States » SouthPosted at: Oct 20 2026 4:30PM


Air Chief Marshal AP Singh concludes flying journey in Kiran aircraft with former instructor

Hyderabad, Oct 20 (UNI) Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Tuesday undertook his final sortie in a Kiran trainer aircraft with his former instructor, retired Wing Commander Kochar, bringing his flying journey in the Indian Air Force (IAF) full circle ahead of his retirement later this month.
The sortie held special significance as the Kiran was the aircraft in which Singh began his flying training at the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, Hyderabad.
Flying alongside the instructor who guided him during his formative years marked a symbolic conclusion to his journey as a military aviator.
The Air Chief undertook two sorties in the Kiran aircraft.
The first was with a young female National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadet, while the second was with his former instructor, Wing Commander Kocha (Retd), aged 73. The second sortie lasted around 45 minutes to an hour.
The occasion symbolised the passing of the baton between generations of aviators and underscored the enduring role of instructors in shaping military pilots.
Singh began his flying training in the Kiran aircraft at the Air Force Academy after his stint at the National Defence Academy.
He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 21, 1984.
On October 11, he completed his final fighter aircraft sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas at Jodhpur.
Tuesday's sortie in the Kiran marked another milestone in his flying career.
Upon the aircraft's return, along with his former instructor, a water cannon salute was accorded to the Air Chief as a mark of respect.
Singh took over as Chief of the Air Staff on September 30, 2024. Having begun his flying journey in the Kiran, he brought it to a symbolic close in the same aircraft, alongside the instructor who had been part of its beginning.
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