IAF flying officer Avani creates history, flies fighter jet

Jamnagar: Registering her name in the history of Indian Air Force, flying Officer Avani Chaturvedi has becoming the first Indian woman fighter pilot to fly a fighter aircraft.

An India Air Force (IAF) official on Thursday said,"Avani Chaturvedi became the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo when she flew a MiG-21 bison in her first solo flight."

Avani reached this milestone as she flew a MiG-21 Bison in her first training solo sortie, in Jamnagar city of Gujarat on Monday last.

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Air Commodore Prashant Dixit said, “It is a unique achievement for Indian Air Force and the country as MiG-21 Bison has the highest landing and take-off speed in the world - 340 km/ph.

Avani hails from Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh. She was declared as the first combat pilot along with two of her cohort, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth.

The trio was inducted into the Indian Air Force fighter squadron on June 18, 2016 and were formally commissioned by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Mohana Singh and Bhawana have also completed training to fly a fighter plane and will soon fly fighter planes.