Pilot survives miraculously after ejecting on time: Air Force training plane crashes

CHENNAI: An IAF Pilatus PC-7 Mk2 trainer aircraft crashed during a routine training flight. The aircraft crashed near Tambaram in Chennai. The pilot ejected and survived the crash. The Court of Inquiry (COI) has ordered a probe into the cause of the accident. The Pilatus is a Swiss-made turboprop aircraft widely used for pilot training.

The Indian Air Force's Flying Training School (FIS) is located at Tambaram Air Force Station in Chennai. FIS trains experienced pilots to become flying instructors and also trains new pilots, or "ab-initio," through basic, intermediate, and advanced flying training programs. The highly specialized training transforms these cadets into skilled and dedicated "air warriors," while also teaching experienced pilots how to effectively train the next generation of aviators.

Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) earn their badge after completing a rigorous 22-week training course that includes ten phases of flying training and over 200 hours of ground training. Officers from the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign countries participate in the QFI training course at Tambaram.