A total of 12 Indian naval pilots were today awarded 'Wings,' after they successfully completed the 81st Helicopter Conversion Course at Naval Air Station INS Rajali at Arakkonam near here.
Rear Admiral B S Parhar, Flag Officer Naval Aviation, Goa, awarded the 'Wings' to the pilots at the course completion parade at INS Rajali, a Defence release said.
The pilots underwent a 21-week training in flying and aviation subjects at the Helicopter Training School INAS 561 (HTS) at INS Rajali, it said.
The Governor of Kerala Rolling Trophy for the best all- round trainee pilot has been awarded to Lt Cdr Anshuman Rana and the the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Rolling Trophy, for the trainee pilot standing first in order of merit in flying has been awarded to Midshipman Chaitanya Bhardwaj.
A book prize for standing first in ground subjects was awarded to Sub Lt Rajkumar SN.
The graduated pilots would subsequently join operational flights at Mumbai, Port Blair, Goa, Kochi and Visakhapatnam, the release said.
After being shifted to Arakkonam from Kochi in 1992, the school at INS Rajali at Arakkonam has become the largest operational airbase of the Indian Navy.
The school has also recently obtained ISO 9001:2008 certification and has also been adjudged 'The Best Naval Air Squadron' of the Indian Navy for 2012-2013, the release said.
