Chopra


If one was to study human history, technological advances have greatly influenced human behavior. Evolution of the

alphabet, numerals, and the basic laws of maths and physics has greatly changed our life. This has happened exponentially in the last few centuries after the ‘Industrial revolution’ and in the recent past with advancements in communications, computing power and information explosion. From the days of the stage-coach, we have come a long way with all information available instantly in (AAAPAT) Any Amount Any Place Any Time. One expects a reply to a communication the moment the ‘send’ command is given. Within our lifetimes, we also saw the change from joint family, to nuclear family and now to self-centricity.

Traditional joint families imbibed, sets of core values with an inbuilt system of family honour. Families had a strong system of punishment for defaulters. Children in school were taught morals through books like Aesop’s fables, credited to Aesop, a slave and story-teller who lived in ancient Greece, between 620 and 560 BCE. Indian tradition as represented by the Buddhist Jataka Tales and the Hindu Panchatantra. The Armed forces, world over have had a strong system of Values and Traditions. This value system was literally hammered into the young boys and girls we picked up between 15-20 years of age. The children who came to us had strong, inbuilt family traditions and pride. Also post-independence, the schools were charged up in an atmosphere of nation building. IZZAT aur IMAN ki Hifazat was critical. All great men from history we all remember with respect, are the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and all lived life of high moral values.

Most personnel who join us today are of the era of small families and schools that prepare for ‘high-salaried-quick-placement’ careers. The raison d’etre of Generation ‘Y’ (Why) is to be ‘Live as long as alive’. The new generation also has its strengths. They are very sharp and technology savvy. These changing realities add

challenges. India today also ranks at the near bottom of the international corruption index. The recent aggressive media coverage has put everything, and more, in the public domain. The ‘Scam’ needle has also started pricking the Armed Forces, albeit it is still just touching the skin akin to ‘Acupuncture’. Possible erosion of values and resultant loss of image needs a corrective attention. Can we continue to pursue the life of ‘Crime and No-punishment’ and this desire of ‘Sea facing’ instead of ‘sea-faring’?

The Armed Forces are meant to defend the nation from external aggression and support the Govt in internal emergencies. They are the last weapon. Consequences of their success or failure are profound. Their morale is the principle attribute for success. Morale is built by patriotism, discipline, self-respect, fair treatment and appreciation. It can wither in case of ignorance, personal ambition, or ineptitude of their leaders.

The Armed Forces in the West faced the societal changes a few decades ahead of us. In the sixties, the USAF and more so US Marines adopted honour code for its cadets – “We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does”. In 1997 US Air War College prepared a comprehensive document called “Core Values: Foundation of 21st Century”. IAF also took inspiration and formulated an Air warrior code. During my days in DG Branch we got a chance to closely interact with the field at all levels. We rediscovered that ‘Value system’ is the hardest to cultivate and sustain. Dignified code of personal conduct and sound work ethics greatly contribute to organizational health. Timeless values that define intrinsic character of an organization are Integrity, learning and growth. What clearly emerged was that time had come to revisit, review and reinforce them.

The Air warrior code covers …..I am foremost an Air Warrior…..…security and honour of country above everything else….…will volunteer for toughest jobs…….undertake the assigned

mission unflinchingly……..uphold the high traditions……pursue excellence….….will be honest and live up to the trust….…physically fit and mentally agile….….would lead….….and have impeccable turn out…. etc.

The strong hierarchical system of the services makes everyone a leader even when he/she is Fg Offr or Corporal. IAF is like a ‘family-owned-business’ where orderly succession

is in place. Seniors just have to transfer ‘Power, responsibility and knowledge

(experience). All leaders are ordinary people

who become


superior if they perform under difficult circumstances. Chinese term ‘Wu’ (holistic view) suggests, that for any leader ‘Personal appearance should be decorous; speech orderly; vision clear; hearing distinct; and thoughts profound.’

Any value system can best be propagated through example. Onus is thus on seniors. Let us try and link some of the values to aerospace safety.

Honesty and Integrity. In modern cockpits, devices like FDR, CVR, HUD cameras, MFD/RWR recorders etc have made it impossible to hide the facts. Still we find personnel on the defensive and trying to cook up stories during accident/incident investigations so as to somehow cover up and

get away. Invariably they are caught. Where such devices are not available,

or for servicing/

We have dozens of examples in IAF of

people who made mistakes, owned up

and were let off clean. They were others, who

were manly enough to take the punishment and then rose to high p o s i t i o n s

with respect and honour. Integrity is more than

the manifestation of your honesty. It is the litmus test

of respect which determines whether you will be taken

seriously or not.

“

ground incidents some still lie. Statistically many serious events never get reported. We have dozens of examples in IAF of people who made mistakes, owned up and were let off clean. They were others who were manly enough to take the punishment and then rose to high positions with respect and honour. Integrity is more than the manifestation of your honesty. It is the litmus test of respect – it determines whether you will be taken seriously or not. Fail the integrity test in a young person’s eyes and you will fail to be a positive influence on him. This is a leadership issue for field commanders and has bearing on morale and commitment towards aerospace safety.

Walk the Talk. Who hath not heard aviation folklore in a flying base bar, narrated with pride, often in person, about the gross rule violations by some of our seniors? Volumes can be written on that. ‘I shall do what I feel (I am a hot-rod), you will follow the book’. Days of the flying circus are over. Wingmen watch and imbibe skills and values from their leaders; they are not on silent thanksgiving. You cannot leave the No.2 out on a wing and a prayer. If the senior does not maintain correct climb speed, or correct position while flying as a wingman, he cannot expect the same from others. It is time to walk the talk.

Pride & Discipline. An American soldier is brought up from young age on two things, Fast food (McDonalds) and Honor (for the Motherland). Their values are taken to their paroxysm, and often amplified by promiscuity and loneliness of an outpost in a war zone, with the star spangled banner fluttering nearby. Even on a hot summer day he wears his heavy helmet (with chin strap) and full Combat suit. Long hours of watch do not annoy him. No distractions, no pauses, they are like statues night and day. He knows discipline will save his life. The American Marine is imbued with the ethos: in absence of orders: Attack! Count on SOP to carry the day. Inculcation of national pride, pride in service and unit is a critical attribute to safety. People with pride and

discipline in their marrow do not break rules and SOPs. Large number of human error air accidents/incidents are a result of deviation from SOPs. Two hands are too few to count the number of close colleagues we lost because of violation of height and/or Alpha.

Precision and Excellence. I learnt this as a trainee test pilot as the motto of ASTE. Do what you may; try doing it with ‘precision and excellence’. The MDA cannot be violated come what may unless you are practising CFIT. Inaccurately kept height could mean collision. Wrong formation keeping could reduce cross cover. A casually fitted bolt could mean catastrophe. Poor hydraulic discipline could mean an undercarriage up landing. Irrespective of the job being done, do it with precision. Imagine if the toilet commode is not cleaned properly, you would be uncomfortable.

Courage. It comes in two forms: physical and moral. Physical courage sees us through in difficult warlike situations and is also a great support in emergencies. Moral courage is a more fundamental requirement of all effective leaders. Moral courage is a commitment to doing what is right. Leaders worthy of respect do the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons. Young people who are still struggling with the development of such qualities within their own character respect honesty, trustworthiness, equity, and honor. They respect leaders who stand up for what is right.

Endurance and Stamina. It is a trait easily associated with the rigors of combat. It conjures images of physical strength and sustained, hardship. Nowadays one often sees young men falling face down on parade, even on a relatively cool day. Endurance, as the word implies, means staying with things, even when the going gets rough. It requires both physical and mental toughness. Young officers must visit the squash court and the Gym more often. It increases ‘g’ threshold and also it changes the whole attitude


towards life. In war we all will have to work under tough conditions for extended periods. The stamina will make us win or lose a war – Kargil was a living proof.

Decisiveness and Judgement. Some of us are inherently decisive, and some of us are not. There is a distinction between decisiveness and inflexibility. Changing a course of action on the basis of developing conditions is not being indecisive. Decisions boil down to a matter of judgment, and sometimes the key to sound judgment is considering all factors – in time bound manner. Whether the concern is combat decisions, personnel policies, or sticking to deadlines, the ability to be decisive has a direct impact on how the leader is accepted. In the air, situations could be dynamic. In cases of bad weather on a ferry or in the hills, complex aircraft emergencies, engine failure at low level, poor visibilty on approach, taking calls at PNR point over sea etc, decisiveness could save the day.

Enthusiasm and Passion. These are critical traits for any successful person. It is easy to infuse energy when you exude energy. Enthusiasm permeates the work at hand. It is contagious – and doubly so when it originates from a figure whom people respect. If one is enthusiastic and excited to participate in a mission and exercise

he prepares well for it to succeed. It is not a bind or something just to be done with. This is all the more important for the relatively routine and repetitive engineering tasks done in the hangar. It is also applicable to a large number of admin tasks. All these have a bearing on aerospace safety.

Sense of justice. It is an important issue. There are few quicker ways to lose a following than to appear arbitrary, partial, or unfair. Applying the same yard stick is critical. Once boundaries are defined, all would know what is expected, and the consequences of failing. The man in the field watches very carefully what kind of punishment is meted out after various accidents. There have been cases where AOC/Stn Cdr was removed immediately to set an example. There were those who survived series of accidents at their stations, albeit for no fault of theirs. Similarly, punishment to directly involved individuals must follow some rationale. There is perception that in IAF we are relatively mild on punishing acts of gross safety violations. That ‘my boy’ syndrome exists.

Loyalty. You cannot build or gather loyalty. It is given by those you lead. To earn loyalty you exhibit character worthy of loyalty. Reputation is important. We follow those we admire and respect. To be worthy of allegiance, you must exhibit


The man in the field watches very carefully what kind of punishment is meted out after various accidents. There have been cases where AOC/Stn Cdr was removed immediately to set an example. There were those who survived series of accidents at their stations, albeit for no fault of theirs. Similarly, punishment to directly involved individuals must follow some rationale.


loyalty yourself. It is a chain. The senior must go out of the way to display/demonstrate loyalty to his juniors so that the trait spreads downward like an infection. Station and squadron loyalty improves efficiency and safety.

Humility and Respect for Human Dignity. Be ready to roll up sleeves and dirty the hands. The Flight Commander, who comes to the Nav room to join in ferry planning, or EW room to discuss a PFM earns the professional respect of juniors. Young officers who routinely visit the labs or sections and interact with technicians and share with them their perspective, greatly contributes to spread of knowledge and safety. Think big but be ready to act small.

Team driven and Empowering. There is a need to build depth in leadership. A combination of ‘Leader as a Teacher’ and also ‘Master-Apprentice’ model is perhaps the best. Master needs ego boost, apprentice knowledge. Over the years the officer community has ‘stolen’ the power of the ‘Chiefy’. We found young officers with few months of service, especially of the engineering branch, running ruff-shod over senior and experienced warrant ranks just because they were senior by protocol. This not only kills morale, it breaks a team. The expertise lies with that man who is a specialist. Many trades make a ‘serviceable’ aircraft. Leaders who have encouraged empowerment and team building have always produced better results. Time to take charge of JITT and FLM boys and mentor them. Ability to Listen. We all love to talk. This desire increases exponentially as we grow older. After all we have a life time of things to talk about. We need to remember that there are hundreds of fresh and young minds under us bubbling with new ideas and concepts. If one-in-ten were to be the acceptability ratio, you would have dozens of new ideas to implement. Till we listen we cannot harness them. When we listen and acknowledge a good idea, we create a proud enthusiastic team man. If we are not willing to listen, people switch

off. We need to create an environment for people to air views freely. This is critical attribute to aerospace safety.

Empathize not Sympathize. It is the capacity to sample the feelings of another or to put oneself in another’s shoes and respond. Empathy is spontaneous and natural, and is distinct from sympathy or pity. Empathic concern is the wish to see others better off, or happier. Pity is like “feeling sorry” for someone. Hundreds of personnel under you are at different emotional and physical states. A leader needs to empathise. It greatly improves morale. Happy personnel are great contributors of aerospace safety.

There is nothing new in what has been said above. This is only an exercise to revisit the issues. All these things contribute equally in all aspects of daily life. Be a good person and a good professional. Everything else will fall in place.

- Air Mshl Anil Chopra

He Knew Everything

When God made man he gave him two ends - one to think with and the other to sit on. We usually make no mistake

about which end we sit on. The problem arises when we use the wrong end to think with. To add greater confusion God gave us a heart - to emote with.

Take a pilot. Any average pilot. He can fly with his head, or with his heart or with his


ass. How? Well, let’s see how this works out. Starting in the reverse , order let us jot down the characteristics of each type of flier.

The pilot who flies with his ass:-

He is the original seat of the pants flier. He �tries to fly by feel in IMC and insists on looking out into the misty void instead of at his instruments.- He has a few aircraft to his credit.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

He does not really know his aircraft systems �and emergency procedures.

He jumps out of aircraft whenever he gets �a fright or encounters an unusual situation. Afterwards he is vague about exactly what happened. But to listen to him one would get the impression that he is the greatest, the way he handled the situation. Usually he says that the impossible happened - like a non feed back system feeding back or all systems failing, or explosions and smoke in the cockpit.

He flies without monitoring his instruments. �Sometimes he even takes off without checking the air speed.

He freezes when he needs to act and thaws �when he needs to freeze.

He thinks his head is meant to carry a bone �dome when he flies, and to land on after he gets airborne from his motor cycle.

The pilot who flies with his heart:-

This is the guy who romanticises flying. He �has a Walter Mitty problem and likes to spend time in fantasy land. He dreams he can shoot down ten enemy aircraft with nine bullets or land an aircraft without its wings.

He is the shiny eyed young chap who says, “I �will be back in 20 mts before the storm breaks”. On certain occasion he also says, “I will try and make it”. This is the type who, when once start up, cannot see the rain at the far end of the field, or the 500 mtrs visibility.

When faced with an emergency, he first �thinks of a VM or VSM.

After the event he gets on with a bit of soul �searching and asks, “Why did I do that?” or “ If only I’d done that……” The good ideas always seem to come a bit late.

The main characteristic of the man who flies �with his heart, is that he flies and flies and flies, but does not really become any better.

The pilot who flies with his head:-

He thinks with the correct end. �

He is usually the quiet fellow, who does a lot �of thinking. As time passes others sidle up to him and ask him why and how.

He takes his time to do things properly. �Airmen usually ask him to fly an aircraft to confirm a snag or tell him how little his tyres and brakes wear after he flies an aircraft.

He flies by instruments when flying 50% �VMC.

He shoots with deadly accuracy. �

He invariably makes the correct decisions. �

He knows his own capability. �

These are only a few typical characteristics of the three types of pilots. Which type are you? More important, which type do you want to be? In this flying game there is no future in flying either, with your heart or your ass. The only way to fly is with your head - Thinking Flying, they call it.

- Adapted from flight safety news letter published in Aug 1974 written by PICERIAN


In the early nineties, I was posted to a MiG 21 squadron in one of our forward western base. It was a fine day in October. The weather was clear.

Due to the impending Aircrew Examination Board (AEB) visit the quantum of flying had increased, both by day and night. The squadron was operating from the blast pens dispersed all over the airfield. The daily servicing section (DSS) had been set up in blast pens X and Z. The DSS was on a two-shift routine with nearly 60% man-power dedicated for the night shift.

On this eventful night, flying was scheduled from pen X and Y. One Sergeant (Sgt) and one Leading Aircraftsman (LAC) were in-charge of servicing operations from Pen X. The aircraft in this pen flew two missions that night, amounting to two separate details. After the last flying detail got over, the LAC was asked to refuel the aircraft as part of


JWO R Prasad

Last Flight Servicing (LFS). The aircraft refueller was hence summoned to Pen X to refuel this aircraft.

A novice refueller operator accompanied the aircraft refueller. He did not have sufficient experience in night operations especially in dispersed locations. Though he was well trained in taking all precautions for prevention of fuel contamination, he was not comfortable in executing them during the reduced visual orientation required of night operations.

The LAC responsible to refuel the aircraft assumed that the refueller operator was comfortable in the current situation and so he promptly climbed on top of the aircraft to be refuelled. After opening the refuelling hatch, he asked for the refuelling nozzle. The refueller operator dutifully unwound the nozzle and passed it to the LAC. They then commenced refuelling the aircraft.

Hospital for three months and then was forced to go on forty-five days of recuperative sick leave. He recovered from the accident but only after sustaining injuries, which were likely to affect him later in his service career, all attributable to service.

An insignificant action of opening a fuel outlet valve a little too fast caused a valuable life to be at stake. The Squadron missed the output of the LAC for a hundred and thirty-five days! A lot of highly inflammable jet fuel caused a definite fire hazard before going down the drain. Had the refueller operator followed the correct SOP of checking the gauge pressure when adjusting the delivery pressure, all the consequences would have been prevented.

It is for all of us to remember that SOPs are not merely for efficient tasking but also to ensure the personal safety of the technicians. SOPs help in avoiding situations which might lead someone into a tight spot, whether in the air or on ground and thus foster aerospace safety. In fact, actually and contrary to what many people believe, SOPs are ‘saviours’ of personnel who set forth to enhance the operational edge.

- JWO R Prasad


The LAC sitting astride the saddle tank on top of the aircraft noticed, despite the low light conditions in the pen, that the delivery pressure was very low. Apparently the refueller operator had not opened the out-pressure valve to the correct setting, perhaps he had not watched the delivery pressure meticulously, when initially opening the valve.

Anticipating an extended time for refuelling a single aircraft and subsequent unnecessary delay in the LFS, the LAC asked the refuelling operator to increase the delivery pressure. The novice refueller operator was not careful of gradually increasing the pressure to the required value on the gauge. He simply ‘increased’! the delivery pressure.

The area of the refuelling nozzle was fixed so the increased pressure translated into a rapid increase in the force per unit area of the refuelling nozzle diameter. The LAC sitting astride the aircraft saddle tank did not anticipate such an increase in the refuelling nozzle’s normal reaction to the increased fuel flow. The refuelling nozzle rapidly rocketed back, out of the filling point and hit the LAC’s chest.

With nothing to hold on to, the LAC was thrown off the top of the aircraft he was refuelling, along with the refuelling nozzle with a great force. With the strong impact on his chest, he landed unconscious on the hard concrete floor of the pen in a pool of jet fuel now gushing out of the refueller nozzle.

The shocked novice refueller operator fumbled to shut off the fuel supply first before going to the aid of the LAC. Luckily, the Sqn DSS was in the same pen. A technician available at the DSS desk rushed to the spot and promptly gave first aid to the victim. The LAC was rushed to the Station Medical Centre in the CO’s car. The Duty Medical Officer gave him immediate medical attention and prevented possible fatal consequences of the accident. The LAC had suffered major injuries. In addition to the broken ribs due to the impact of the refuelling nozzle, he also had external injuries due to the dangerous fall. He was admitted to the Military

Editor’s Comments

Practical aspects of training like familiarity with the environment that we would be required to operate are significant and should be considered for formal or informal inclusion in the on-job training of an operator. Supervisors need to be sensitised to this especially when an environment change is imminent e.g. on detachment moves of the unit.

Night operations are known to interfere with visual acuity as well as the circadian rhythm of operators; this is as much for ground crew as it is for aircrew. Provision of suitable working environment and training to mitigate the known hazards of night operations are likely to prevent costly avoidable ground accidents as well.


Wg Cdr S Kaul

Good professional environment in the squadron helps a young pilot inculcate healthy flying habits which many a times

prove life saving. In 1995, I was posted to a Ml-17 unit whose primary role was ‘Air maintenance’ in the Glacier region. While flying is challenging at these altitudes, it gets monotonous at times.

The unit pilots followed a practice of discussing role related emergencies during these air maintenance sorties. This helped the crew in remaining alert in the cockpit and also made them think about all possible adverse situations that they may get in during a sortie. Additionally, we regularly conducted post sortie discussions, which improved one’s knowledge on the ac systems.

One fine day, while positioning for air maintenance at the FMB (Forward Mounting Base), I gave a situational emergency to my crew. I asked them to identify and call out actions in the event of experiencing a sharp pitch up of the ac during dropping of load at a DZ. The emergency was correctly identified as ‘load stuck on tail rotor guard’ and actions were discussed in detail, keeping in mind, the fuel figure, condition of the load and the prevalent weather. ‘Load getting stuck on the tail rotor guard’ is a critical emergency as the CG (Centre of Gravity) of the ac gets badly out and there are further chances of the parachute/ load getting entangled into the tail rotor which can be catastrophic. Till then, there had been two cases of parachute with load getting stuck on the tail rotor guard and in both the cases during the no hover touch down the parachute had got entangled in the tail rotor leading to shearing-off of the tail rotor. During the

discussion on the emergency it was decided that since the fuel was sufficient we should divert to Thoise and carry out a forward speed landing.

After positioning at the FMB (Forward Mounting Base), we commenced our ‘Air Logistics Operations’. We got airborne for our first drop sortie. The sortie till the drop was uneventful but the moment I commanded the gunner to drop the load, we experienced a vicious pitch up. Immediately, I asked the gunner ‘Confirm load stuck’ and ‘Yes’ came the answer. While this was a critical emergency, which had occurred in an extremely tricky valley, there was no panic in the cockpit. The actions which had

been revised just an hour back flowed smoothly with each crew knowing

what he had to do. The decision to divert to Thoise, for reasons

discussed earlier were put into action. Monitoring

the condition of the load, the helicopter was carefully flown and a safe forward speed landing was executed at Thoise. While the environment in the cockpit was tense, there

was no doubt about the sequence of actions

to be followed and the helicopter was saved.

Ever since that day, the importance of discussing situational

emergencies which do not form a part of the checklist got firmly embedded in my mind.

Lessons Learnt: As aircrew we operate in varied flying environment and not all situational emergencies can be discussed on ground. Simulating these situations in different role/environment combination during flying makes one extremely comfortable in an actual emergency.

- Wg Cdr S Kaul


I asked the

gunner ‘Confirm load stuck’ and ‘Yes’ came the answer. While this was a

critical emergency, which had occurred in an extremely tricky valley, there was no panic in the cockpit. The actions which had been revised just an hour back

flowed smoothly with each crew knowing what he had to do. The

decision to divert to Thoise, for reasons discussed earlier were put into

action


Sqn Ldr C Arora

In the business of aviation, nobody is a ‘Super Hero’. Anybody, even the best of the best can make mistakes. I realised it only after paying

the price; losing a dear colleague.

I was then posted to a MiG-21 Sqn doing a detachment at one of a premium base in the Northern sector. The base, being our Op location, was not a new place for us. However, this time we had some newly posted in pilots who were experienced in that area.

Everything was fine till one day. There was weather warning for rain in the first detail which got converted to CMR after the spell of rain. The Flt Cdr analysed the weather and decided to commence flying by launching a 4 aircraft combat mission. I was chosen as the No2 Escort. Weather being marginal, the flight commander, deputy flight commander and the Sqn FCL were the other three members of the mission. Exhaustive briefing was done which included the weather and details of the hilly terrain near the tow line. The datum height for combat was 3.5 km which was lesser than the highest hill of 4346 m near the tow line. For a moment, I thought of interrupting and bringing it out, but didn’t do so seeing the experience level and seniority of our formation members. In addition, I had blind faith in my leader, who according to me could never make any mistake. He was the topper of FCL course and had flown an ASF class of aircraft for a long time. He was a dedicated professional and I had never doubted his capabilities.

Soon, the mission got airborne. My leader and I had to level out below the cloud base. I like a good No2 joined up with my leader and proceeded to our commencement point. We towed at 3 km since there was clouding above our level. There was no interception in the first tow for obvious reasons, that the attackers could not spot us through the clouds. In the second

tow, we were heading north. The clouding had reduced marginally. During the tow, we changed our course two-three times to avoid the clouds. At times I couldn’t see my leader but my ego never allowed me to announce it on the R/T. About a minute into the tow, I picked up a hill at 12’O clock at approximately 10-12 km of distance with a cumulous cloud above it. I promptly kept my front screen sight above it and gave a call to him “Cumulous 12 ‘O’ clock”. After 3-4 sec my leader gave a call for combat turn to the left. I being the right member commenced my turn and saw my leader going in a patch of clouds as was happening throughout the tow. During the turn, I realised my speed had dropped to 400 kmph IAS and I was in clouds with a steep nose up attitude. I immediately engaged after burners to avoid further decay of speed and started to level off. The ground was visible sometimes. I got a call from my leader to descend down to his level. Once I was clear of clouds, I looked for my leader but couldn’t see him. I tried to contact him on R/T but there was no response. Thinking that he may have had a R/T failure, I called off the combat and informed the same to CAP members. Subsequently, we carried out a rejoin. After landing, I waited in the DSS for my leader but found only two aircraft landing behind. Soon, I was informed that my leader had crashed near the same hill feature.

I had lost my ideal, the superhero with whom I trusted my life. I could realise the danger earlier, may be I could have raised my doubt in the briefing or called off the combat, seeing the hill and ordered both of us to clear the hill. But my faith in my leader didn’t let me do so. I cannot reverse the happenings now but I have learnt my lesson:-

“NO BODY IS A SUPERHERO IN AVIATION”

- Sqn Ldr C Arora


A number of accidents and incidents are attributed to foreign object damage. It is also seen that there are repetitions of

similar incidents especially pertaining to FOD due to tools inadvertently left by technicians during servicing of the aircraft. To counter this, every station has introduced various orders and check lists to prevent FOD incidents/accidents. However, instances of FOD has not been eliminated in totality and still pose a problem to people associated with aviation. A good tool crib discipline is essential for smooth, safe and efficient flying in a unit. A tool left inside an aircraft can result into damage of aircraft and human lives. One of Murphy’s Law states that a stray tool will migrate to a place where it can cause maximum damage, like causing engine seizure or jamming of

flight controls. Effective tool control programmes in a flying base are important. When we account for tools before departing the job site to next job, we eliminate a huge potential of foreign object damage mishaps to aircraft with tool.

Here, I am narrating an incident of a missing tool which might have resulted in an unwanted FOD.

What Happened?

I was posted to an AN-32 Squadron. On one eventful day four aircraft were planned for flying. Out of this, three ac were planned for forward area supply drop sortie and the fourth one was planned for an RTR commitment. The take off time of all the four aircraft was around 1000 hrs


WO RK Batham

subject to weather conditions. The tarmac gang reported on time at the DSS and started carrying out FFS (First Flight Servicing) after drawing requisite tools from the tool crib. The FFS on all the planned aircraft was completed by 0900 hrs which facilitated their schedule departure on time. The last aircraft to take off was the one for Delhi. After a tea break the same gang was entrusted to carry out a 50 hrs servicing of an aircraft. Now the problem surfaced...

At around 1130 hrs the airframe tradesman noticed that his ‘Nose Wheel Limiter’ tool was missing from his tool bag. Immediately, he along with other tradesmen began to carry out a thorough search in the aircraft in which they had started their servicing activity. But alas! this tool remained elusive. Now, the matter was informed to the i/c Desk followed by the STO and the CO. The entire unit was called upon to locate this missing tool. A thorough search operation to locate it was launched. Meanwhile, this AF Tradesman was quizzed to gather any clue which might help in locating this tool. At one point, he mentioned that he might have left this tool under the seat of the ac which had departed for Delhi. Immediately, the ac enroute to Delhi was contacted on R/T. The captain was requested to locate and confirm about this tool. At around 1500 hrs it was confirmed by the captain that the ‘Nose Wheel Limiter” was found under the seat of the ac. It was only then that the unit personnel could mentally relax. If this tool had been left in the Nose Wheel Landing Gear, it would have caused a serious accident/incident.

Why Did It Happen?

It is worth contemplating that inspite of having repeated instructions, briefings at various stages i.e. morning working parade, monthly welfare/ flight safety meetings this technician forgot to count the tools after completion of his job at one site. The root cause of this incident was his casual attitude and carelessness about tool discipline.

Lessons Learnt

We can certainly draw some valuable lessons from this incident. A few points for execution at the DSS/ R&SS level are enumerated:-

Issue of tools to technicians should always be in a �good tool bag/box.

All tools should be marked/painted. �

Tools like nose wheel limiter should have red/ �orange colour flaps. Thus, in case it is left in the ‘Nose Wheel Landing Gear’ it can be seen by other tradesman or aircrew during their pre-flight external checks.

A tradesman should have a proper list of tools �in their tool bag/pocket of overall and they should match the no. of tools as per the list on completion of job at one site before proceeding for the next job.

If a technician is planned for multiple tasks, �which generally in the case, then the Tarmac i/c must prioritise these tasks for them. This will improve efficiency and reduce carelessness and panic, if any, in time-critical jobs. The supervisor must also insure that each tradesman moves to the next job only after confirming their correct tool status.

Tools should never be allowed in the overall �pockets. They should always be carried in authorized tool bags only.

The tarmac i/c and the desk i/c must exercise �effective supervision on technicians especially w.r.t tools usage.

Regular briefing / instructions to be passed to �the tarmac gang in each shift by the desk i/c on tool discipline.

In the eventuality of a tool going missing it should �be earnestly reported. All efforts must be taken to locate the missing tool at the earliest.

- WO RK Batham


This incident dates back to April 2010. I was posted to a premium fighter base in the South Western sector. Over and above

fighters, even civil airlines used to regularly operate from this airfield.

During summers we had the temperature restriction of 40 degree for flying. This limitation reduced the quantum of our flying effort. So, aircrew used to look forward to that part of the

day where they could soar to the sky without any restrictions.

On one eventful day, as the temperature dropped below 40 degree post lunch hours, the fighter squadrons got ready to launch their missions. Everyone was keen to get airborne. Due to the paucity of airspace there were three formations operating in the same sector, with a mutual tie-up amongst the formations and ATC.


Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh

The sector in which all of us were operating was south of the base. Safety was inbuilt as one formation was carrying out combat exercise above 2.6 kms. The second formation was carrying out LL Tactical flying in the northern part of the sector with a fixed southern limit while I was carrying out low flying dual check for a trainee in the southern part of the sector.

Everything was going as per plan till I decided to rejoin. We informed our intentions to the formation carrying out LL Tactical flying in the northern part of the sector. We also recommended to them that they could use the full sector, after we had started our recovery process. The formation leader promptly acknowledged it.

Soon, we realised that something was amiss, as we had stopped hearing R/T calls. We followed the standard SOP of checking our systems and concluded that we were able to only transmit intermittently and that our reception was serviceable. At times, even the transmissions were not going through. Therefore, we decided to follows the U/S R/T procedure while recovering at Base.

The big problem was, that now the formation carrying out LL Tactical was in the process of moving southwards at 1 km height as was last reported by its leader. They were at1 km height to facilitate safety for us to leave the sector after which they had planned to descend to lower height. Thus, we could not blindly climb to the U/S R/T height of 1.5 kms till we were sure that we were clear of this formation. Under normal circumstances we would have reported our ground position to them and coordinated for our climb and descent mutually. However, now


due to our unserviceable R/T we had to clear the airspace visually. As Murphy would have it, in the time and place where we decided to ease up happened to be the same as that of the second formation descending. We crossed each other at a distance of approximately 1km. It could have been closer. The other problem to climb was, that the first formation at medium levels had asked for rejoin. This formation was advised by the radar to descend to 1.2 kms to position for GCA. Thanks to our unserveciable R/T, we were unsure of the position of this formation too!

The SOP of giving blind calls, IFF on emergency, etc did not help much. Finally, at 1.5 kms in the approach cone we missed another ac which was given descent from 1.8 km to 1.2 km to position for GCA.

Another ac, after going round on GCA was given climb from 1.2 kms to 1.8 kms went through our levels at a lateral distance to close for comfort. Later, we realised that a single GCA controller was recovering almost 12 military ac along with scheduled civil arrivals. This could be one of the reason due to which he could not diagnose our problem! Finally, we recovered at base to realise some time tested truths:-

Fairly rehearsed and practiced SOPs have �scope for improvement.

The U/S R/T aircraft has to keep a sharp �lookout.

Sharing our experiences with other aircrew and ATC at base made everyone wiser and adapted them to face such a situation in future.

- Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh

We followed the standard SOP of checking our systems and concluded that we were able to only transmit intermittently and that our reception was serviceable. At times, even the transmissions were not going through. Therefore, we decided to follows the U/S R/T procedure while recovering at Base.


Sqn Ldr KS Negi

As a flying Officer, I got an opportunity to be a part of the Indian Aviation Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

My flying experience before this deputation was less than a two year term in my first helicopter unit in the Eastern Sector. The terrain in Congo is similar to the terrain of our North-Eastern States and so is the weather. Therefore, I felt quite familiar with the rapid changes in weather which takes place in hills. There were frequent thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening hours. Apart from our contingent, we also had our Army Contingent comprising of one brigade.

During our tenure, a senior army officer came from India. He was on an official visit to interact with his deployed troops at two main detachments at Beni and Turshuru. We were tasked to provide him necessary airlift. I was detailed as a co-pilot, my captain was an experienced Wing Commander. The first leg to Beni ALG (Advance Landing Ground) was a little more than an hour and went as planned. After a little interaction there, it was time for us to depart for our second destination, Rutshuru. As we approached the helicopter for start-up, it began to drizzle. When we looked around, we could see clouds covering hilltops along our route. The captain decided to delay the take-off and accordingly informed the VIP. When even after half an hour, the weather didn’t clear up, the VIP himself came to the helipad and coaxed us to take- off. The captain re-emphasized about the marginal weather conditions. Surprisingly, the dignitary himself climbed on an adjacent high ground, and said “look there is enough space between the hills and the clouds and so we could fly between the

hill tops and clouds. As a young flying officer, I was silently admiring my captain for his maturity and resoluteness. He didn’t come under pressure and refused to take-off in that weather. Finally, after an hour when the cloud base lifted up and weather conditions improved the captain asked me to start the helicopter. Enroute, the weather was clearing up and we reached Rutshuru without confronting the weather Gods. After landing, we checked the weather at base. A CB cloud was reported short of the base. This cloud was in the narrow valley which we had planned to take to reach our base. So, we decided to postpone our departure till the weather improved. This weather report was informed to the dignitary. By now, he had understood that the crew would never take off in marginal weather. As per his itinerary he was to catch a flight to India, the following day. So, he decided to move by road and not take a chance with weather. As luck would have it, as soon as the convoy left Rutshuru, the weather cleared up. So we took off for base but ofcourse without the Army dignitary!

Lessons Learnt

“Never take chance with weather”. It is just �not worth it.

Do not succumb to any external pressure. You �are the captain of the aircraft ‘Go’ or ‘No Go’ is your decision.

It is better to be late than never. �

- Sqn Ldr KS Negi


“ When, even after half an hour, the weather didn’t clear up, the VIP himself

came to the helipad and coaxed us to take off. The captain re-emphasized about the marginal weather conditions. Surprisingly, the dignitary himself climbed on an adjacent high ground, and said “look there is enough space between the hills and the clouds and so we could fly between the hill tops and clouds. As a young flying officer, I was silently admiring my captain for his maturity and resoluteness. He didn’t come under pressure and refused to take-off in that weather.

A pilot gets airborne from our famous ‘somewhere in the western sector’, ferrying a twin engine fighter for

overhaul. Apparently, it was known that the ac had a problem of oxygen system malfunction. Nevertheless, our pilot got it rectified and somehow got into a situation where he did not get enough oxygen at that altitude where he was cruising. Unfortunately, the well known HEFOLP checks are known as ‘Climb Checks’ and not ‘Climb And Cruise Checks’. Climb in high performance ac gets over before even you utter the words ‘Jack Robinson’ alternatively ‘Rajaram Sitaram’. The lack of oxygen and its ramifications was not recognised by the pilot and the ac crashed.

Apparently, exactly at its maximum range for the given fuel. The pilot probably lost his life much before the crash due to ‘HYPOXIA’!

A pilot was ferrying a swing wing fighter from ‘A’ to ‘B’ and exactly around the same altitude he experienced the symptoms of Hypoxia. He was smart enough to recognise it. He used the emergency oxygen for the descent and landed at a diversionary airfield.

What is Hypoxia? In Latin, ‘Hypo’ means ‘Less’ and of course Oxygen (O2) is what we breathe (unless you are a smoker or living in Delhi). Our body is sustained by the food that we eat and the


Wg Cdr MJ Augustine

water we drink, metabolised by the oxygen we breathe. The partial pressure of the oxygen in the atmosphere keeps reducing as we gain altitude. The effect of reduction of this partial pressure of oxygen gains significance above 10,000 feet. The altitude of a commercial jet is maintained at 9000 feet where you don’t require extra O2 through masks, whereas a fighter jet is kept at around 21000 feet, so that accidental loss of pressure doesn’t further complicate the issue, therefore he has been supplied with extra O2.

Is altitude the only cause ? The answer is an emphatic ‘NO’, various causes other than just altitude can cause reduction of O2 saturation in the blood. Collectively, these are called hypoxia, or lack of O2. For example one cigarette saturates your body with enough Carbon Monoxide to put you at 6000 feet while you are still at Sea Level! Put yourself at 6000 feet, now see where you are and why shouldn’t the hypoxia start to affect you.

Hypoxic Hypoxia. This is the lack of O2 due to lack of O2 supply to the blood. This is almost synonymous with high altitude. This is the hypoxia that is taught to the aircrew and harped upon, as this is the one that is most common.

Hypemic Hypoxia. This is the result of inability of oxygen molecules to bind to the haemoglobin due to “A” blood loss “B” anaemia “C” Toxins in the blood (I am sure Flight Surgeons can come out with more causes, I have tried to keep the pitch of the article low, so that even a Layperson can understand). Engine exhaust gases contain CO, any accidental mixture of this into the cockpit can cause CO poisoning. CO is odourless. This can also happen if you have lost blood due to may be ‘Donation’ or ‘Injury’ .

Histotoxic Hypoxia. This results from tissue poisoning. It may result from various drugs

(that is why it is said ‘Self medication kills’). Again, our smokers have an edge over the rest of the humanity, because all sorts of things, other than CO are found in the smoke of the cigarette. This may lead to tissue poisoning and eventually hypoxia. Alcohol is another tissue poisoning agent. The tissue poisoning effect of alcohol can well stay even after the hang over has left you. Depending on the amount you guzzled, the tissue toxins can stay with you for almost 72 Hrs. That is why one beer hits you good at a hill resort even though you have the capability to polish off three with out a wink. Another fact our ‘Smokers’ and ‘Guzzlers’ must know, that the motor functions are relatively unimpaired after the ‘after effects’ but judgement is significantly impaired as long as blood and urine samples continue to detect the traces of the aftermath (Which it does for 2-3 days).

Stagnant Hypoxia. As the name suggests, this is due to stagnation of blood and not enough O2 is circulated around. This is often seen in connection with Cold (Srinagar, Leh types watch out for this during winters!), high ‘g’ forces, (i.e. during and after the ‘g’ forces are removed) ( a reason why prolonged manoeuvring under high ‘g’ forces is not allowed), Shock (Which is why people swoon after they win a lottery) Extreme heat (Uttarlai, Jaisalmer and all why shouldn’t we fly above 40 deg C enthusiasts watch out!) and Dehydration.

Susceptibility and Dangers. Acclimatisation is important especially if you have just moved into a high altitude airfield or ALG, give yourself a day or two before commencing operations. Like it is said don’t fly with cold, flu etc, apart from rupturing your ear drum it reduces O2 transporting ability of the body and onset of hypoxia is earlier. Dangers are fatal depending on the rate of onset. Symptoms of Numbness, Euphoria (not the famous band) Cyanosis (Lips and finger nails turning blue) may not be seen by you. It doesn’t take time for convulsions or death to knock at the door real hard.

Understand, Hypoxia can cause you to nap and catch you doing so: Be prepared

- Wg Cdr MJ Augustine



After practicing Aerospace Medicine in the field, I would say that one of the most difficult tasks that I had ever faced

was when I had to conduct a medical board for lowering the medical category of an aircrew.

Why does the medical category of an aircrew gets lowered? Usually, the aircrew might have suffered from some disease or injury, for which he/ she gets his or her treatment in a service hospital. Subsequently the aircrew is placed in a

Wg Cdr Indranil Chakraborty

lower medical category, so that there is a period of convalescence, when flying is not permitted or is restricted with certain conditions. The aircrew accepts normally such decisions and faces the situation in a more positive manner.

The problem occurs when an apparently fit

aircrew is detected with an underlying disease. Initially there is a lot of resistance to accept the diagnosis. Next the ‘It cannot happen to me’ phase follows. Ultimately the aircrew accepts his or her actual medical condition and undergoes the medical follow up. This transition from an active flying life to a grounded status is not at all pleasant, and this is where an Aerospace Medicine Specialist can play his role for the smooth transition in the aircrew’s life. It all depends on the ‘Art of Conviction’ and how the Aerospace Medicine Specialist plays his role. I would try to amplify the various problems which the doctor as well as his patient have to face during this transition period by quoting some real life examples. Hope my patients will not mind what I have written as it is written in good faith and to convince the flying fraternity that doctors are there to give you their best, provided you keep your faith in them.

Case 1

This incident was narrated to me by a senior serving officer. While flying fighter aircraft, he had experienced neck pain occasionally during the sorties. When he reported to SMC, he was provided with the routine treatment. However, his symptoms did not disappear completely. As MRI/ CT scan facilities were unheard of in those days in smaller towns, his medical condition could not be diagnosed locally. This officer on his own reported to a higher medical centre. A firm diagnosis was made and he became unfit for flying fighter aircraft. However, he had an excellent career in transport flying. In this case the patient himself was convinced that he must get the right treatment and so asked for a second opinion at a bigger medical centre. In those days, it was difficult for the sqn doctor to always diagnose correctly when a patient reported


vague symptoms, and as investigation facilities were limited, it took time to diagnose such cases. I would say that as the patient was convinced that something was wrong with him, he took the liberty of seeking medical help from a higher centre. The doctors at the higher medical centre too were surprised by his medical condition and told him that it was really not possible to diagnose such cases in the periphery. What mattered was that correct medical treatment was instituted in time and the flying career of the aircrew was saved.

Case 2

A young Sqn Ldr of a fighter sqn was detected to have a marginal rise in blood sugar, which was detected during his annual medicals. I personally had observed that this officer was a good athlete and was very regular in his workouts. When the pilot informed about the blood report, he went into a depression, as he knew that he will be grounded. I explained to him about his condition and convinced him that if he continues to work out as he was doing till date, and cut down on his rich dietary intake (which was his weakness), he will definitely have a normal cholesterol level!

I postponed his medicals for about a month. He not only lost some weight but also lost the marginal rise in blood sugar. He continues to fly fighters till date.

Case 3

A young trainee pilot in a training centre was brought from his room by his course mates early in the morning. He was complaining of mild pain in the abdomen. On examination, I suspected him to be a case of appendicitis. I told him that he would be transferred to the hospital where a surgeon would take a look at his abdomen. He was initially not convinced to go the hospital. He was more worried about his night flying. I managed to put him in the ambulance and sent him to the hospital. He was operated upon the same evening. Though he lost one semester, but at least he did not lose his life by not reporting in time to the

doctor. Sometimes it is very difficult to convince young pilots about the subjectivity of any medical condition. If the symptoms are mild, the young pilots sometimes just refuse to accept that he or she has a major medical problem. Making then understand the implications of the medical findings is really a herculean task for the doctor, especially if the doctor is of the same rank and a floor mate of the patient!

Case 4

A young trainee pilot was diagnosed with a knee problem and was made temporarily unfit for flying. He was operated upon for the same, but his problems persisted. He refused further operations and continued to be in low medical category. During his next review, the orthopaedic surgeon did convince him that the operation will be successful. The young pilot got convinced and agreed to undergo the procedure. I too played the role of an Aerospace Medicine Specialist correctly and managed to cross all administrative hurdles to send this individual to that particular orthopaedic surgeon. The operation was successful and the pilot regained his flying category.

Through this article I would like to convince my readers that life should be experienced as it happens. You may not be able to face all the medical problems of life on your own, but do not run away from the problem. The problem will always overrun you. It is better that you seek medical help well in time. I fully believe that someone will convince you to take the correct course of action.

‘Life is not a bed of rosesWhere you always smile and pose

For all your medical problems there may not be a solution

But whatever there is, accept it with convictionThe doctor is not God

But he is also not a fraudAccept him as a friend

Who will help you to avoid a sudden end’.

- Wg Cdr Indranil Chakraborty

(R Marwaha)Air CmdePDAS



ON 06 Jul 10, Sqn Ldr Vinay Kumar (27973-A) F (P) was detailed to fly a 2 Vs 2 air combat mission in a Mirage-2000 aircraft. After the aircraft inspection was over,

he noticed a fuel leak from his No. 2’s aircraft from the “No Fuel Air valve panel”, which is situated at the aft of the fuselage on the port side. He announced the same on R/T and called for the aircraft inspectors. Even they found it difficult to discern the leak owing to its position, amount of leak and the camouflage pattern of the aircraft. Finally, the aircraft was switched off. Further investigationS revealed that the No Fuel Air valve of one feeder tank was faulty. Had this fuel leak gone unnoticed, it could have led to a serious emergency in the air.

Sqn Ldr Vinay Kumar displayed a keen sense of observation and a high degree of professionalism in averting potential accident.

Good Show Sqn Ldr Vinay Kumar

ON 01 Jun 10, Flt Lt A Natu (28192-T) F(P) was authorized to fly as Interceptor No. 2 in a Strike + Escort Vs Int mission in a Mirage aircraft. During rejoin, while joining

up with No. 1 in port echelon, he found his throttle struck at 80 to 82% rpm. He tried using physical force but the throttle did not come back. He used airbrakes and fell back to fighting position. On checking the throttle quadrant he noticed the rubber padding inside the throttle quadrant torn and folded. This made the backward movement of throttle impossible. He used his presence of mind and with a pen removed the rubber padding. This made the throttle movement satisfactory and a safe recovery was executed.

Flt Lt Natu displayed a high degree of situational awareness and averted a potential accident.

Good Show Flt Lt A Natu




ON 19 Feb 10, 669455-A Junior Warrant Officer Madan Gopal Airframe/Fit was detailed to carry out ‘Take off Inspector’ duties. During the inspection of a MiG-

21 ac, he noticed a minute trace of hydraulic oil near the standard undercarriage bay. The position and size of the leak was such that it could have easily gone unnoticed. Subsequent investigations revealed that the leak was from the pipeline of the emergency U/C lowering system. Had this gone undetected it could have resulted in a hydraulic failure in the air.

JWO Madan Gopal by his keen sense of observation and devotion to duty averted a potentially hazardous situation.

Good Show JWO Madan Gopal

ON 11 June 10, 779614-H Corporal Kaushal Kishore Nag Engine/Fitter was authorised to perform DI and Preflight on a Searcher UAV. During the checks, he

observed that the threads of the coolant tank cap had worn out making it free. He also observed that the ‘Y-Duct Non Drive unit attachment’ connecting the air pump had a small crack. He reported these observations to the SEO and the UAV was withdrawn from flying. The abnormalities detected were such that they could have easily gone unnoticed in a routine check. These snags could have resulted in the loss of the UAV.

Cpl Kaushal Kishore Nag displayed a very high degree of professionalism and averted a potential accident.

Good Show Corporal Kaushal Kishore Nag




ON 17 May 10, Sqn Ldr MTB Rao (26586) Adm/ATC and 733707-N Sgt Dharmendra Prasad Gupta were performing the duties of Aerodrome Controller and Runway

Controller duties respectively. During the period of their duty, the R/W controller observed a small panel of the fuselage of Mirage ac on finals, open and fluttering. He transmitted the same on R/T. The DATCO also confirmed the same when the ac flew past the ATC. The aircraft abandoned his mission and came for landing. Subsequent investigations revealed that the fuel tank pressurization panel had opened in the air due to failure of the fastener, probably during the previous rollers.

Sqn Ldr MTB Rao and Sgt DP Gupta displayed a high degree of professionalism and situational awareness and averted an incident.

Well Done Sqn Ldr MTB Rao & Sgt DP Gupta

ON 17 May On 10 May 10, Flt Lt CP Deshpande (28660-L) was detailed to fly a LLN sortie during dark phase. After an uneventful sortie on the landing roll the pilot

experienced severe shuddering of the nose wheel on brake application. He released and reapplied the brakes, but the shuddering persisted and in the third attempt the brakes failed. He maintained a calm composure and promptly switched over to brakes 2, deployed chute, commenced braking and stopped the aircraft on the runway.

Flt Lt CP Deshpande, despite his limited experience, displayed a high degree of professionalism and averted an accident.

Well Done Flt Lt CP Deshpande




ON 17 May On 10 May 10, 677019 G MWO RC Joshi Flt Eng was detailed as Flt Eng on an IL-76 aircraft planned for Air maintenance sortie to Leh. During the

pre-flight checks, he noticed rubbing marks of wheel hub on the brake unit. He promptly brought this to the notice of SEO and airframe tradesman. The sortie was abandoned. A detailed inspection revealed that the bearing outer race mating sleeve of the wheel hub was displace from its position.

MWO RC Joshi’s keen sense of observation averted a potential accident.

Well Done MWO RC Joshi

ON 29 May 10, 917250 LAC GS Saini Electro Flt was performing Bird Watcher duties at a post on the approach path outside the perimeter of the airfield. During the

tour of his duty, he noticed a small white parachute like object falling from the sky. He perceived it to be a parachute fallen from the Su-30 aircraft which was on the approach. He immediately picked up the parachute and informed the DATCO on R/T. Subsequent investigations revealed that this parachute had come out from bursting of a fire cracker. The probability of this kind of parachute getting ingested in the engine of a aircraft on approach cannot be ruled out.

LAC GS Saini despite his limited experience displayed a keen sense of observation and dedication to duty.

Well Done LAC GS Saini

The one which never sinks,And clinches Every Win,

The one which is never in doubtand have courage which makes,everyone Proud.

The one which beats for a causeand always have a noble thought.For life or death...

He doesn’t have any fearAnd, No distance is too long when ‘The rays of hopes’ are near.

IND IAN A IR FORCE36 Aerospace Safety J a n u a r y 2 0 11

Through the darkness of wary days.He always walks with a smiling face,shows no sings of sorrow,Never ever worries for tomorrow.

He lives throughout with an attitude,Its’ his nature, which makes him a ‘cool dude’He is famous among one and all,‘King of good times’ being called by his pals.

He enjoys’ his present and cherish the past.As he never knows, when he’ll breathe his last.Lest there be no doubt in anybody’s mind..As this is the message, straight,‘from the Air warriors’ heart’!!

Flt Lt A Sharma

- Flt Lt A Sharma

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Jan11