NAF wings 91st combat pilot
News & Trends •
by doris esa2 he said the cas noted that these new platforms would improve nafs ability to more effectively respond to national security imperatives1 this brings to 91 the number of winged pilots in three years1 air commodore ibikunle daramola naf director of public relations and information made this known in a statement on wednesday in abuja1 he said that usman recently completed his basic fighter introduction course bfic in the u.s1 he added that the chief of the air staffs quest to re-professionalise the nigerian air force naf through capacity building initiatives have received a further boost with the winging of another young naf combat pilot flying officer salihu usman1 this is besides the 67 naf officers who are currently undergoing flying training in various flying institutions both within and outside the country1 it is therefore expected that by this time next year the total number of new pilots would reach an unprecedented 158 in just 4 years1 more remarkably among the 67 student pilots is the first female naf student fighter pilot who is currently undergoing specialised undergraduate pilot training supt in the usa1 the chief of the air staff cas air marshal sadique abubakar has winged another combat pilot flying officer salihu usman in abuja1 he said that the newly winged pilot was admitted into the nda in august 2010 as a member of 62nd regular combatant course where he obtained a degree in electrical and electronics engineering1 as the best air force cadet in his course he was nominated for iot course at the royal air force college cranwell uk after which he was commissioned into the naf as a pilot officer1 thereafter flying officer usman was nominated for the supt where he earned the u.s. air force silver wing1 upon successful completion of the supt course with outstanding performance the usaf found him worthy of recommendation for the basic fighter introduction course bfic1 he has a total of 265 flying hours on the cessna 172 t-6a and t-38c aircraft types daramola said1 he said that abubakar had expressed delight to receive the pilot back from the u.s. and congratulated him for his outstanding performances during the supt and bfic1 the cas noted that the young pilot was returning to the country at a time when the naf with the kind support of the federal government was about to receive additional combat platforms in the shape of the a-29 super tucano and jf-17 thunder multi-role fighter1 another female student pilot is undergoing helicopter training in south africa to become the first female helicopter pilot in the naf daramola said1