The Pilatus PC-7 to the Rescue

The Pilatus PC-7 Mk II has helped prevent another crisis that was brewing in the trainer fleet of the Indian Air Force.

- Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (RETD)

Basic training in the Indian Air Force (IAF) for trainees selected for induction into the flying branch and to be assigned in due course to the three different streams, i.e. Fighters, Transports and Helicopters, is conducted in three stages designated as Stages I to III. Stage I which lasts for a period of six months is common to trainee pilots of all the three streams mentioned above. On successful completion of Stage I flying training, trainee pilots are trifurcated on the basis of their performance in Stage I as also their personal choice, into the three different streams. Thereafter trainee pilots undergo Stage II and Stage III flying training on designated trainer aircraft as applicable to their respective streams, with the training period of six months in each stage.

In the 1990s and in the early part of the first decade of the 21st century, Stage I training was being conducted on the HPT32 single piston engine trainer aircraft designed, developed and manufactured by the Indian aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). On successful completion of Stage I, trainee pilots of the Fighter stream then moved on to Stage II and were trained on the HAL-built HJT-16 Kiran Mk I single engine basic jet trainer. Stage III for trainee pilots of the Fighter stream was conducted on the HJT-16 Kiran Mk II. However, with the induction of the BAE Systems Hawk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer commencing November 2007, the HJT-16 Kiran Mk II fleet was progressively replaced by the new platform.