( By Manoj Asthana )
It was just another exciting day at School Of Artillery Devlali, that August, in the year of the Lord 1979.
Though every day at SoA is always exciting but this day was a dream come true.The dream of wearing a Pilot’s wing on the uniform.
It was the Wing Ceremony of our Air Op course and after a brief session of procedures, the Commander Aviation Wing put those blue wings on our left chest.
A quick round of mutual congratulations later we were assigned our new Squadrons of operational Air OP.
I was still day dreaming when I heard a distant voice announce my name along with 659 Air Op Sqn Bagdogra.
Many congratulations followed for getting 659 Air OP Squadron, even though Bagdogra sounded some distant place closer to borders ,which it was.
In aviation the celebration follow every news good, bad and even in case of no news. Captains Arun Opal, Kelly Kler and Self were now the Bagdogra types, one thing was uniquely common amongst the three of us.
All liked to celebrate the occasions in the same manner.
So it was in the evening that the ‘Sun Down Rum Down’ procedure was initiated.
The celebrations were going fine at my place at Devlali when a motorcycle sound died out in the car park outside,I went out to see and was met by two officers whom I had never met before.
After inviting them inside I gave the the quizzical look to which a smart
Sikh officer said, you guys have got posted to Bagdogra Squadron and are having a party without inviting us.
They introduced themselves as Capt KSHL Lamba and Capt PD Shriname from Air OP at Bagdogra. We were now Squadron mates. After sorting out the Old Monk and few chickens they were ready to move as they were on a course and had classes early morning.
Before they could leave ,I threw in my question to Capt Lamba that even though I do not have any permission from Commanding Officer to bring family to station nor do I have accommodation, is there some way I could take my wife and a few months old daughter to Bagdogra.
Captain Lamba gave it to me right there, how could I even think of this!!Then he broke into a big laugh and said, take your wife and daughter,something would work out ,You are in Air OP now.
I did as told. On reaching Siliguri railway station we were received by Captain HS Sandhu ,the Adjutant of the Squadron.He had got a detachment who served us tea and snacks at the platform itself.
Once inside the officers bus I apologized to him for bringing my family without permission and without accommodation. The reply was familiar,you are in Air OP now.
The vehicle stopped in the married accommodation and we were ushered into a Captain accommodation in Himmatguri with a name plate that read “Capt KSHL Lamba”.
Capt Sandhu handed me over the keys of the fully furnished flat and gave me a big smile, Capt Lamba had called him up and told him to handover his house to us as he was on a course for next three months.
Along with the smile Capt Sandhu also gave me a nicely written programme of lunches and dinners we were invited to for the next almost two weeks by unit officers.
In the evening we were welcomed to the Feathered FRIENDS Community in the Officers Mess where the Commanding Officer introduced us formally to the gang.
Next two weeks went by meeting officers and ladies of the Squadron.The Squadron was traditionally so rich that even if an officer went on casual leave ,officers would go to see him off or receive him on return ,a hamper of beer and lunch would essentially follow.
Saturdays and days preceding holidays went by bouncing each other,A terminology I learnt in my first flying unit.The officers and ladies ,duly led by the CO and his wife would start the evening from one officers house,few drinks and many dances later, the crowd would move on to the other unsuspecting officers homes.
This Bouncing was a part of life in Air Force Bagdogra be it Air OP ,The Helicopter Unit under the venerable Wg Cdr Mehtani and his gang or the Gnat Squadron Fighter Pilots, along with other units like ATC, SSQ, Wing HQ etc.
The crowd drew their strength from none other than the Station Commander Gp Capt Vinay Kapila VrC, who besides being the Boss of Bagdogra ,was also the life of the the station.
The Air Force just loved the Air OP and treated them as their very own. When Arun Opal and self patronized the bar and went into permanent friendship with Barman Dey, we were met by Wg Cdr Mehtani, CO of the Helicopter Unit who wanted to know how come we both were generally spending more time in the Bar and not the cockpit.
We informed him that we didn’t have a QFI and were awaiting one who would then commence our flying. Wg Cdr Mehtani was none too pleased to hear this.
He called up my CO ,and in the morning a very surprised CO, Lt Col Ajit Singh (Prince) asked us as to what had we done that Wg Cdr Mehtani had agreed to take up our fully operational syllabus. The only rider being that we would have to wait everyday for him to finish his operational commitments and then he would take us up, so be ready for late working hours.
What a privilege to be taught flying by CO Helicpoter Unit of the Air Force,a Command examiner himself. He never thought that we were not his officers and taught us finer nuances of flying that he was so well known for .
Within nine months Arun and self had not only completed our fully ops syllabus but also opened our Air crew categorisation card with initial category of C White Pilots.
The bonding of Air Op was so strong that once you transited to any other base, your stay was on the house, it was infra dig for the Pilots of host station to let you pay your bills and the same was reciprocated in every Air OP Base.
Soon we were expecting our second baby, in fact almost half the Squadron was expecting the arrival of their young ones, we attributed this to the constant power cuts and the blow hot blow cold atmosphere of our base.
When my second one was born on 25 June the whole Air OP Squadron and almost the whole Air Force Station was there at 158 Base Hospital Bengdubi to greet my wife.
Counting eleven days after caesarian operation my wife was to get discharged on 6 July which also happened to be our marriage anniversary.
Almost every couple who visited my wife and self, assured us of their presence for the marriage anniversary party on 6 July at our place.
The operating surgeon Lt Col Goyal of AMC was so alarmed hearing these stories that he said that he would discharge my wife on 6 July with a condition that he too is invited to the party.
On the marriage Anniversary day we were surprised to see that all the ladies of the Suqadron had taken over the party arrangements.By evening under the stewardship of Mini Mahant and other ladies, all arrangements were in place to receive the full crowd of the Airforce Station Bagdogra.
This with the lady of the house just out of the hospital in the morning.
The unit just did not excel on the social scene. In operational flying Air OP was a force to reckon with. Many a times we have actually flown against all odds to pick up that odd casualty who would not have made it unless evacuated in time.
We were doing places like Giagong, Muguthang, Kerang Dokala (popularily called Dokalam now) in Sikkim ,multiple times a day.
When Mr Moullard ,the Chief Test Pilot from Sud Aviation France, flew with us in Sikkim and saw us crossing Donkia La, go to Kerang and land there he couldn’t believe that it was for real.
We were using the machine well beyond it documented service ceiling and known capabilities.
The traditions of Air OP were equally rich in all other stations too ,under the command of Lt Col GIS Dhodi at Bareilly we learnt flying of a different magnitude.
Multiple sorties in a day to Kedarnath and Badrinath,Hemkunt Saheb ,Gangotri,Yamunotri, Mana Pass, Kala Pani, Lipu Lekh and even repatriation of the distressed Mansarovar pilgrims from Chinese helipads were undertaken by us as a daily schedule.
The great Pilot and soldier Col Dhodi was and for that I rate him as one of the finest pilots and Officer that I have even known.
The traditions were almost unmatched in the flight.
Same scene followed when I moved to Bhuj in the Air OP flight, commanded by PVK Choudhury. We efficiently moved the flight to Banglore on a very short notice and got the aircraft modified with 2x7.62 MMGs prior to getting inducted into the IPKF in Srilanka for a totally undefined and pioneer role.
Once again a great setup with great Pilots and gallant officers. The traditions of the flight were truly Air OP in nature and style, as by now I was truly conversant into Air OP traditions and life style besides the professionalism of operational flying.
Major Daman Seigell, a dear friend and a dare devil pilot, Roby Cherian, Ajit and many others made us a reckonable force in the island .The specialized infantry units under gallant and distinguished Commanders like Brig Pulsokar and Col Hardy Lidder from Para Commandos recall their experiences with us with great fondness and delight.
The story goes on endlessly, the AIR OP yet remains unmatched and unchallenged. The Air Force also acknowledged the class of Air OP in stations where we were operating jointly as socially well knit and professionally competent lot of Pilots.
I did the final switching off procedure of a Cheetah Helicopter in Srilanka decades back,but it just feels like just yesterday that I landed up as a rookie pilot in the Air OP Squadron in Bagdogra, learnt flying from such distinguished Pilots and lived the great AIR OP traditions with unmatched class of Air OP Officers and their elegant Ladies.
It was just another exciting day at School Of Artillery Devlali, that August, in the year of the Lord 1979.
Though every day at SoA is always exciting but this day was a dream come true.The dream of wearing a Pilot’s wing on the uniform.
It was the Wing Ceremony of our Air Op course and after a brief session of procedures, the Commander Aviation Wing put those blue wings on our left chest.
A quick round of mutual congratulations later we were assigned our new Squadrons of operational Air OP.
I was still day dreaming when I heard a distant voice announce my name along with 659 Air Op Sqn Bagdogra.
Many congratulations followed for getting 659 Air OP Squadron, even though Bagdogra sounded some distant place closer to borders ,which it was.
In aviation the celebration follow every news good, bad and even in case of no news. Captains Arun Opal, Kelly Kler and Self were now the Bagdogra types, one thing was uniquely common amongst the three of us.
All liked to celebrate the occasions in the same manner.
So it was in the evening that the ‘Sun Down Rum Down’ procedure was initiated.
The celebrations were going fine at my place at Devlali when a motorcycle sound died out in the car park outside,I went out to see and was met by two officers whom I had never met before.
After inviting them inside I gave the the quizzical look to which a smart
Sikh officer said, you guys have got posted to Bagdogra Squadron and are having a party without inviting us.
They introduced themselves as Capt KSHL Lamba and Capt PD Shriname from Air OP at Bagdogra. We were now Squadron mates. After sorting out the Old Monk and few chickens they were ready to move as they were on a course and had classes early morning.
Before they could leave ,I threw in my question to Capt Lamba that even though I do not have any permission from Commanding Officer to bring family to station nor do I have accommodation, is there some way I could take my wife and a few months old daughter to Bagdogra.
Captain Lamba gave it to me right there, how could I even think of this!!Then he broke into a big laugh and said, take your wife and daughter,something would work out ,You are in Air OP now.
I did as told. On reaching Siliguri railway station we were received by Captain HS Sandhu ,the Adjutant of the Squadron.He had got a detachment who served us tea and snacks at the platform itself.
Once inside the officers bus I apologized to him for bringing my family without permission and without accommodation. The reply was familiar,you are in Air OP now.
The vehicle stopped in the married accommodation and we were ushered into a Captain accommodation in Himmatguri with a name plate that read “Capt KSHL Lamba”.
Capt Sandhu handed me over the keys of the fully furnished flat and gave me a big smile, Capt Lamba had called him up and told him to handover his house to us as he was on a course for next three months.
Along with the smile Capt Sandhu also gave me a nicely written programme of lunches and dinners we were invited to for the next almost two weeks by unit officers.
In the evening we were welcomed to the Feathered FRIENDS Community in the Officers Mess where the Commanding Officer introduced us formally to the gang.
Next two weeks went by meeting officers and ladies of the Squadron.The Squadron was traditionally so rich that even if an officer went on casual leave ,officers would go to see him off or receive him on return ,a hamper of beer and lunch would essentially follow.
Saturdays and days preceding holidays went by bouncing each other,A terminology I learnt in my first flying unit.The officers and ladies ,duly led by the CO and his wife would start the evening from one officers house,few drinks and many dances later, the crowd would move on to the other unsuspecting officers homes.
This Bouncing was a part of life in Air Force Bagdogra be it Air OP ,The Helicopter Unit under the venerable Wg Cdr Mehtani and his gang or the Gnat Squadron Fighter Pilots, along with other units like ATC, SSQ, Wing HQ etc.
The crowd drew their strength from none other than the Station Commander Gp Capt Vinay Kapila VrC, who besides being the Boss of Bagdogra ,was also the life of the the station.
The Air Force just loved the Air OP and treated them as their very own. When Arun Opal and self patronized the bar and went into permanent friendship with Barman Dey, we were met by Wg Cdr Mehtani, CO of the Helicopter Unit who wanted to know how come we both were generally spending more time in the Bar and not the cockpit.
We informed him that we didn’t have a QFI and were awaiting one who would then commence our flying. Wg Cdr Mehtani was none too pleased to hear this.
He called up my CO ,and in the morning a very surprised CO, Lt Col Ajit Singh (Prince) asked us as to what had we done that Wg Cdr Mehtani had agreed to take up our fully operational syllabus. The only rider being that we would have to wait everyday for him to finish his operational commitments and then he would take us up, so be ready for late working hours.
What a privilege to be taught flying by CO Helicpoter Unit of the Air Force,a Command examiner himself. He never thought that we were not his officers and taught us finer nuances of flying that he was so well known for .
Within nine months Arun and self had not only completed our fully ops syllabus but also opened our Air crew categorisation card with initial category of C White Pilots.
The bonding of Air Op was so strong that once you transited to any other base, your stay was on the house, it was infra dig for the Pilots of host station to let you pay your bills and the same was reciprocated in every Air OP Base.
Soon we were expecting our second baby, in fact almost half the Squadron was expecting the arrival of their young ones, we attributed this to the constant power cuts and the blow hot blow cold atmosphere of our base.
When my second one was born on 25 June the whole Air OP Squadron and almost the whole Air Force Station was there at 158 Base Hospital Bengdubi to greet my wife.
Counting eleven days after caesarian operation my wife was to get discharged on 6 July which also happened to be our marriage anniversary.
Almost every couple who visited my wife and self, assured us of their presence for the marriage anniversary party on 6 July at our place.
The operating surgeon Lt Col Goyal of AMC was so alarmed hearing these stories that he said that he would discharge my wife on 6 July with a condition that he too is invited to the party.
On the marriage Anniversary day we were surprised to see that all the ladies of the Suqadron had taken over the party arrangements.By evening under the stewardship of Mini Mahant and other ladies, all arrangements were in place to receive the full crowd of the Airforce Station Bagdogra.
This with the lady of the house just out of the hospital in the morning.
The unit just did not excel on the social scene. In operational flying Air OP was a force to reckon with. Many a times we have actually flown against all odds to pick up that odd casualty who would not have made it unless evacuated in time.
We were doing places like Giagong, Muguthang, Kerang Dokala (popularily called Dokalam now) in Sikkim ,multiple times a day.
When Mr Moullard ,the Chief Test Pilot from Sud Aviation France, flew with us in Sikkim and saw us crossing Donkia La, go to Kerang and land there he couldn’t believe that it was for real.
We were using the machine well beyond it documented service ceiling and known capabilities.
The traditions of Air OP were equally rich in all other stations too ,under the command of Lt Col GIS Dhodi at Bareilly we learnt flying of a different magnitude.
Multiple sorties in a day to Kedarnath and Badrinath,Hemkunt Saheb ,Gangotri,Yamunotri, Mana Pass, Kala Pani, Lipu Lekh and even repatriation of the distressed Mansarovar pilgrims from Chinese helipads were undertaken by us as a daily schedule.
The great Pilot and soldier Col Dhodi was and for that I rate him as one of the finest pilots and Officer that I have even known.
The traditions were almost unmatched in the flight.
Same scene followed when I moved to Bhuj in the Air OP flight, commanded by PVK Choudhury. We efficiently moved the flight to Banglore on a very short notice and got the aircraft modified with 2x7.62 MMGs prior to getting inducted into the IPKF in Srilanka for a totally undefined and pioneer role.
Once again a great setup with great Pilots and gallant officers. The traditions of the flight were truly Air OP in nature and style, as by now I was truly conversant into Air OP traditions and life style besides the professionalism of operational flying.
Major Daman Seigell, a dear friend and a dare devil pilot, Roby Cherian, Ajit and many others made us a reckonable force in the island .The specialized infantry units under gallant and distinguished Commanders like Brig Pulsokar and Col Hardy Lidder from Para Commandos recall their experiences with us with great fondness and delight.
The story goes on endlessly, the AIR OP yet remains unmatched and unchallenged. The Air Force also acknowledged the class of Air OP in stations where we were operating jointly as socially well knit and professionally competent lot of Pilots.
I did the final switching off procedure of a Cheetah Helicopter in Srilanka decades back,but it just feels like just yesterday that I landed up as a rookie pilot in the Air OP Squadron in Bagdogra, learnt flying from such distinguished Pilots and lived the great AIR OP traditions with unmatched class of Air OP Officers and their elegant Ladies.
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