President Patil soars into history books on Sukhoi-30

Indian President Pratibha Patil today became the world's first woman head of state to fly in a warplane, taking off in a frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet from the Lohegaon Air Force base Pune. The feat also made the 74-year-old Patil the world's oldest woman to fly in a combat jet.

A confident Patil, who sat in the co-pilot's seat in the cockpit, waved to the people gathered at the airbase before taking off in the Sukhoi belonging to the 30 Squadron of IAF.

The president donned a special 'G-suit' worn by fighter pilots to counter gravitational effect due to any high speed air manoeuvres. The 30-minute sortie was designed specially for her, with the aircraft being flown by Wing Commander S Sajan at the near supersonic speed of mach 0.

Shortly after her arrival at the air base, Patil - the supreme commander of the armed forces - was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour by a smartly-turned out contingent of air warriors donning the IAF colours of sky-blue shirts and black trousers.

Patil then had breakfast and underwent a mandatory pre-flight medical test and was found fit to undertake the flight.

Besides the aircraft in which Patil travelled in the rear seat, two other Sukhois flew alongside to enable her to experience what fighter jets look like in flight at that altitude and at such high speeds.

Just before the flight, the president asked for a glass of water, but later declined to drink, indicating her nervous but excited state of mind. She stepped inside the aircraft at 10.35 a.m., assisted by some airmen even as the national and international media was present in large numbers to cover the historic event.

Present to witness the occasion were Maharashtra Governor S C Jamir and Air Chief Marshal P V Naik.