India's first three women fighter pilots will fly the 'Bison'
Air Force chief BS Dhanoa has said India's first three women fighter pilots will fly the "Bison".
The Mig-21 aka the "Bison", though now obsolete, was for a long time the backbone of the Air Force.
“The present consideration is to put them to MiG-21 "Bison" squadrons. Our opinion is that it'll sharpen their skills. It (the MiG-21 "Bison") is more manual than other sophisticated aircraft,” Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said on Sunday on the sidelines of Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
The present consideration is to put them to MiG-21 'Bison' squadrons. Our opinion is that it'll sharpen their skills. It (the MiG-21 'Bison') is more manual than other sophisticated aircraft,' Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said
Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth, and Mohana Singh were commissioned as flying officers in July 2016 after the fighter stream was opened to women on an experimental basis. They are currently training on British Hawk advanced jet trainers at an IAF facility in Kalaikunda, West Bengal.
The trio is likely to start flying fighter jets next month after having completed a strenuous training programme.
The Air Force chief said flying a plane like the MiG-21 "Bison" enhances a pilot's ability.
It helps polish a fighter pilot's skill more than flying more sophisticated planes, he added.
Chaturvedi, Kanth, and Singh are expected to be posted together once they start flying fighter jets.
That will be done so that they can learn from their combined experiences, and also so that they have company.
The Indian Air Force was on Sunday celebrating 85 years of its founding.
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