The Indian Air Force (IAF) has announced the graduation of 17 officers from its 48th Flight Test Course, a rigorous 48-week multidisciplinary training programme conducted at the Air Force Test Pilots School in Bengaluru. The graduating batch comprised 11 test pilots and six flight test engineers, including 14 officers from the IAF, one from the Indian Army, and two from the Indian Navy.
Graduates to Join ASTE
The newly graduated officers will now proceed to the Aviation Wing of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), one of the IAF's premier testing units. ASTE is responsible for evaluating and certifying aircraft and systems before their induction into service.
Chief Guest and Awards
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. Among the test pilots, Squadron Leader KK Singh received the Suranjan Das Trophy for the best all-round student test pilot, while Squadron Leader Aditya Jamdagni was honoured with the Chief of the Air Staff Trophy for the best student test pilot in flight evaluation.
Recognition for Flight Test Engineers
In the flight test engineer category, Wing Commander Abhinav Kumar was awarded the Maharaja Hanumanth Singh Sword for the best all-round student. Wing Commander Pranav Sharma received the Dunlop Trophy for the best student flight test engineer in flight evaluation, and Squadron Leader Paras Sharma won the Kapil Bhargava Trophy for excellence in ground subjects.
Emphasis on Indigenous Capabilities
Air Chief Marshal Singh stressed 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 modernisation efforts. The Chief of Air Staff urged the officers to focus on reducing 'design to delivery' timelines while maintaining high standards of safety and quality.
Emphasising professional competence and integrity, he noted that the officers would be responsible for ensuring that aircraft and systems meet the operational requirements of the armed forces. The ceremony highlighted the IAF's commitment to developing skilled test personnel for advancing India's defence technology.
