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Indian Air Force


Topics
Overview
Job profile
Requirement
Growth And money
Employment
Resources
Training
Service Details
Overview


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The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October, 1932, this being the date of its formal constitution. The first aircraft flight, however, was not formed until April 1, 1933, at which time it possessed a strength of six RAF-trained officers and 19 Havai Sepoys, literally speaking, 'air soldiers'.

Today, the Indian Air Force is the world's fourth largest, well-equipped and professionally trained, force.

There are five operational air commands, the Western Air Command, with headquarters in Delhi. This is the biggest sector, and is responsible for air operations from Kashmir to Rajasthan, including the Capital and Punjab, with an operations group dedicated to Jammu and Kashmir (including Ladakh).

The Central Air Command based at Allahabad, encompasses most of the Indo-Gangetic plain, while the Eastern Air Command, from Shillong, is responsible for West Bengal, Assam, the eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and the other areas sharing borders with Tibet, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The South-western Air Command, at Jodhpur, is responsible for air operations in most of Rajasthan, southwards through Gujrarat to Saurashtra and the Kutch area.

The Southern Air Command was formed in July 1984 with headquarters at Trivandrum and which geographically has the largest territory, from the Deccan Plateau area to the southern tip of the peninsula and includes Lakshwadeep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Training Command has its headquarters at Bangalore, with the majority of flying and ground training establishments located in southern India.

The Maintenance Command operates from Nagpur in central India.

The five operational commands control about 45 fixed-wing squadrons, 20 helicopter units and numerous surface-to-air missile squadrons, with unit establishments varying from 12 to 18 aircraft. This represents a total aircraft strength of nearly 1,700, including training and support types, manned by over 120,000 personnel.

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Job Profile

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The major task of the Indian Air Force is that of defending the Indian skies by flying combat aircraft and helicopters. Other activities involve technical work such as aeronautical, electronics and computer engineering, as well as administrative, financial and management duties.

The IAF has four main branches:

Flying branch
Technical branch
Ground Duties branch
Short Service Commission for Women

Flying Branch includes:

  • Fighter pilots who fly combat or fighter planes
  • Transport pilots who fly planes that carry men and materials
  • Helicopter pilots who provide air support to a moving army, or are used for para-dropping men and supplies
  • This branch also includes navigators who fly along with the pilot and guide the aircraft by using the latest avionic equipment

    Technical Branch

    The technical branch consists of all the engineering sections that are responsible for the engineering equipment and weapon systems of the Air Force.

    Aeronautical engineers in the mechanical department ensure the proper maintenance of all aircraft.

    Engineers in the electronics department handle the electronic and communication equipment in aircraft.

    Ground Duties The ground duties

     Branch includes officers from the administrative, air traffic control, logistics, fighter control, accounts, education and meteorology branches.

    The Administrative Officer

     Is responsible for the personnel management and administration of the Air Force throughout the country

    The Air Traffic Control

    Officer provides control and advisory services to enable the pilot to conduct flights in total safety.

    The Fighter Controller

     Monitors the skies for any potential air threats and selects the appropriate air defence system, using modern electronic equipment to intercept these threats.

    The Logistics Officer

     Is responsible for the provisioning of aircraft and their spares, fuel armaments, explosives, clothing items and other things essential for the day-to-day running of an organisation.

    The Accounts Officer

     Is required to monitor the expenditure, cost and fund requirement and to plan and forecast the budgetary requirement of the Air Force.

    The Education Branch Officer

    Is responsible for the training imparted to the officers and airmen and for designing training programmes that enable the Air Force to meet the challenges of the future.

    The Meteorology Branch Officer

    Conducts scientific research on the prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions.

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    Requirement
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    For those with a technical bent of mind, the Indian Air Force offers an opportunity for hands-on experience on some of the most sophisticated aircraft and equipment ever. One can be part of the highly skilled and motivated engineering staff tasked with the onerous task of keeping the war machines in a constant state of operational readiness.

    Candidates must be in accordance with the prescribed physical standards which state that one should be physically fit and free from any disease or disability and excess fat. The minimum acceptable height for the Air Force is 162 cm.

    For Gurkhas and residents of north-eastern India, Garhwal and Kumaon, the minimum acceptable height is 5 cm lower than the standard and from candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum height is lowered by 2 cm.

    Candidates must be able to read 6/6 in a distant vision chart with each eye, without glasses.

    Besides these general conditions, each training institute and examination has their own standards and requirements.

    There is a separate screening process for women.

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    Growth And Money
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    Hierarchy and Promotions

    There are two types of promotions: Substantive and Acting. Acting promotion is when personnel are promoted before their stipulated time for various reasons. The main benefit of the acting promotion is that you get promoted faster than in the case of the substantive. However, the flipside is that, while in case of an acting promotion, one can get demoted, in case of a substantive promotion, it is otherwise.

    Post-retirement, in case of a substantive promotion, one gets a pension pertaining to the position one holds while retiring. While in the acting promotion, one gets a pension pertaining to the position one less that the rank at the time of retirement.

    The service limits for substantive promotions in the Air Force are:

    Flying Officer One year Commissioned Service (CS)
    Flight Lieutenant Five years CS
    Squadron Leader 11 years CS
    Wing Commander 21 years, if not promoted by selection, otherwise 16 years
    Group Captain 22 years CS
    Air Commodore 24 year CS
    Air Vice Marshal 26 years
    Air Chief Marshal 28 years

    The service limits for acting promotions in the Air Force are:

    Flight Lieutenant Two years
    Squadron leader Five years
    Wing Commander Six years (after service of one year in the rank of Squadron Leader)
    Group Captain Eight years (after service of one year in the rank of Squadron Leader)

    Money

     Salary scales differ from rank to rank. In addition to their normal salaries, Air Force officers also receive numerous other benefits in the form of free rations, etc.

    They are also entitled to medical facilities, gratuity and retirement allowances. The integrated pay scale for Pilot Officers to Air Commodore ranges between Rs 2,300 and Rs 5,100. In addition to this, there is also rank pay.

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    Employment
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    Ex-Indian Air Force officers find jobs in commercial airlines. Most of Air India's senior commanders have an Air Force background.

    Air Force pilots can also opt for teaching assignments as instructors in flying clubs or invest and set up training academies of their own.

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    Resources
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    You can join any of the defence services through two competitive examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) every year. They are:

  • The National Defence Academy (NDA): An undergraduate level exam for the age group 16 to 19 years.
  • The Combined Defence Services Exam (CDSE): A graduate level examination for the age group 19 to 22 years.

    On clearing the UPSC examination, one is called for a Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. This interview, which lasts for three to four days, comprises medical and written tests, outdoor physical tests, a personal interview, psychological assessment and group tests. On clearing the interview, you are directly enlisted into the various training centres.

    National Defence Academy:

    Of all the candidates who apply every year, only 300 make it to the National Defence Academy, Pune, as cadets. Candidates, who wish to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) have to take the Pilot Aptitude Test as part of the SSB interview exercise. On failing this test, one cannot appear for it again.

    The NDA examination is a permanent commission examination. This means a career in the armed forces till you retire. For a permanent commission, you have to join either the National Defence Academy or the Indian Military Academy.

    About a year before the commencement of an NDA course, a brief notice appears in the leading daily newspapers. A candidate seeking admission to the examination must apply to:

    The Secretary,
    Union Public Service Commission,
    Dholpur House,
    New Delhi 110 011
    At the time of filling in the application form, it is necessary to indicate the sequence of your preference for the Army or the Air Force or the Navy. The final allocation, however, depends on your rank in the merit list.

    A 10+2 or any equivalent is required for the NDA. NDA recruitment takes place in January and June every year. The written examination is of two hours' duration and comprises of two papers: Mathematics and General Ability.

    NDA Training

     The three years in the NDA are divided into six semesters. Five are general semesters, which are compulsory. You can major in the Air Force in the sixth semester.
    Academics comprise 12 disciplines that include three languages, three pure sciences, two applied sciences and four social sciences. There are also common service subjects like military history, area study, service writing, leadership, paramilitary forces, weapons training and situation instruction.

    Also, as part of the curriculum, subjects like training in battlefield and peacetime skills and operations are included.

    There are no fees to join the NDA, but if you opt out, you will have to pay the government costs incurred in training, which are calculated by the number of weeks that have been spent at NDA.

    The training programme at the NDA will get you a bachelor's degree in arts, science or computer science. If you join the technical stream, you will acquire graduate and post-graduate degrees in engineering.

    Combined Defence Services Exam (CDSE)

    Those over 19 years of age and unmarried can appear for the Combined Defence Services Exam (CDSE) after graduation, which is held twice every year in May and October. Education requirement is a graduation degree or its equivalent.

    The written test, which is verbal and non-verbal, not only evaluates your intelligence and personality, but is designed to check your social traits and interest in current affairs.

    Advertisements inviting applications for this exam are carried by the national dailies in November or December and May or June every year. Candidates, after clearing the CDSE, get admitted to the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, for orientation training.

    If one is a qualified technician or is equipped with a professional degree (in subjects like law, medicine, engineering and the like) and in the age group of 21 to 25 years, then they can directly appear for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview followed by a medical examination.

    Technical graduates in specified disciplines are recruited in the Technical Graduates Commission and the Short Services (Technical) Commission.

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    Training

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    Flying Training: officers

    • Ab-Inito Pilots Course
      (Common for Fighter, Transport and Helicopter Streams)
    • Transport Conversion Course
    • Qualified Flying Instructors Course (QFIC)
    • Test Pilot Course (Fixed Wing)
    • Flight Test Engineer Course (Fixed or Rotary Wing)
    • Flight Test Engineer Course (Avionics or Instrumentation)

    Ab-Inito Pilots Course
    (Common for Fighter, Transport and Helicopter Streams)

    Training Unit: Stage I: AFA or ALLAHABAD
    Stage II: AFA or Bidar
    Aim and Scope: To train ab-initio trainees to fly fighter or transport or helicopter aircraft
    Duration: One year
    Frequency: Twice a year (commencing January and July)
    Qualification Requirements: Age: 19-22 years Science graduates with Physics and Mathematics
    Pre-Course Requirements: Should be able to talk or converse in
    English and be able to read and write English

    Transport Conversion Course

    Training Unit: Air Force Station Yelahanka
    Aim and Scope: 1) To provide initial conversion on turbo-prop twin-engine transport aircraft.
    2) To enable trainee to operate as pilots in command on a transport aircraft.
    Duration: 44 weeks (Two semesters of 22 weeks each with a six-week break)
    Frequency: Twice a year (commencing January and July)
    Qualification  Requirements: 100 hours as first pilot, Good knowledge of English,
    Graduation
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