IAF's women pilots display acrobatic might at Aero India 2015
It was in 2010, when the IAF made a major policy shift to allow conversion of women pilots to twin-engine category of medium to heavy-lift helicopters, that she felt closer to her dream.
Marking a new beginning for women officers in IAF, two women officers have made their way into the IAF's much-heralded helicopter display team Sarang. Squadron Leader Deepika Misra and engineering officer Flight Lieutenant Sandeep Singh made their debut in the 'Aero India' air show.
Deepika first fell in love with the aerobatic displays by the Surya Kirans and Sarang, IAFs fixed-wing and rotary-wing aerobatic display teams in December 2006 during her passing out parade at the Air Force Academy.
She had imagined herself flying in either of the formation flying teams but back then it seemed impossible. She never gave up hope and prayed hard. Finally, she was commissioned into the helicopter stream and posted to a Chetak/Cheetah helicopter unit. Women short service commissioned pilots were only permitted to fly single engine helicopters then.
It was in 2010, when the IAF made a major policy shift to allow conversion of women pilots to twin-engine category of medium to heavy-lift helicopters, that she felt closer to her dream. With nearly 1,600 hours on Chetak and Cheetah after her two stints at Bareilly and Udhampur, Deepika was ready when the opportunity came.
She volunteered when IAF sought volunteers from women helicopter pilots to join the Sarang Team. She was among the first to be inducted into the Advanced Light Helicopter. She joined the Sarang last July and in the process, became the first IAF woman pilot ever to join a formation display team, an official statement said.
Incidentally, Deepika's husband, Sqn Ldr Sourabh Kakkar was already posted in the unit and the couple will now be a team.
But Deepika would not be the only women officer in the Sarang for long. She was joined by Flt Lt Sandeep Singh, an engineering officer.
Deepika is nearing completion of operational conversion before flying as a Sarang formation member. Sarangs are the showstoppers at the ongoing Aero India 2015.