IAF team flying for world record reaches NDA

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The team would halt at NDA for one day before leaving for Aurangabad on Thursday morning. Air Vice Marshal SP Wagle, Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor at NDA interacted with the team on their mission.

Paramotor is a light flying machine, in which a pilot carries the motor at the back with a para glider overhead. The engine is of 150 to 230 cc. The cruise speed is around 50 kilometres per hour. A paramotor requires a small space for takeoff and landing.

Paramotor flying includes open cockpit flying where the pilot is not protected and is exposed to the weather. During the expedition, the team will brave 10,000 kms of difficult weather conditions of India.

The expedition is carrying the message ‘A salute to the martyrs of the nation’ to honour each and every uniformed soldier who has laid down his life while protecting the country. The expedition started on February 3 from Kalaikonda airbase in West Bengal and will finish at the same place.

Solanki said, “We have a team of eight pilots and at any given time, two of us are flying. The earlier world record of paragliding expedition is of 9,133 kilometres, which were covered in around 90 days. We aim to break the record in a little over half that time span.”

“This expedition was launched after a year-long preparation. Every day, the machines are serviced and the pilot who is flying the next day fills the fuel tank and ensures all parameters. A support team reaches the landing spot in advance and an ambulance follows us throughout the journey,” Solanki added.

Apart from Solanki and Yadav, the team comprises of Group Captain RK Singh. Wg Cdr Ramakant, JWO Madan Reddy, Sgt Motilal Yadav, Cpl Vishal Thakur and CPL Kuldeep Sangwan. The support team includes WO Dharamveer, Sgt Ram Meher, Cpl Iqbal Singh, Cpl MK Biswas, Cpl Pankaj Kumar, CPM Sunil, LAC Ashish Bisht and NC(E) Sundar Singh.