All You Want To Know About AFA

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Hello Warriors! Joining Air Force is the most prestigious service of many aspirants. Most of us can’t resist the dream of passing by through that ‘eagle’ gate of Air Force Academy, Dundigal; neither can the dream of flying one of the best machines in the world, the fifth generation fighter aircrafts.

The Indian Air Force is the fourth largest air force in the world and every officer in the air force gets trained at this prestigious academy.

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But as honorable Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam had said, “Dreams don’t come true until you start dreaming and dreams are those which don’t let you sleep”, I bring you that every aspirant who dreams of becoming an Air Warrior and joining AFA must know:

The Air Force Academy was established in 1969 and started in 1971. It is located at Dundigal, about 25 km away from the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, spread over 7,000 acres of land.The academy was set up to train cadets from all streams at one location.

It imparts training to the Flying, Technical and Ground Duty Branches as well as officers of the Army and Navy. This is a home for the officer trainees who learn their specialisation and are nurtured to become capable leaders. After one year’s training, officer cadets are commissioned into various branches of the IAF.

The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October 1932. Its first flight came into being on 01 Apr 1933. It possessed a strength of six RAF-trained officers and 19 Havai Sepoys (literally, air soldiers). The aircraft inventory comprised of four Westland Wapiti IIA army co-operation biplanes at Drigh Road as the “A” Flight nucleus of the planned No.1 (Army Co- operation) Squadron.

The stimulus provided by the Second World War had raised RIAF personnel strength to 28,500 including some 1,600 officers against 16 officers and 662 men earlier, by the time hostilities terminated.

In January 1950, India became a Republic within the British Commonwealth and the Indian Air Force dropped its “Royal” prefix. At this time, it possessed six fighter squadrons of Spitfires, Vampires and Tempests, operating from Kanpur, Poona, Ambala and Palam, one B-24 bomber squadron, one C-47 Dakota transport squadron, one AOP flight, a communications squadron at Palam and a growing training organisation.

The Indian Air Force has seen many wars in the subcontinent with Burma, Pakistan and China. Most of the wars were with Pakistan and in December, 1971, Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was awarded the Param Vir Chakra (Posth), chasing Pakistani intruders. This remains the sole PVC with the IAF till date.

In this academy, IAF pilots are trained to learn flying through successive stages. Those who pass out as fighter pilots serve in front-line combat squadrons equipped with SU-30, MiG-29, MiG-27, MiG-23, MiG-21, Mirage-2000,Tejas and Jaguar aircraft. For those interested in flying transport aircraft, the IAF offers heavy multi engined IL-76 aircraft,C-17 and the twin engined multi role AN-32 transport aircraft, besides HS-748 and the Dornier light utility transport aircraft.

By joining the helicopter fleet, the trainees learn to fly at treetop height and landing in remote areas. The curriculum also includes flying helicopter gunships like Indian developed Dhruv, MI-26 heavy-lift choppers, casualty evacuation, para dropping of troops and air lifting of supplies.

The AFA provides training to the Flying, Ground Duty and Technical branches of the IAF along with the training for the Air Traffic Control.

The academy also imparts specialist training to young men and women who shoulder responsibility as leaders in other areas of air force operations. These are administrative, air controlling, meteorological, logistics, accounts and education branches. Swimming, field and indoor games are included in the evening routine. The Indian Navy and Army as well as the Coast Guard also trains their pilots in the AFA. Officers from friendly foreign countries are also occasionally trained at the Air Force Academy.

The AIR FORCE ACADEMY lives by it’s motto of “Nation First, Mission Always” and will strive to mean it. Do you have it in you?