The skies over the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, witnessed an emotional milestone on 20 October 20 2026, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh completed his final flying sortie in uniform. The IAF Chief’s last flight involved the aircraft that had introduced him to military aviation and that is how the journey came full circle.
Accompanied by his first flying instructor, Wing Commander V. S. Kochar (Retd), Singh’s final flight represented a journey of four decades and eyes that saw the IAF transform over the years.
Back To Where It Started
The IAF chief’s last flight before retirement was a 55-minute sortie conducted in an HJT-16 Kiran Mk-1 trainer aircraft bearing the tail number U-707. What made the choice of aircraft interesting was that Air Chief Marshal Singh’s first-ever sortie happened on 28 January, 1984, at the same academy, in the same type of aircraft and under the guidance of Wing Commander Kochar.
The Air Chief also flew a special sortie with National Cadet Corps or NCC Senior Wing cadet Jakkula Tejasvi Reddy. She hails from Telangana.
The reunion with all these elements, including his former instructor for his final flight made the moment meaningful. It acknowledged the crucial role of a flying instructor in shaping generations of Indian Air Force pilots.
After the IAF chief’s last flight, he also received a ceremonial water cannon salute, marking the end of an extraordinary flying journey. The day marked a tribute to the traditions, training and professionalism that let the Indian Air Force touch the sky with glory.
A Magnanimous Career
Before the IAF Chief’s last flight came his early days. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh was commissioned into the fighter pilot stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1984.
A graduate of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College, he is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot. He has also accumulated more than 5,000 hours of flying experience on fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
Air Chief Marshal Singh’s professional journey included commanding an operational fighter squadron and a frontline air base, leading the MiG-29 Upgrade Project Management Team in Moscow, and serving as Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre. All these reflect the combination of flying expertise, technical knowledge and leadership required to guide a modern air force.
IAF Chief’s Last Flight in Tejas
Prior to the IAF Chief’s last flight of the Kiran trainer, he had also completed his last fighter flight in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas on 12 October, 2026, during Exercise Tarang Shakti in Jodhpur.
Flying the Tejas as the Air Chief offered a symbolic connection between his technical contribution to the aircraft’s development and his later role as the head of the service responsible for operating it. His final fighter sortie also took place alongside aircraft from friendly foreign countries and the IAF’s Suryakiran Aerobatic Team.
A Farewell Before a New Chapter
Air Chief Marshal Singh is scheduled to superannuate on 31 October, 2026, bringing his tenure as Chief of the Air Staff to a close.The IAF chief’s last flight, therefore, marks an important personal milestone as he prepares to conclude his service in uniform.
After him, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will take over as the 29th Chief of Air Staff and command the Indian Air Force with a different perspective towards the same goal.
For aspiring defence officers, his journey offers an enduring lesson: a distinguished career is built not only on individual achievement but also on discipline, continuous learning and the guidance received from mentors. The presence of his first instructor during his final flight reinforced the importance of these values.
