Prez Patil to soar high in a Sukhoi today

Pratibha Devisinh Patil (74), India’s first woman President, will fly in a Sukhoi 30 MKI — India’s best fighter plane on Wednesday at Lohegaon air base, reports HT Correspondent.

Pratibha Devisinh Patil (74), India’s first woman President, will fly in a Sukhoi 30 MKI — India’s best fighter plane on Wednesday at Lohegaon air base.

HT Image

Patil has undergone a special medical check-up and has been declared medically fit to fly.

She will also wear a flying overall and G suit (a one-piece apparel that pilots wear on a supersonic aircraft).

Patil is scheduled to experience sortie for 20 to 25 minutes, by sitting in the rear end of the cockpit of the fighter plane.

Pratibha Patil’s daughter Juothi Rathore, who stays in Pune along with her family, is expected to be present when President will fly in Sukhoi.

Meanwhile, a minimum eight flights are rescheduled because of Pratibha Patil’s exercise on Wednesday.

President’s sortie also assumes significance in view of the fact that safety of Sukhoi was debated a few months back following a crash in April this year near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Wing Commander C.P. Narah was killed in the crash.