Air Chief Marshal AP Singh Flies Final Sortie With the Instructor Who Taught Him 42 Years Ago

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flew his last sortie in uniform on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, with the same instructor who took him on his very first training flight more than four decades ago. The flight took place at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, near Hyderabad, just days before he retires as Chief of the Air Staff.

A flight that completed the circle

The Air Chief flew an HJT-16 Kiran Mk-1 trainer aircraft, tail number U 707, for 55 minutes. Sitting with him was Wing Commander V.S. Kochar (Retd), now 73, who was his first flying instructor.

Their first flight together was on 28 January 1984 at the same academy, in a Kiran trainer. On 20 October, the two flew together once again, bringing the journey back to where it began. When the aircraft landed, it was given the traditional water cannon salute.

What they said

The Air Chief called the moment a “dream come true” and said he wanted “the circle to be complete”. Pointing out that the aircraft he first trained on is still flying, he said, “I think I must be the only Chief who is retiring while the basic aircraft he flew is still serving.”

Wing Commander Kochar described his former student as “the brightest pupil ever” and said getting “one more trip” with him was very special.

The IAF described the sortie as a reunion of teacher and student that reflected the lasting bond between a pilot, his instructor and the skies.

Last fighter sortie earlier this month

This was not his only farewell flight. On 12 October 2026, he flew the Tejas light combat aircraft during the multinational Exercise Tarang Shakti at Jodhpur Air Force Station. That was his last flight in a fighter jet. The exercise is a large event hosted by the IAF in which air forces of several countries fly together.

About the Kiran trainer

The Kiran is an intermediate jet trainer designed and built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It has been used to train IAF pilots since the late 1960s and early 1970s, and generations of fighter pilots have learnt to fly jets in it.

A distinguished career

The Air Chief has had a long and varied career in the Air Force:

• Commission: Commissioned into the fighter stream on 21 December 1984.

• Academy honour: Passed out of the Air Force Academy with the Sword of Honour, given to the best all-round cadet of the course.

• Flying experience: A Qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours on both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

• Command: Commanded a MiG-27 squadron.

• Key projects: Led the MiG-29 upgrade project management team in Moscow, and served as Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre, where he was involved in flight testing the indigenous Tejas.

• Top job: Took over as the 28th Chief of the Air Staff on 30 September 2024.

Change of command

He is set to retire on 31 October 2026. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, currently the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, will take over as the 29th head of the Indian Air Force from the afternoon of 31 October.

A lesson for aspirants

The story is a reminder of how much the bond between an instructor and a trainee means in the armed forces. Every Air Force pilot begins at the academy, learning the basics from experienced instructors before moving on to faster and more complex aircraft.

For aspirants who dream of flying with the IAF, the path usually starts with the NDA, CDS or AFCAT exam, followed by the Air Force Selection Board and pilot aptitude testing. Those selected train at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, where the Air Chief himself first took to the skies.