President Patil makes history by taking off in Sukhoi

PUNE: President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday made history by taking off in a frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet aircraft from the air force base here, becoming the first woman head of state to fly in a warplane.

74-year-old Patil also set a world record by becoming the oldest woman to be airborne in a combat jet for a 30-minute sortie at a speed close to the supersonic level.

After a 30-minute sortie without manouevres and flying at a height of 8,000 feet around the Lohegaon air force base here, the President came out of the cockpit flashing a victory sign and patted the Commanding Officer of the 30-squadron, Wing Commander S Sajjan, for the smooth ride.

To a question on induction of women as fighter pilots, Patil, who flew at a subsonic speed of about 0.9 Mach (about 900 km per hour), said, "The technical requirements, qualifications and situation one has to face are the issues which the experts and government will decide or consider".

"But let me tell you that I have full faith in the ability of women to perform and that they have capacity and capability to perform excellently. I have no doubt about their capability," 74-year-old Patil told reporters after the flight.

The President, who donned a special G-suit worn by combat pilots to counter effects of gravity in high speed manoeuvres, posed for photographs with the pilot and support staff at the tarmac before proceeding to the rest house at the base for post-flight medical check-up.

Patil said now that she had experienced flight in a combat aircraft, she would not mind crossing the sound barrier. "It was an out of the world experience. I was thrilled and overjoyed and I am proud of IAF for the work they are doing in securing the nation," she said.

On the issue of women flying combat aircraft, Patil said, "Previously, there were no women in any of the three forces. Then there were discussions and it was decided they could join. Now they are flying transport aircraft and helicopters.

"They are in the army and in the navy. The Government has proactive thinking. It (discussions) is a continuous process. Let us see...a proper decision will be taken," she said.

Patil said the aim of this flight was to experience the efficiency with which air force pilots fly planes with sophisticated and new technology and also bring into focus the "spirit of sacrifice" that defence forces have.

The jet plane carrying the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces was accompanied by two other Sukhoi planes which flew in a formation with the President's aircraft.

A special red-carpet welcome was given to Patil before she got into the cockpit wearing a helmet and the G-Suit.

"We also wanted to show to the defence forces that the country is with you," she said.

Before taking off, Patil was briefed about emergency exit procedures at the 30-Squadron also known as 'Rhinos'.

"I usually do yoga and treadmill regularly in daily life and that probably helped me in the cockpit. They told me about the precautions to be taken. I am quite regular in my daily life ...I was confident when I sat in the cockpit," she said when asked about any special preparation she made for the flight.

Patil is the second President to fly in a fighter aircraft after A P J Abdul Kalam who was also flown from here in a Sukhoi-30. Kalam was taken to a height of 20,000 feet at subsonic levels with some air-manouvres in 2006.

"I have had the opportunity to fly a technically advanced aircraft and today I am proud and I think that every Indian would be proud about the abilities of the armed forces," Patil said.

On being asked whether she has a desire to fly at a supersonic speed, the President quipped, "Yes of-course". She, however, did not reply to a poser if she wanted to travel in a submarine.

Sukhoi, India's most advanced fighter plane, can carry eight tonnes of armaments and fly over 3000 kms with onboard fuel and can undertake an extended journey of upto 5000 kms with a single air-to-air refueling.