Half the IAF women trainee pilots quit in a year

In the Indian Air Force, most women don't wanna play pilots; they would rather go home. Which, exactly, is what has been happening at the Air Force Academy in Dindigal, Andhra Pradesh. Many women have quit, dropped out. Just like that.

The academy, which made history of sorts when it inducted women cadets into IAF on June 19, 1993, has recorded 40 to 50 per cent dropouts from its first batch. Dropouts were many in the subsequent years too, says AFA commandant Air Vice Marshal M B Madon.

Result: Just two of the women pilots selected for the sixth short service commission course would get their 'wings' at the combined graduation ceremony on June 21.

"Normally the dropouts are within the first 20 hours of flying. They are not able to cope with the training and show aptitudinal problems," Madon says, "One can judge (whether a trainee will make it or not) in the first seven to eight hours of flying."

The dropouts, however, Madon hastens to add, was not confined to women trainees alone -- cadets of the other gender too pack off sometimes. "But we have been able to meet our requirements," he adds.

The two-pronged training process at the AFA academy is attuned to the IAF's goal of attaining "glorious heights in the skies". After 80 hours of basic flight training -- 55 hours are dual and the rest solo -- the cadets are trained on basic skills on jet and piston engined aircraft.

Then, after systematic screening, selected service pilots are put through the first stage of advanced flight training -- 95 hours of flying, of which 47 are solo. In the second stage, pilots are trained in night flying.

After securing the coveted 'wings' the women pilots will be inducted into the IAF's transport wing. As of now, the defence ministry does not allow women to pilot fighter aircraft.