Fighter pilot Abhinandan who crashed in Pakistan and shot down F-16 quits Indian Air Force, joins private airline
Abhinandan Varthaman left the IAF on March 31 and later joined Fly91, a regional carrier.
Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra recipient, Abhinandan Varthaman, has recently joined the regional airline FLY91, as per sources. The pilot, who shot down an enemy aircraft during a 2019 aerial combat with Pakistan and was subsequently held captive for three days in that nation, received the Vir Chakra award in 2021.
According to the sources, Varthaman began his role with the airline in August. A spokesperson for FLY91 declined to disclose personal information about the pilot, stating that such details are confidential. Additional specifics could not be obtained at the time of reporting. Varthaman, an Indian Air Force fighter pilot, was awarded the Vir Chakra, India's third-highest wartime gallantry medal, for his exceptional sense of duty during the dogfight.
FLY91, which commenced operations in March 2024, currently manages a fleet of six ATR 72-600 aircraft. The airline's bases are situated in Goa and Hyderabad.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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