IAF to expand Yelahanka base for transport aircraft crew training

Neil

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to expand capacity at its Yelahanka airbase on the city's outskirts to train air crew for its transport aircraft and helicopters.

"As part of our expansion plans to meet our future needs, we will be enhancing the capacity of the airbase to train more air crew, including pilots, flight engineers, flight gunners and ground staff for our transport aircraft and helicopters fleet," base commander Air Commodore S.P. Singh told reporters here.

With the IAF in the process of acquiring 10 C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift aircraft and 12 C-130J Super Hercules special operations aircraft from the US aerospace majors Boeing and Lockheed Martin to modernise its transport wing, the airbase is bracing up to train pilots for flying them.


"After pilots go through basic training at our flying academy in Hyderabad, we currently train them in batches to fly transport aircraft such as Dornier and AN-32 aircraft fleet. Going forward, pilots will be trained to fly C-17s and C-130Js as per requirement," Singh said ahead of the Air Force Day Oct 8 here and across the country.

Of the 10 C-17 aircraft ordered, three have been delivered to the IAF so far and two more will join by this year-end while the remaining five will be delivered in 2014. Its squadron is based at the Hindon air force station at Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

The C-17s will augment the air force capability to transport troops and heavy equipment like main battle tanks to the front as they have the capacity to carry 80 tonnes of load.
Of the dozen medium-lift aircraft C-130J the IAF ordered, six have been delivered so far.
"We give stage-2 and stage-3 training to fly transport aircraft and specialised training to fly choppers like the rugged Russian made Mi-8 and other copters. The pilots are also trained to fly modern aircraft for multi-role operations," said Singh.

The 50-year-old transport training wing of the air force station has four lodger units — 112 HU (helicopter unit), 109 HU, Dornier Tettra School and the training command communication flight.

"The air base provides operational, maintenance and administrative support to the fixed wing aircraft and helicopters," Wing Commander Manish Sharma said on the occasion.
The unit is also the alma mater of flight engineers and flight gunners who are deployed on helicopters and the Russian-made Ilyushin (IL)-76, IL-78 and AN-32.



IAF to expand Yelahanka base for transport aircraft crew training | idrw.org


what are flight gunners....??
 
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Neil

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Plane and simple: Air Force Station Yelahanka is the busiest


With the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) and the Air Force Station (AFS) Yelahanka in close proximity, the skies of north Bangalore witnesses the highest air traffic in the country, and perhaps even in the region. An aircraft, be it civilian or military, can be spotted almost every minute here, and a testimony to this fact is the record number of flying hours that the AFS Yelahanka has clocked over a period of six months.

The AFS Yelahanka is home to Aero India, which is Asia's largest air show, and the nerve centre of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) training activity has clocked about 20,000 flying hours here in the past six months. It is said to be the highest in the region.

According to an IAF officer stationed at the AFS Yelahanka, clocking 20,000 flying hours in six months is no mean achievement, considering that it is only a training base where rookie pilots are trained on the Antonov-32's (AN-32) Dornier's and Mi8's.

The training at the AFS Yelahanka, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, also includes formation flying, paratrooping, special night operations, causality evacuation and VIP flying.

At present, 35 rookie pilots are being trained to operate transport aircraft and 21 to operate helicopters at the AFS Yelahanka.

The 112 Helicopter Unit, which is based in the air base, has been involved in several military and relief operations in the past. Even during the recent floods in Uttarakhand, the helicopters of the unit were on standby.

AFS Yelahanka is also gearing up to IAF's overall modernisation plan, which include procuring latest aircraft and systems.

"We are directly involved in the overall modernisation plan of the IAF, and are preparing for it," said Air Commodore SP Singh, air officer commanding, AFS Yelahanka.

Know AFS Yelahanka
The Air Force Station in Yelahanka is an Indian Air Force base, mainly used to train pilots to fly transport planes.

This station also conducts type-conversion of navigators on the Antonov An-32.

Exhibition formation fly-pasts during passing-out parades at premier training institutions such as the Air Force Academy and the Air Force Technical College are carried out routinely here.

In addition, the station undertakes logistics support tasks allotted by Air HQs and HQ TC.

Every two years, Aero India, a biennial air show takes place at Yelahanka air force station.


Plane and simple: Air Force Station Yelahanka is the busiest | idrw.org
 

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