Tag: russia

The Saga of a Fighter Pilot: Training and Missions

Anil Goyal

After graduating from Air Force Academy Dundigal, it is training at a squadron which transforms young aviator into a military pilot. The pilots commissioned in fighter stream undergo specialized training in aerial warfare (air to air combat and air to ground combat). Fighter pilots are one of the most highly regarded and desirable positions of any air force. They possesses an exceptional academic record, physical fitness, healthy well-being, and a strong mental drive. As a combat pilot, successfully completing their missions is paramount, equal emphasis is given on their role…

Mi-26 Halo: Largest Helicopter Flying Experience

Anil Goyal

The quality of person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour. Vince Lombardi The Mil Mi-26 is a twin-engine heavy transport helicopter designed and manufactured by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, Russia, for both military and civilian roles. It is the largest and powerful helicopter in the world and entered into service in 1985. The Mi-26 can perform a number of tasks, including the transferring of military equipment, namely personnel carriers, and mobile ballistic missiles, to distant locations. Composite material and…

Women Voices in Military Aviation

Anil Goyal

“There’s something so special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer.  Rihanna  It’s not very often one hears about India trailblazing on issues of gender equality. On the contrary, the country regularly makes headlines for all the wrong reasons when it comes to women: high rape statistics, dowry deaths, and pervasive discrimination. The data collated by the International Society of Women Airline Pilots showed that India had the highest proportion of female…

Beyond Fear and Death

Anil Goyal

You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up. Chuck Yeager In aircraft, an ejection seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rocket motor, carrying the pilot with it. Once clear of the aircraft, the ejection seat deploys a parachute. Prior to WWII, the only means of…

What Airline Pilots need to know about difference in bird and drone strike?

Anil Goyal

US Airways flight 1549 presents a single most illustrious example of the kind of damage a bird strike can cause and piloting-skill required to be able to bring out everyone safely from a disastrous situation. Birds are intelligent species which have natural instinct to survive and avoid a collision while in the air or on the ground. With their sharp vision and quick decisive ability, they are able to avert not only other avian traffic but also human-made obstacle and flying objects. Differences between drone and birds. 1.   For the same…

MiG 21: Love her OR Hate her?

Anil Goyal

The most widely produced supersonic jet fighter of all time, the MiG-21 (Western reporting name Fishbed) is an incredibly prolific aircraft. Dated but nimble, it has allowed skilled pilots in past decades to defeat more advanced aircraft. Though its days look to be numbered. To me, it does not. I think it will continue to live in the heart of pilots and adversaries alike for decades to come. Single-seat, single-engine, supersonic, all-weather, day-night capable, jet fighter aircraft produced by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau was an improvement on prior generations of…