Bengaluru: Eleven test pilots and six flight test engineers graduated from the 48th Flight Test Course of the Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) after completing a 48-week multidisciplinary training programme, the Indian Air Force (IAF) announced.
Graduating Batch Composition
The graduating batch comprised 17 officers — 14 from the IAF, one from the Indian Army, and two from the Indian Navy. These officers will now join the aviation wing of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), one of the IAF's premier testing units.
Chief Guest and Ceremony Highlights
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, an alumnus of the 17th Flight Test Course, attended the graduation ceremony as the chief guest. He presented certificates to the graduating officers and awarded trophies to outstanding performers.
Award Recipients
- Sqn Ldr KK Singh received the Suranjan Das Trophy for the best all-round student test pilot.
- Sqn Ldr Aditya Jamdagni won the Chief of the Air Staff Trophy for best student test pilot in flight evaluation.
- Wg Cdr Abhinav Kumar was awarded the Maharaja Hanumanth Singh Sword for the best all-round student flight test engineer.
- Wg Cdr Pranav Sharma received the Dunlop Trophy for the best student flight test engineer in flight evaluation.
- Sqn Ldr Paras Sharma won the Kapil Bhargava Trophy for excellence in ground subjects.
Chief of Air Staff's Address
Air Chief Marshal Singh emphasized the importance of atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in building resilient indigenous defence capabilities. He stated that test crews would play a crucial role in strengthening India's aerospace ecosystem and defence modernization efforts.
He urged the officers to focus on reducing design to delivery timelines while maintaining high standards of safety and quality. Emphasizing professional competence and integrity, he said the officers would be responsible for ensuring that aircraft and systems meet the operational requirements of the armed forces.
