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TOI : PUNE: “What kind of view will I get from the rear seat in the cockpit?” That was one of the queries a curious President Pratibha Patil raised when she was briefed on details about her impending flight in the multi-role combat aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI, by a team of top-notch officials from the Indian Air Force (IAF).

While much of the briefing so far, vis-a-vis her approach to the twin-seater fighter aircraft, how to enter and step out of the cockpit etc, was based on audio-video presentations, on Wednesday it will be the first time ever that Patil gets to see the aircraft up close and experience the thrill of flying in it.

Commanding officer of IAF’s No 30 Squadron, Wg Cdr S Sajan, who will fly the aircraft, led the briefing that was held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi two weeks ago in the presence of other top IAF officials.

The rear seat in the Su-30 MKI cockpit is positioned at a slightly higher level than the front seat and is usually occupied by the weapons system operator, who may not necessarily be a pilot. “The rear seat occupant could be a pilot or a navigator, depending on the flight requirement,” said IAF spokesperson Wg Cdr T K Singha.

With the aircraft canopy hinged at the rear, the position can get slightly tricky, at times, for someone not used to flying fighter planes. “The President was wondering what kind of view she would get from the cockpit. She also queried about the switches in the rear of the cockpit that she will have to operate and the switches she won’t have to. She will be communicating with the front pilot through the intercom,” he said.

According to Singha, the President has been adequately briefed and advised not to touch anything painted red inside the cockpit unless asked to do so. “The President…More

TOI : PUNE: President Pratibha Patil is all set to fly into the record books on Wednesday by becoming the world’s first woman president ever to take to the skies in a fighter aircraft. She will fly in the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) most potent multi-role combat aircraft, the Sukhoi-30 MKI, from the Lohegaon air base here.

This is the second time in the last four years that the Lohegaon base will see the commander-in-chief of the Indian armed forces flying in a Su-30 MKI aircraft. On June 8, 2006, then President A P J Abdul Kalam had taken a 30-minute sortie in the Su-30 MKI, an exercise that was positioned as a familiarisation flight as well as an act of motivating youngsters to join the armed forces.

The IAF has chalked out a special rectangular pattern of navigation route for Patil’s maiden sortie that will last 30 minutes. The aircraft will touch a maximum speed of 0.9 Mach (700 to 900 kmph).

“She (Patil) is doing it to inspire the whole country and underline women’s empowerment — a subject which is close to her heart,” Patil’s daughter Jyoti Rathore had told TOI last week. The sortie is also being seen as making a case for the induction of women fighter pilots in the air force.

Incidentally, Kalam, like Patil now, was 74 when he took the flight. The flying experience for both would also be
“more or less” the same, said IAF spokesperson Wg Cdr Tarun Kumar Singha. “It is basically a familiarisation sortie where the emphasis would be on making the President comfortable with the experience of flying in the frontline fighter aircraft and appreciate the flight. There will be no harsh manoeuvers,” he added.

Before Kalam, then defence minister George Fernandes had undertaken a similar sortie in May 2004, clocking 1.15 Mach (about 1,500 kmph). Fernandes, who was also in his early…More

TOI : PUNE: President Prathibha Patil has gone through a fitness regime and check-up in the run-up to her maiden flight in a fighter aircraft, is medically fit to take her 30-minute sortie, said the Indian Air Force (IAF) spokesperson Wg Cdr T K Singha.

An aviation medical specialist and other health experts have been consistently monitoring the various health parameters of the 74-year-old President, he said.

As it happens usually in case of all pilots, who are about to undertake a sortie, the President will go through a mandatory fitness check up before she gets into the cockpit for the take-off.

Asked whether the President was advised any specific diet during the days leading to the scheduled sortie, Singha said that there was no specific advice as such but, the usual suggestions relating to sound sleep and balanced diet, which is applicable to any other pilot.

He said, “Usually, there are no major restrictions on having a breakfast before flight. We don’t fly empty stomach. At her age, the President might have something frugal to eat for the breakfast.”

The fitness check also focusses on problems like cold, cough, toothache or any injury that might hamper in any operation undertaken by pilots, he added. Twitter Facebook Share Print Email Save Comment Text Size: | More Stories from this section Rs 208 crore crop damage estimated in Pune Builder critical after being shot at in office bldg Muscle and money power dominate elections: Walse-Patil Vascon denies charges of octroi evasion Tax due…More

TOI : PUNE: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has chosen its best fighter pilot for President Pratibha Patil’s historic flight in a Sukhoi-30 MKI. A glance at the career graph of Wing Commander S Sajan provides enough reasons to see why he was picked for the rare honour of flying the country’s first woman president as well as the world’s first woman president ever in the twin-seater supersonic fighter jet.

Sajan, commanding officer (CO) of the No 30 Squadron (the Rhinos), is an ace at flying Sukhoi-30 variants and also a fully operational pilot on the MiG-21 aircraft. He has over 3,200 hours of flying experience on various aircraft. Of this, 1,500 hours are on the Sukhoi variants.

Sajan has several firsts to his name. He was adjudged best in flying, best in instructional technique and best in aerobatics. He is set to join the select band of IAF pilots who have flown the Indian armed forces’ commander-in-chief in a fighter aircraft.
Sajan was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in June 1992. He took to flying as a private pilot licence holder even before joining the IAF. Sajan graduated in mathematics from the Loyola College, Chennai.

While graduating from the Air Force Academy, he excelled in his performance as a cadet and was the recipient of the Sword of Honour for standing first in overall performance in the course. He was also awarded the President’s Plaque by then President R Venkataraman for standing first in the order of merit. He also bagged the Chief of Air Staff trophy for best performance in flying.

The Rhinos Squadron chief is a qualified flying instructor, having excelled in the instructor’s course.
He is also a qualified display pilot, having performed aerobatic displays at various venues, including the Aero India 2009.

Sajan hails from the coastal city of Alleppey in Kerala and studied in various…More

TOI : PUNE: The ideal weather condition for flying is the city’s greatest plus factor when it comes to events like the President’s flight in a Sukhoi-30 MKI on Wednesday.

The city had hosted the then President APJ Abdul Kalam’s maiden flight in a Sukhoi-30 MKI in June 2006.
The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Sukhoi squadrons are based in Pune, Tezpur (Assam) and Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) and the event could have happened at any of these places.

However, IAF officials point out that the winter season usually causes visibility problems vis-a-vis flying at Bareilly and Tezpur. “This is because of the fog and haze. There are no such issues in Pune during the winter. The skies here are usually clear.”

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the weather on Wednesday would be suitable for flying.

Medha Khole, director, weather forecasting, said: “We do not see any drastic change in the prevailing weather pattern.

The skies will remain clear. There will be clouds at very high levels, but chances of very cloudy conditions are less in the next 24 hours.

The cloudy conditions are prevailing in the state since the second week of November due to the presence of pro-rainfall systems in the Arabian sea.

A deep depression was present over the sea, which had converted into cyclonic storm Phyan. This cyclone was one of the rare weather conditions, Khole said.

“We do not see such possibility so soon again,” she added. Twitter Facebook Share Print Email Save Comment Text Size: | More Stories from this section Rs 208 crore crop damage estimated in Pune Builder critical after being shot at in office bldg Muscle and money power dominate elections: Walse-Patil Vascon denies charges of octroi evasion Tax due…More

TOI : PUNE: The city police have made elaborate security arrangements for the three-day visit of President Pratibha Patil to the city.

According to the police, the President landed at Lohegaon airport at 1.25 pm from Goa and proceeded to Raj Bhavan, where she will stay for three days.

On Wednesday, Patil will fly in a Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft for about 25 minutes. The President will also
attend other functions in the city.

On Thursday, she will attend two functions — a Bank of Maharashtra programme at Kothrud and a Pune Vidhyarthi Graha function at Sahakarnagar — before leaving for New Delhi at 6 pm.

In view of the first anniversary of the terror attacks in Mumbai, a high alert has been sounded in the city. More than 8,000 police personnel have been pressed into service.

Security has been beefed up at railway stations, state transport bus stands, malls and religious places.
The police said that nakabandi is in place and vehicles are being checked at strategic points, including Lohegaon, Pune railway station, Jehangir hospital chowk, College of Engineering chowk, Bhakti Shatki chowk, Pimpri chowk, Otta scheme in Nigdi, Dighi check post, Chandni chowk, Kothrud, and Ambegaon.

Five-star hotel owners have been told to install metal detectors at entry and exit points, use hand-held metal detectors for frisking customers and X-ray machines to check baggage, besides close circuit cameras for monitoring movements of visitors.

Special attention is also given to tourist places like Osho international meditation resort, Shaniwarwada and the Aga Khan palace, where people gather in large numbers.

Heavy security cover at IAF base

Tight security is in place at the IAF’s fighter base at Lohegaon from where President Pratibha Patil is scheduled to take off for her flight in a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft on Wednesday morning.

The Air Force Station (AFS) remains out of bounds for…More

TOI : PUNE: Following complaints of uncontrolled constructions in the fringe villages and the civic administration’s failure to keep a check on them, municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade on Tuesday announced the launch of an amnesty scheme to legalise such constructions.

Zagade took this opportunity to appeal to the citizens to exercise caution and not purchase properties that do not have completion certificates issued by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

The issue was raised on the floor of the House by corporator Dattatray Sasane about the civic body serving notices to residents of buildings that were constructed in fringe villages without getting completion certificate from the PMC.

He pointed out that demolition of such buildings would render many people homeless without any fault of theirs’ as it is the builders’ job to get these certificates.

Following Sasane’s lead, many corporators diverted the house’s attention towards buildings that have not received completion certificates for years and people have been residing in them.

City engineer Prashant Waghmare told the GB that an amnesty scheme would be launched and people residing in such buildings can then apply to the PMC with adequate documents to get the completion certificates.

Leader of the house Anil Bhosale, NCP corporators Subhash Jagtap and Dilip Barate demanded that the administration must streamline the process of issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and completion certificates.

Bhosale said that instead of targeting citizens and issuing notices to them, the PMC should keep an eye on developers who resort to illegal constructions.

Zagade, while responding to the queries raised by elected members, assured them that a ward-level system would soon be formed to monitor such constructions in the city.

“There is a need to review the process that is currently followed to ensure that people do not start residing in buildings before the certificate is issued. There needs to be a faster and less cumbersome…More

TOI : PUNE: As the city experience a boom in the number of vehicles, the most affected ones are cyclists and pedestrians. The few cycle tracks and pedestrian ways are mostly encroached upon by cars or vendors, causing severe hardships for cyclists and pedestrians.

The cycle track along the bus rapid transit system route from Swargate to Katraj is one such example, where one can find autorickshaws and cars being parked on the cycle track. The major encroachments are at the Swargate junction, where both the pedestrian ways as well as the cycle tracks have been encroached upon.

As one proceeds from Swargate to Katraj, the encroachments reduce significantly. However, one can see at least two-three vehicles — either autorickshaws or cars — parked on the cycle track at regular intervals.
At many places the road surface of the cycle tracks are uneven. Sometimes even drainage covers are above the road surface.

Another instance of encroachment on pedestrian crossing is a small stretch near the Shaniwarwada. This stretch on Bajirao road had been made as a pedestrian way. For identification of the pedestrian way, paving blocks have been put up on the stretch. But it is all occupied by cars throughout the day.

Citizens react strongly to such encroachments. Says Nitin Sathe: “It is difficult for anyone to walk in a straight line. There are numerous encroachments on footpaths. The civic authorities can do something to improve the situation if they have the will to do so.’’

When contacted, PMC’s additional city engineer Shriniwas Bonala said that wherever cycle tracks have been well defined with proper signages, PMC’s ward offices have been taking strict action against any encroachments or parking of vehicles.

“On the BRTS route also, the PMC takes action against vehicles parked on cycle tracks. In the last one year, we have collected fine of over Rs 15 lakh,’’ Bonala said. He,…More

TOI : PUNE: Even as the Pune Municipal Corporation has identified over 2,000 silence zones within the city limits and is in the process of demarcating them, neighboring Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is yet to start work on identifying the zones in the twin township.

The two municipal corporations had received notifications from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to identify silence zones within their limits and demarcate them, at the beginning of August.

As per MPCB guidelines, silence zones are to be created within 100 meters of all educational institutions, hospitals, courts, and places of worship. For effective implementation of the noise pollution (control and regulation) rules, 2000, the environment department of the state government has also asked various state organisations, including municipal corporations and the police department, to appoint officers who will be the designated authorities to take necessary action against noise pollution.

Asked about the progress regarding the creation of silence zones, chief of PCMC’s medical and health department, K Nagkumar said the work of identifying such zones would begin soon. “The town planning department of the municipal corporation and the environment department will conduct a survey about educational institutions, hospitals, courts and places of worship. There is no need for appointing any independent agency for the work,’’ Nagkumar, who is also the chief of the PCMC’s environment cell, said.
He added that noise levels at these places will be monitored.

Besides the delay in identifying silence zones, PCMC has also delayed the presentation of its environment status report this year. The environment cell of the PCMC has started compiling information received from various civic departments, authorities said. However, the delay in submission of information to the environment cell by some departments was causing the delay in preparation of the report.

Meanwhile, the PMC has identified a total of 2,047 silence zones, including 1,260 schools and 710 hospitals, within its limits. PMC will…More

TOI : MUMBAI: MNS legislator Ramesh Wanjale was in for major embarassment when he was caught wearing his trademark 2 kg gold chains in Mantralaya on Tuesday afternoon.

Wanjale had promised his chief, Raj Thackeray, that he would not wear the heavy ornaments after taking oath as MLA. Raj allowed him to wear the chains only on special occasions like weddings, birthday parties and family functions.

But on Tuesday, Wanjale was spotted coming out of irrigation minister Ajit Pawar’s cabin in Mantralaya sporting the yellow metal. Realising that a couple of TV channels were filming him, Wanjale made a hasty exit. He was virtually running across the corridor on the third floor with the paparazzi chasing him. He managed to cover the two hefty rope-like chains with his shirt collar, but in vain.

Wanjale then stopped and explained to the scribes that he had worn the chains at the request of his ‘karyakartas’ (supporters). “Also, I have invitations to several weddings across Maharashtra today. I have to rush to some of them immediately,” he said and reminded the journalists that he was allowed by Raj to wear the gold at wedding functions.

Wanjale had visited Pawar to discuss water crisis in his constituency, Khadakwasla. He was recently suspended with three other MNS legislators for attacking Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi in the House. Wanjale was the first to oppose Azmi as he lifted the lecturn from the dais and did not allow the latter to take oath in Hindi. Twitter Facebook Share Print Email Save Comment Text Size: | More Stories from this section Rs 208 crore crop damage estimated in Pune Builder critical after being shot at in office bldg Muscle and money power dominate elections: Walse-Patil Vascon denies charges of octroi evasion Tax due…More