‘Govt,IAF need time to decide on women fighter pilots’

A week after IAF Vice Chief raked up a controversy over induction of women as fighter pilots,a senior IAF officer said the point in consideration was the physiological aspect.

A week after IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal P K Barbora raked up a controversy over induction of women as fighter pilots,a senior IAF officer on Monday said the point in consideration was the physiological aspect and the government must be given some more time to decide on it.

The point in consideration is the physiological condition. If doctors feel they are physiologically fit they can go into combat cockpits. It is fair enough, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command Air Marshal S K Bhan said when asked to comment.

Stating that Indian women were quite capable,he said We inducted women in 1995. We have to give the government and the IAF some more time decide on it.

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Women get about six months maternity leave and will not be available for that time, he said,adding,a lot of time would have to be given to get a woman fighter pilot back to flying.

Bhan said,Americans inducted women in the force in the 1940s,but it was in the late eighties that they were inducted for combat flying. Other countries like Australia also have a similar history except for Israel.”

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