IAF chief's son among 6 Vayu Sena medal winners

IAF Chief NAK Browne's son Squadron Leader Omar Browne is among six IAF officers awarded Vayu Sena medal for Gallantry on Independence Day.
The five other officers are Wing Commanders U S Bhadauria, Alok Yadav and Umesh Kumar Singh, Squadron Leader Gaurav Bikram Singh Chauhan and Flight Lieutenant Shiv Kumar.
Omar is a fighter pilot and flies the Su-30MKI combat aircraft.
On 25 September last year, he was on a combat training mission as the Captain on Su 30 MKI along with an under training Operations Weapon Systems Operator, Flying Officer Shobhit Mishra.
Thirty minutes after take-off, Omar experienced severe restriction in the forward movement of the control stick in his cockpit which prevented the aircraft from achieving normal rate descent to lower altitudes.

Taking a calculated risk, he decided to attempt landing, regulated the fuel to make the aircraft light and executed a long and shallow approach.

Even after touchdown, he could not lower the aircraft nose wheel with stick force and had to resort to use of forward trim.
"Finally the pilot was able to execute safe landing from this grave situation," the IAF said.
"The pilot displayed immense courage, highest level of professionalism, superlative decision making backed by exceptional flying skills to recover the aircraft from an otherwise inevitable accident," Omar's citation read.