CHENNAI: As many as 20 Indian Navy officers were awarded the prestigious ‘Wings’ by Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil, Flag Officer, Commanding Goa Area, and Flag Officer, Naval Aviation, during a special passing-out parade to mark the graduation of the 97 Helicopter Conversion Course (HCC) at INS Rajali on Friday. The officers of 97 HCC underwent rigorous flying and ground training for 22 weeks from July 21 at the Indian Naval Air Squadron 561, also known as the Helicopter Training School (HTS), according to a release.
During the course, trainee pilots were introduced to the nuances of helicopter flying. The pilots completed a challenging syllabus that included navigation, night flying, and operating over the sea. At the end of the course, the trainees were judged for ‘Best in Flying’, ‘Best in Ground Subjects’, and ‘Best in Overall Order of Merit’.