42 Army aviators pass Combat Army Aviation Training School in Nashik. (India)

Forty-two Army aviators from Course 16 passed out from Combat Army Aviation Training School (CATS) in Nashik on Friday. The event was followed by some breathtaking display by the Cheetah, Chetak and Dhruv helicopters which showcased the skills of army aviation pilots.

The aviators earned their ‘wings’ and were certified to be army aviation pilots after they successfully completed the 13-month course which was conducted in three phases.

Army Aviation Corps, which completes 25 years of service this month, plays a significant role in northern and eastern sectors and the officer pilots will now be posted at different reconnaissance and observation or utility units.

Chief guest Lieutenant General Gurdeep Singh, Commandant School of Artillery, reminded the young officers of the elite core to be prepared for operational environment. “The Indian Army is active in dealing with operations in Jammu and Kashmir and eastern sector. As pilots, you will have to get into a professional groove and hone the art of combat management,’’ Singh said.

Singh appreciated the role of CATS and the flying instructors whose efforts have given the Army Aviation Corps its best pilots.

Speaking to media persons, commandant CATS, Brigadier Rajiv Raina said that Army Aviation Corps had evolved from being merely a support arm to being an active manouevring arm of Indian Army.

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