All-women Indian Air Force crew flies Mi-17 copter for first ever time

An all-women crew of the Indian Air Force on Monday (May 27) flew a medium-lift helicopter Mi-17 V5 for the first time in India

The crew comprising flight lieutenant Parul Bhardwaj (Captain), flying officer Aman Nidhi (co-pilot) and flight lieutenant Hina Jaiswal (Flight Engineer) took off from a forward air base in South Western air command.

“The all women crew flew a Mi-17 V5 helicopter for a Battle Inoculation Training mission taking off and landing from restricted areas at a forward air base in South Western air command,” a defence release said.

Flt Lt Parul Bhardwaj, also the first woman pilot to fly the Mi-17 V5, hails from Punjab’s Mukerian. Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal from Chandigarh is the first woman flight engineer of the IAF, the release said.

Flying officer Aman Nidhi hails from Jharkhand’s Ranchi and is also the first woman IAF pilot from the state, it added.

The pilots had undergone their basic flying training at the Helicopter Training School at Air Force Station Hakimpet followed by advanced training at Air Force Station Yelahanka.

The helicopter was certified airworthy by Squadron Leader Richa Adhikari the unit Engineering officer, the release said.

(With agency inputs)