First woman fighter pilot to undertake solo flight in MiG-21
February 23 , 2018 2469 days 1908 0
Flying officer Avani Chaturvedi created history by becoming the first Indian woman pilot of the Indian Air Force to complete a solo flight in a MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft.
She completed the half-an-hour long solo flight in the Russian-origin jet in the skies over Jamnagar Air Base.
This is a major milestone in training of a fighter pilot and first time Indian woman has flown a fighter aircraft solo. It demonstrates IAF’s enduring commitment to ‘Nari Shakti’.
3 women officers Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawna Kanth and Mohana Sing were selected to be fighter pilots in June 2016 when IAF had agreed to induct women as fighter pilots on “an experimental basis” for an initial period of 5 years.
Pakistan has about 20 female fighter pilots since Pakistan Air Force (PAF) began inducting women into combat roles in 2006.