President to fly fighter jet only if fit: IAF chief

Last Updated: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:56

Tags: Pratibha Patil, President, Sukhoi

New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil is "medically fit" to fly in a frontline Sukhoi fighter aircraft, but would undertake the sortie only if found fit on the day of the flight, IAF chief P V Naik said here on Friday.

"We have completely evaluated her health. She has been preparing for this for the last two months and she is medically fit," Air Chief Marshal Naik told reporters here.

"Even on the day she goes on the sortie, she will be tested, just before she gets into the aircraft. Only if the President is medically fit on that particular day, she will take the flight," he said, when queried on the fitness of the 74-year-old President.

Patil is scheduled to fly the air superiority aircraft from Lohegaon airbase near Pune on November 25 and will be doing so in her capacity as the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.

"Being the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, it is a matter of pride for the IAF that she will be flying one of our aircraft," Naik said.

Asked if her flight would pave the way for IAF women officers to become fighter pilots, the air chief said, "Women can fly fighter aircraft and there are several civilian women, who have done so in the past".

He said Patil has been briefed and given a video-audio presentation on flying in a fighter jet plane by Air Force officers recently. "She will again be briefed on the day she will fly in the SU-30MKI," he added.

Bureau Report

First Published: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:56

Comments

Sanjay Gupta - Boston
The current president is doing nothing for the nation- she should learn the lesson of humility, simple living and dedication from the former president, Dr. Kalam.

Our country is facing grave threats from mullahs) both insiders and outsiders), armed forced are crying for training in modern warfare and equipment, the standard of education is ever downsliding and of course politicians like her are just basking in the sun and encouraging corruption! No body had heard her name 5 years ago and imagined that she will become the Supreme Commander of the armed forces one day- courtsey Sonia amma! Mera Bharat Mahan..anything is possbile here.

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V K Das - Lucknow
Our leaders should avoid cheap publicity gimmicks. It does not help anyone and a few lakhs will be spent for no reason. The President as the supreme commander would have done better if she had laid a wreath on the India Gate memorial of the war dead. That she has never done though she goes to Rajghat several times a year to pay homage to the past leaders.That shows how little our leaders care for the defence services uinlike the leaders of western countries who are always in the forefront to show concern for their servicemen.