HYDERABAD: Close to the runway at Hakimpet Air Force Station, 13-year-old Revanth is curious to find out how much time it takes to become a fighter pilot. One of the Wing Commanders makes it easy for him, “The training takes a year, but the learning process is a continuous one.”
Revanth is one among approximately 4,000 children from across 22 schools who visited the Air Force Station at Hakimpet on the city outskirts. The Indian Air Force (IAF) invited them as part of the 70th Independence Day celebrations.
“The idea is to encourage as many schoolchildren as we can to join the IAF. We want them to see it first, and then decide. We have invited students from Classes VI to XII as this is the time most of them decide on their career,” said Reena Chandel, squadron leader and organiser of the event.
The tour started with the screening of video clips about the IAF. It was clear that the children were impressed as the auditorium echoed with their applause and screams every time an officer walked towards a helicopter, a fighter plane did an aerobatic mid-air or a helicopter-led operation rescued people. “It was inspiring to see how the officers were taking part in the rescue operations. I also learnt about various air crafts. I am keen on taking this as a career,” said Panchajanya Srinivas, a Class XI student from Army Public School, Bolarum. Ask her about the negligible number of women that one could notice in the videos, she replied, “Well, I want to achieve enough and make be a part of the video in the years to come.”
Aabha Kehny, a Class IX student from Foster Billabong High International School was quick to point, “Women have recently been inducted as fighter pilots.” She added that the experience of touring the IAF Station was ‘beyond words.’ The tour also had the students experience the working of air crafts and helicopters. Manohar Keshav, a Class X student from St Patrick’s High School, Secunderabad said, “I feel sorry for those who couldn’t come.”
The final leg of the tour was the most exciting one according to the children as they got a glimpse of the massive runway and saw the aircrafts take off.
“The show was quite convincing. I haven’t seen anything like this before,” said an excited Uma Lakshmi, a Class X student from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.