2. Yadav
3. Oza
4. Brar
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HR Seetharam
What do I remember most when I think of 79 PC ? It is always about the wonderful and interesting persons I met, the care free times we had and some thrilling experiences which we went through. ! So, here I go.
A bad stomach, slight fever and an encounter with my instructor. This was my first day at AFFC and not encouraging at all. In a few days’ time my stomach settled down and the temperature came back to normal. My instructor Flt Lt RP Singh ( RP ) was deserted by two previous pupils unable to bear his onslaughts. After a few sorties I too realised that RP was an absolute monster with a fantastic repertoire of swears in unadulterated Punjabi. But that was only when we were airborne. On the ground, he was a kind, affectionate and friendly guy. He was a big made Sardar, lazy and fond of good food. I was told he was called ‘Halwai Singh’ in the Air Force and was the chosen one for food member wherever he was posted. I envy those who stayed in those messes !
RP never came on time. “ Chalo Seetha, flight-may brief karoonga” was the usual beginning of every sortie. With the huge RP in the rear cockpit and a feather weight person like me in the front cockpit, the cg. must have been fully aft. Every recovery from a spin was a miracle ! After landing and switching off the engine RP would invariably tell me, “Seetha, ghar aajao, .Udhari debrief karoonga. Pakoda pasand hai thumko?”. I always welcomed the suggestion. I am grateful to RP for making me fly an aircraft all by myself.
Flt Lt Doctor was my instructor on Texans. He was short, would walk around like a cavalier and ready for a laugh at any time. He was a good flier and taught me all the little tricks one could do on the Texan during aerobatics. After a hectic flight he told me on downwind, “ Seetha, you are not just a technical pilot. You are fighter pilot material”. I could have climbed the tallest tree and sung like a lark !
Flt Lt Rajput, Flt Lt D’Costa ( Dic ) were my instructors during the Advance Course on Vampires, both lovable and unforgettable characters. Rajput a kind person, had only one problem with me. I would open the throttle very gently for fear of the engine surging. “Give her the gun Seetha” was his constant sloka ! Well, I was the first one to go solo on the Vampire. As he expected I did the biggest circuit and landing ! It took me quite some time to learn how to throw the aircraft around ! Rajput was a happy go lucky man. I once told him that I had a problem keeping the nose up at touch down. The controls were too heavy. “ Dood peeyo, badaam khao, kasarat karo” was the solution given !
Dic was forever young. His practical jokes seemed to never end. At the end of every sortie he would do a real low run over the flight office much to the annoyance of other instructors. I was thrilled of course! I still remember his jokes. D’Costa was full of life. Sadly he passed away rather early.
When we came to Hakimpet for the Applied Course on Vampires, Flt Lt Rebello was my instructor. Rebello treated me more like a friend and never got angry at any time. We went for a rocket firing sortie and came back without firing a single rocket ! We had forgotten to remove the safety pin ! After retirement he settled down close to our house and we used to meet frequently. I paid my last respects to him when he passed away.
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| Self, Gill, Rono Gupta, R'parkhi |
Some quotable quotes:
Flt Lt Rane after briefing us asked each one if we had any questions. He turned to ‘Stona’ Sonpar and asked,” Any awkward questions? “. That was Stona, a great flier.
One instructor told his pupil on downwind, “Please remind me, after landing, to put up your suspension papers.”
S/Lt Pronob De ( Wong ) with his Mongolian features. “ If you want to have a big party with China as the theme, go ahead. But why choose me yaar to receive all the guests at the entrance ?”
Milind has written that we had no causalities in our Course. We almost had one and that was me ! Having taken off in a Vampire with a bad RT, I got lost in the desert ! All I could see was a railway line down below ! My pride prevented me from asking for emergency homing. I descended to have a better view of the ground throwing all the airmanship briefing to the winds. In the midst of all the cackle on the RT, I heard just once, mind you just once, “Dagwood 58, steer 250”.
I turned back and just kept looking straight. My heart leapt when I saw the runway of Jodhpur far away. I asked for a straight in approach, with the fuel gauge reading almost zero. I must have had just another five minutes of fuel to go ! Boy, that was a close shave ! The person in the Flying Control was Flt Lt Johar. Thanks to him I am here writing this. How I’d love to meet him and give him a big hug ! In passing, I must tell you that my second close shave was in a Harvard in 1964 when the engine cut at 200 ft after a really really low run in Bangalore !
Must tell you this. We had a few days off at AFFC for Dussera. I was the only one who had a scooter. Pronob De ( Wong ) asked me if we could go to Jaipur on the scooter. I said yes. The decision was made within seconds with absolutely no second thoughts. With a spanner for a tool, four bottles of beer, two tins of sardines we left at 4 am and reached Jaipur at four in the evening. The sun was hot, the beer made us thirsty, we were hungry with nowhere to eat and no water to drink ! In one place a kind villager offered us muddy water to drink which was collected during the previous rain ! Well, we made it and enjoyed the hospitality of my uncle. After we returned, we had the pleasure of having a good Tel Massage. The masseur claimed that the great wrestler Gama was one of his clients ! He treated me the way a dhobi handles a piece of clothing. Boy ! Was it enjoyable !!
Could this have happened anywhere else ? Not really. You have to have guys like Wong with a spirit of adventure. I am sure anyone else in our course would also have been like Wong. That was life at AFFC !
Postings
My postings soon after the course were as follows; Air HQ Comm Sqn, Training on Airpass Radar ( for Marut ) at Ferrantis, Design Dept of HAL, Air HQ, AF Stn Hindon, M.Sc ( Flight Control ) course at Cranfield, ASTE and back to HAL in the Design Dept. Resigned as AGM ( Chief of Flight Test Centre ) joined the French Company Sofema as their Tech Delegate in India. Retired in 2007.
Working Life
My working life falls into two categories – enjoyable and satisfying. To elucidate, the pilot’s course, the tenure in Comm Sqn, courses in the U.K and stints at Air Force Stations were the enjoyable ones. In Comm Sqn I was the king with three Vampires and two Devons and no one to fly them except myself ! Top Brass from Air HQ would come to fly them for their hours and I would fly with them. I flew the Devon all over the country, north to south and east to west. On the Viscount I flew with VVIPs, Heads of State, Kings from Saudi, Chiefs of Staff and saw a small part of the world outside India. I cannot forget staring at Nehru standing in the aisle of the aircraft, next to my seat. He had to wait for the rain to stop before deplaning at Colombo.
The satisfying part was commissioning the airfield lighting system in Hindon and making the crash barrier serviceable. It was lying unserviceable for a year resulting in an accident. Another satisfying part was in the design department of HAL. My small contribution went into Marut, Kiran, HPT-32, Ajeet, Ajeet Trainer, LCA and ALH. Interaction with the German designers of the Marut was a great experience. Every German designer worked hard even on the last day of the contract. Some of them had to take the flight home that evening!
Marriage
Before I talk about my family, let me tell you guys that the year and a half I spent undergoing the pilot’s course was the best period of my life - carefree, thrilling, adventurous with great guys for company. This is something I’ll always cherish.
I got married in 1967 to a girl chosen by my parents, in true Hindu style ! I did not object at all since she was too pretty !
We have two sons, Ajay and Ananth. Ajay is married to Archana. Both are employed in Oracle. They have two sons Akshay ( 5 ) and Akash ( 2 ) and live in San Francisco. Ananth is with us here in Bangalore working for Motorola. Ananth is not married yet. I am praying for some girl to hook him one of these days !
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| Akash and Akshay with Mom Archana, Dad Ajay |
I sometimes wonder how my working life would have been if I hadn’t been qualified as a pilot ! It would have been interesting of course but the ‘Wings’ opened up a new enjoyable world to me within the Air Force. There was never a dull moment.
When I joined HAL, status wise it was a fall by several notches. But to my fellow designers I was special; and the test pilots preferred to talk to me !
I cannot believe that I have spent half a century in aeronautics in all aspects of the aircraft - maintenance, flying, design, flight testing and marketing ! I never knew I would join the Air Force after college. I did not know I would some day fly a fighter plane, let alone a plane, all by myself ! I never expected to do a post graduate course in the UK and be part of the aircraft design team. I never thought that some day I would be making presentations and have discussions with top bosses of giant French companies. For all this I am forever indebted to the Air Force, a great organisation.
I am a firm believer in destiny. I have gone wherever the wind has taken me. It has been a beautiful and enjoyable ride.
Retired Life
My second dream is to go hiking in the Western Ghats and in the Himalayas.
I am a member of the Rotary Club and am involved with some social work which is satisfying. I do my little bit for the mid-day meal scheme for children in a school located in a slum, take part in the polio immunisation camps and involve myself in a small way in the care for terminally ill cancer patients.
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VIJAI SINGH YADAV
50TH YEAR CELEBRATION AT KASAULI 31 MAY 2011
I joined Lawrence School, Sanawar in class VI and my first exposure to the school was the bi-weekly kit change. The only language I knew then was Haryanvi, not very familiar and not understanding what I was required to do made the house matron very upset and angry. It was purely out fear that I blurted out ‘My name is Vijai Singh Yadav and my father's name is Capt Puran Singh’ the only sentences I knew then, this must have amused her to the extent that the anger turned into laughter and finally a hug and that was the last I had any problem with the kit change. Urdu up to class IV in village school, Hindi for class V & VI at Rewari only high school in the region and now English was a bit too much for me.
I found myself to be doing all the wrong thing all the time and perpetually on drill, later learnt that I had not wished the Headmaster on his birthday, in my village no one knows about their birthdays and nor did I, however very next year I was there at the stroke of mid-night to wish him. I remember the headmaster was deeply touched with the gesture and a bit of guilt I could see from the longish hug and there were tears in his eyes. I had a good time thereafter. By the time I was in class VIII, I was already the best gymnast of the school and in the school XI for Hockey, Cricket and Soccer.
Joined the Indian Air Force in the 4th attempt. Between the 3rd and 4th attempt enrolled myself with the Kumaon Regiment to try through the OR entry, seeing no other option but the services and my 3 brothers already having joined the Army. If I was not selected the 4th time I would have been part of C company 13 Kumaon who fought the Chinese in 1962 at Rajangla 'TO THE LAST MAN TO THE LAST BULLET’
F/L Mangat was mine and Sonpar's instructor, we were two extremes, Sonpar very good and I on the other side. I always tried to fly before Sonpar so that the comparison was less noticed. Mangat fell sick and I was transferred to F/L Singhal and my nightmare began, Singhal had already suspended GK Sahay, Das, Lt Gill, by now he had earned the name to suspend any new pupil transferred to him, it was my turn next. It was hell for me if I reported to him, he would shout with all the abuses for showing my face. I then began to hide, he would then shout for not having shown my face. It was only God’s grace that I scraped through and finished my final test way ahead of the course end.
Since I had finished the final test early I used to go for a swim in the morning. To my horror one morning I saw F/L Singhal while I was swimming, I literally sh*t to see him, I tried to remain under water the longest possible time and took him two round of the pool to tell me to see him in his office. The first shock when he asked me to come in and sit down without any abuses and when he asked for tea was too much to believe to being real, I must be dreaming, so I thought. He said he had been very harsh with me but promised to be good next term, to my bad luck he was posted to NDA. It was the result of Capt Ratra who told F/L Singhal during the exhibition hockey match in honour of C-in-C’s visit, that how ruthless and how he had terrorised me.
We were 8 of us posted to 12 Squadron Agra in 1962, it was the year of ASTGRAHA the world was to come to end, the world did not end but we enjoyed the stay at Agra, Srinagar and Pathankot. It was a known fact there was no party was held in Agra without the 8 of us.
6 Squadron posting was good for me in many ways, got married, both my sons were born there and the AF Station and the Pune Township were excellent and I was very lucky to survive the near miss over London. Probably it was very auspicious that it was a Friday and we were 13 on board the date was 09th January 1970. Actually it was the hill we missed which is on approach to R/W 26 Northolt our destination, to cut the story short, the radar controller in his statement told that the A/C was to maintain 1200ft was continuing to descend against my several warning and when I realised that the A/C is at 400ft and there is a hill in front height 638ft 2NM, I had no option but to ask the A/C to climb immediately to 1500ft and turn left where as the missed approach procedure is to turn right to avoid Heathrow safety lane for R/W 23. Left turn was given as the hill is more on the right side and since the A/C was not reacting to my calls I had no doubt that the A/C will crash in to the hill and may be in a million chance if reacted, the left turn may save the A/C, my first time to UK and S/L Marwa my instructor it was difficult to take over controls, on hearing that there is a hill in front I just yanked back on the stick and asked for T/O power, the eye witness living on the hill said that we were so low that we almost entered his balcony, when turned left we were very close to B727 of Alitalia on final approach for Heathrow. S/L Marwa made 2 more unsuccessful approaches; I made the 4th approach and landed. S/L Marwa was blamed in UK and I was blamed in India for not doing simulator. S/L Marwa was promoted and I missed the rank.
After tenure in a selection board I was given command of XI squadron, and the President's Colours were to be awarded in 3 months at Jodhpur. I had the luxury of making our exhibition by the DAVP and my re-union the kitchen was handled by the chief Chef and his team from Vasant Continental.
The achievements of the Squadron during my time, we won the best transport squadron, achieved 100% serviceability when we were in no priority for Avro spares (Comn. Sqn. & Comn. Flts), during AEB visits 100% upgradation of category achieved by following the AEB at all Tpt Stations and obtaining the question papers and giving our own testing profile to the AEB.
I had earned such a good will within Command that I had never had to ask for sending an A/C anywhere within India. I also had the privilege to keep the COO and Station HQ out for all tpt operations. I sent one of my officer to do the MCF on AN32, mid way after I learnt he was having problem with the Flt. Cdr for his smoking as both belong to the same religion. The best part is that he completed the course and was posted to an AN32 Sqn. Any personnel of the squadron having problem at home was sent by A/C to the nearest A/F to his home town, this included the NC(E)s as well. I would like to mention that I did an inquiry of an IL76 incident at Leh, the cause was that the Squadron had no clue of their pressurisation system, the Captain G/C Goel showed total ignorance, and the damages were worth corers. What punishment did the G/C get, well he was awarded the VM and rose to become Air Marshal.
As Station Commander Mumbai I had very little operational requirement, but I realise that there is very big need of very large and frequent request from the Air Force dignitaries’ and their family members like upgrading them to business class on foreign travels from economy, custom clearances and the other main requirement for cancer patients was fresh blood, accommodation and transport, and the least I could do was to ensure these facilities were provided to all personnel of air force and their families. It was great satisfying for me as One Wg Cdr Choudhary who had come to Mumbai for cancer treatment and I had assured him that he will be provided with fresh blood if need be and any other help that he would need, unfortunately he was sent back to Kolkata as he was on his last stage. His wife wrote to me to say that Wg Cdr Choudhary was no more and his last words to his wife were that his nephew who was then SOA WAC AVM Choudhary was to go to Mumbai to personally thank me. Actually he had availed nothing, I had only assured him all that he would need, many such request were honoured like admissions to colleges, one such case was ACM Suri’s daughter admission to Sophia College in Mass media course when she was not qualified for the course, she got a very good job with BBC.
My posting to Air HQ was good in a way that both my sons were settled the elder boy joined the Air Force in to the fighter steam mirage 2000 and a tenure with Surya Kiron, younger boy joined the merchant navy was youngest when got command of the ship and now joined Go Air as co-pilot
Requested for a posting to Dehradun to build house and settle. During my time females were inducted to the Air Force, super wised relief operation during earth quake in Uttrakhand in 1991, had excellent relation with army, during the Air Force Golf Cup to avail the facilities from the army I was unofficially given command of 14 Div. As GOC was out of station on that day.
Retired in 1993, did bit of flying with Trans Bharat and LML. The only thing mentioning is that the LML cancelled their lease of aircraft in 1997 and continue to pay without flying or doing any work, when I told the top management that either I should be given some work because I am finding it difficult in accepting payment without doing any work. I can never forget their gesture when I was to change my car from Maruti 800 to Zen, I required a loan of Rs.1,00,000/-, the bank required a salary certificate so I contacted the LML office to have a salary certificate ready, on my reaching the office an envelope handed over to me thinking it to be the salary certificate, but when opening the envelope I found there was a cheque of Rs. 1,00,000/- on my enquiry I was informed that I should take it as a loan from them, when I was to leave them I asked them about returning the one lakh, they refused to take it back and said on the contrary we are happy that I did not ask them for a car.
I managed to have a charitable eye hospital in my village which is doing an excellent job a very large population of retired defence personnel who are unable to reach the nearest defence facility, are treated free. The visually handicapped are trained free to be self sufficient.
My wife Renu Yadav came from a merchant navy back ground, her father retired as Chairman Kandla port trust, she remained a house wife and devoted all her time in bringing up the boys. From 1989 to 1991 she was AFWWA secretary central.
Leading totally a retired life, playing golf at least 3 times a week and bridge once a week, grace of God keeping fit.
Family details
My younger son Capt Anuj Yadav DOB 26-12-1971, date of marriage 04-12-1998, wife Suruchi Yadav (parents, father law qualified and a land lord, mother high court judge) DOB 07-12-1975, they have a daughter Shreya Yadav DOB 06-02-2000
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Ashok Oza
AIR FORCE
After Jodhpur went to JTW Hakimpet. My first posting was to 101 Squadron, Tezpur. An eventful stay here. Had the closest shave of my life, when a Vampire aircraft, which still had about 300 gallons of fuel left, I landed with port wheel stuck in the up position. On landing I tried to keep the aircraft on the runway, obviously it continued to drift and heading in the direction of the control tower. The Vampire and was progressively getting out of control, and so was my hopes of survival. But, just short of the fire tender parked below the flying control, the aircraft suddenly swung to left against all possible rational and logic, and came grinding halt. Right wing just 2 inches away from the fire tender.
I have been reminded of these 2 inches when ever, I bicker about not getting enough goodies in life: God remind me “Remember I gave me for those 2 inches”.
101 squadron moved to Jorhat thanks to Chinese ops. Here I experienced the most amazing low level valley flying and visual experience up the Bhramaputra valley. From Jorhat was lucky to be picked up for Gunnery training in USA. Could not ask for anything better at this stage in my life.
We were posted to San Antonio and then to Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, besides other things we also learned a bit of gunnery. Had a very heart warming experience with Pakistan Air Force pilots who were in the same unit as us. Would exchange notes about what all Vegas had to offer, sharing meals, and exchanging sight picture of the front gun target, so that we score better than pilots from Europe, South America and South East Asian countries.
When we came back to India. Air Headquarters was not sure where to post us. We started whispering campaign in Air Hq that we were being posted to Gnats. I do not know whether it was the rumors that did the trick, or deep and profound analysis by P staff that did it. We all were posted to Gnat squadrons in Ambala.
Here we were thrown to the mercy of Gnat stalwarts. Such was our status, that not only we were not allowed in the crew room when the fully ops were having breakfast. The tea club man would “give” us our breakfast in the corridor. Well that may have been the price that paid for mentioning “pitch up” - US Air Force term for “peel off” in front of these stalwarts. Thankfully our “sanyas” lasted only few days. We were then taken in their fold. They then taught us how to this aircraft with most unconventional controls and handling characteristic.
In Ambala got posted to another Gnat squadron across the tarmac. Upkar Singh, Mervin Pinto Denzil Keeler and self walked across the tarmac to revive the number plated 15 Squadron.
Before we could settle down, the squadron moved to Bareilly. Four aircraft in all. A fairly long innings in 15 squadron. Here I saw a live ejection from air. From Bareilly I got posted to FIS Tambram, for QFI course.
On completion of the training at FIS posted to Elementary Flying Training School at Bidar. Short stay, then to FTW Hakimpet. Here in one of the con training sortie had a rear bearing failure followed by engine seizure, had enough height to carry out a dead stick landing. Did my A2 and back to Tambaram. From here posted to No 2 squadron at Hindan: Migs. The squadron moved to Pathankot after bird hit followed by ejection. After some very interesting Mig flying back to Gnats squadron in Gorakhpur. The squadron moved from Gorakhpur to Lucknow. From here send on deputation to Iraq from: 77 to 79. First to Mosul then the unit moved to K2.
From Iraq was posted to Air Hq, my first desk job. Short stay at Air Hq. posted to Hakimpet as CI. Since I wanted to leave the Air Force, I had requested P staff to post me to a non sensitive job on completion my tenure as CI. Air HQ posted me to. Cabinet Secretariat? Did remind them to post me to a place that would facilitate me leaving the Air Force. They posted to Ops room Palam via WAC.
I hung my flying boots in September 1983.
CIVI
Though warned of difficult times in civi streets by AOC–in-C WAC, I still decided to take a chance. Thank GOD I landed on my feet. Started my civil career in promoting oil drilling equipment with ONGC and Oil India. A chance meeting with one of the director of Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL) got me in his company. Was tasked to promote GIS (Geographical Information System), a relatively a new concept in 1988. Since GIS basically deals with digital maps it was easy to get into the groove. Spend the rest of my time with IT industry dealing with GIS and its related products and technology, like A0 size flat bed and roller scanners, optical character recognition software, satellite imaging system etc
FAMILY
Got married to Jayshree in 1968 and have two children. Both my children are settled in the USA and are married. My daughter, Rupal completed her doctorate from the Rutgers University and is currently heading the Department of Women Studies at Hunter College in the New York City. Ashwini Rao, our son-in-law is a research scholar and teaches at the Medical School of the Colombia University, New York from where he completed his doctorate. My son, Nilay completed his masters in architecture at MIT, Boston and is a practicing architect. Sarah, our daughter-in-law is a doctor in physiotherapy from the Columbia University. The young couple lives in the Hampton, New York with our lovely granddaughter Ananya. Jayshree is a consultant in the area of education management and continues to consult with governments and international agencies. Her work involves research and training in the areas conflict resolution, leadership, team building, strategic planning and policy development.
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RETIRED LIFE
In year 2000, I decided lead a life with out having to meet “ANY” deadlines. I BECAME 100% OWENER OF MY TIME playing golf, touring, when I feel like, where ever I feel like and how I feel like. Really enjoying the freedom the life has to offer me at this stage.
After spending 23 years in the Air force and 20 years in the IT industry I can say that I had the most wonderful time of my life with the Air Force.
And yes, I still remember those 2 inches
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Darshan Brar
As I look back, in a flash of light, entire career in my blue refreshes.
I reported at AFFC two days later than the reporting date. Before my baggage could be removed from the rickshaw, pops and grandpops (77th &78th PC) taught me the first lesson of ragging. It was an ab-initio lesson yet painful. Soon I learnt on P-83 terrace at night that my NDA coursemates would clear a pebble by 12 inches and back when I would race to the finish line hoping to come first and get exemption from further torture. Thereafter ragging was a game.
Training days were interesting and enjoyable except the torture of my flying instructor, Flt Lt A Bose, during the basic stage. During inter-stage our coursemate, Sqn ldr Verma always kept us amused, talked as if he was younger to us. Flying was incident free except one incident during inter-stage when I had a bird hit on the circuit. My instructor, Flt Lt Uppal was waiting at the dispersal when I switched off and I got the jitters. He just smiled to say that I should take the bird remains for my evening meal.
Our course mate, Sidhu, who had a boil at his bottom. He sat on the inflated scooter tube for his final test in Vampires. As the aircraft climbed, the tube burst in the cockpit. The CFI who was the examiner, transmitted a “Mayday” call to say that there was a loud noise in the cockpit.
Secunderabad was a more civilized town and life was more interesting and tension free. We enjoyed the training period at Begumpet as money was never a hassle by then.
Eight of us moving to the Packet Sqn at Agra was to initiate us to operational Air Force life. Duty officer/paying officer was our routine since we were the junior most in the Sqn. If money ran short during paying officer duty, we quietly paid it off. Senior officers were friendlier then we could imagine. But flying was scarce. Just before the Chinese war, I was sent on Dett at Guwahati. Plenty of airdropping flying and I often hopped onto the Dakota as well. On one fateful day after a dropping at Tsangdhar, we found after landing small arms bullet holes on the Packet aircraft. Soon we were told that we had airdropped when the Chinese had already captured the DZ. Thereafter our flying was restricted to southern DZ,s like Bomdilla. Subsequently I was detailed on Dett to Srinagar with sister Sqn. My parent 12 Sqn also shifted to Srinagar with 12 additional aircrafts and the aircrew strength was doubled up. At that time we were more than a hundred officers in the Sqn. On the very first day of June 64, 24 aircrafts took to for Leh at sunrise with a mandatory 5 mins gap. At Leh each type had a block timing to land otherwise back to base. Five aircraft types, similar to Berlin airlift, we had Packets, IL-14’s, Dakota’s, AN-12’s and C-130’s from Palam. It was enjoyable flying and competing for flying especially between us course mates. In spite of Yankee’s calling Packets as “flying coffins” we clocked 40-60 hrs a month. Our sqn was fortunate to have no accident except one incident at Leh.
Four and a half years of Packet tenure ended in Dec 66 when I got posted to FIS. Chopi, Oza and Anukul out of 79th were there for company. I remember, flying Harvard II-B instead of T-6G, three sorties a day in Tamabram climate gave me prickly heat for the first time in my life. Flt Lt Khashav and Flt Cdr (Late) Sqn Ldr Jiwa Singh treated us humanely.
On instructional tour, posted at AFFC Jodhpur for one and a half years and three years further on TTW Yelahanka brought the training command tenure to a halt. Accident free flying except one serious and freak incident of engine wind milling of Dakota due to technical failure at night which could have ended up in one vacant space in this column here.
Coming to 44 Sqn, AN-12 flying was more professional, interesting and enjoyable. Due to vacuum of QFI in the unit, I could fly 600 Hrs in the very first year a record of my flying carrier. Activity in/around was hot due to the impending war. But our Sqn morale fell to the heels as the unit lost all the cream of supervisors. During range practice at Pune in one of the most tragic accidents of IAF, we lost our CO/Flt Cdr/Nav dr/Sig Ldr/Flt Eng Ldr/Gnr ldr and few other officers/ men. (This particular aircraft was on ground with all four engines running waiting for the then AOC, Air Cmde Dilbagh Singh, AOC 2 Wing who wanted to be aboard this sortie).
Sqn had to be operational again quickly and another Canberra Pilot, Wg Cdr V B Visisht took over the unit. The morale of the sqn was restored and there was a lot of JOSH as the war signal grew stronger. Unit proved it’s mettle as you all know. I was lucky to fly five missions in the western theatre (four night and one at Sui gas by dusk) and one during day at Dacca Ordanance factory as there were no enemy fighters there to fly by then. Sui gas bombing was interesting as I saw my CO in the lead aircraft dropping and seven out of nine, 1000 Kg bombs exploding to a marvelous sight. There were many lucky escapes during these missions and I would not like to mention them for obvious reasons. One MVC, two Vir Chakras were awarded by COAS, not CAS before the aircrafts could land back from one of the missions.
One mission in which I was involved, I would like to say a few words since the same was discussed at great length in WAC de-brief immediately after the 71 ops. During our mission from 15 Wing we operated at one Km on out/in bound mission and till 100 kms to/from the border and kept a listening watch with Delhi App while maintaining absolute RT silence. On one such mission on the outbound leg nearing Hindon, I happened to switch on the second VHF set to AF guard, it was an act of providence. I heard the SU scrambling a fighter to our position. I just could not believe it as the fighter was initially asked to climb initially to five Kms and directed to position on our tail. I could not believe in the disbelief and prudence dictated me to contact the SU. Ultimately after due authentication the fighter was directed to return to Hindon base as “target is friendly aircraft” Further, we were very careful and continued with listening watch on all the requisite frequencies after crossing abeam Delhi. Once again we monitored another scramble from Bikaner. Before any further transmission, I ducked down to 100m. The fighter was directed to orbit overhead as the “target is off the tube” call was given to the fighter. Once again we followed the same drill to maintain our tail clear. Thereafter we were very apprehensive of our own fighter aircrafts. About this mission later I came to know that it was Baby Sehgal and Maizy Khanna who were the pilots launched for the kill mission.
Back to peace mission the basic role of transport fleet but sometimes it is no less than a war situation. The AN 12’s did the routine courier sorties to Moscow and the IAF had removed the night flying embargo over foreign soil. I was detailed for one courier in Mar 75 but the load details were not given. The empty aircraft to position at Bangalore. At Bangalore we were told that the load was India’s first satellite, the Aryabhatta alongwith 6 scientists in addition to some diplomatic load for Tehran, our first refueling halt. After the refueling and night halt at Tehran, it was mid-day by the time we were actually able to get airborne, mainly due to the delay in off loading the diplomatic load. We could be landing at Moscow by night, while routing via Tbilsi. At Tbilsi our navigator and Gunner were replaced with Russians due to security reasons as a practice. That creates some language problem on board. While approaching Moscow, at 8 Kms, vis reported was 1.8 Kms before descent. Hence we descended. On approach and under radar instrs, we were unable to land and carried out the missed approach procedure. Another landing followed by another missed approach, and the low fuel warning light came on. What the Russian crew did not tell us was that the RVR had dropped to 400 mtrs. At last the radar vectored us to a neighbouring field where the weather was crystal clear and we heaved a sigh of relief. It was’nt so as the undercarriage refused to come down. A quick fault analysis solved the problem. Thus the Aryabhatta landing was a success. Our CO too had undergone the same predicament and had to instruct the crew to wear their parachutes to bailout in case of third missed approach, however he was able to land on the third attempt.
My first posting to Jorhat thereafter in 1975 was very educative and came handy later when I raised an AN32 Sqn at the same base. Dakota flying was not new especially with 3000 hrs of instructional flying but it did feel a bit odd after AN-12’s. After this short 15 month experience, at Jorhat, I moved on to an altogether new experience at ARC. For the first time in my life I got an overtime allowance (one had to fly a certain no of hrs every month to be eligible to qualify for the same). Four years later and I was back to the uniform at CAC as the Ops II B and thereafter to Jorhat to raise 43 Sqn.
The AN 32 had to prove itself at all the landing strips and dropping zones where the slow speed Dakotas had been doing so for the past three decades. And to top it all there was an overall shortage of aircraft, eqpt, spares and air/ground crew. It was indeed a challenge. But I enjoyed the command tenure as all of you have similarly done. Its worth to mention here that after the unit became operational, 43 Sqn got the best “Transport Sqn of IAF” for two consecutive years. DASI started Transport fleet inspections for the first time and 43 Sqn was awarded an Above “the Average” grading. Dasi Inspectors having no point except to state that the “Formation Flying is closer”.
After an active flying tenure, I proceeded on promotion to take over Leh Air Force Stn as AOC. It was a different challenge and a formidable one. With AVM Dushyant Singh as AOC J&K, it ought to be a greater challenge. 79th , who all worked with him are able to judge better.
After a year and a half at High Altitude, I was amidst the rivers of Punjab as AOC 12 Wing. All these stations of Punjab need to be kept at higher standards and there are very limited scope to improve further so all I can say, 12 wing got best WAC trophies of Technical and administration. The fighter Sqn based at Chandigarh was adjudged the best Sqn of WAC in all spheres.
It was here at Chandigarh that I put up my papers and took premature retirement due to personal reasons after 35 years of service.
I married in 1964 to Arvinder Kaur from Ludhiana, known as Bindu to a few It was whilst my tenure at Agra with 12 Sqn in Apr 1964 that I took leave for a month for my nuptials on the 12th of Apr. I joined the Sqn at Srinagar for a honeymoon posting at the end of the month.
My first son, Manreet aka Mannu was born in Dec 1965 and he went on to become a Colonel and command his parent unit, 213 Rocket Regt. He has since taken PMR from the Army and joined Pawan Hans helicopters in the third qtr of this year, and is presently the Pilot to the CM of Punjab. He is blessed with one son who is presently studying in his first year at College at the University of Frasier Valley, Vancouver.
Our second son, namely Ashmeet aka Ashu who joined the Tea estates thanks to my tenure at Jorhat where he fell in love with the life of a Tea planter. But ever since he has moved on to join the Citrus Council with the Punjab Govt at Chandigarh for diversified farming for the Punjabi farmer community. He is blessed with a girl child who is running in her 10th year.
Both us foggies are now living in a Flat in Sec 20 at Panchkula with both the children staying close we all enjoying ourselves with them.
My address is C-311,Silver oak appts,gh-99,Sec -20 Panchkula and contact Nos are 9216300311 and LL being 0172-2520140.
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