19/01/2017
Air Force Officer
Indian Air Force is one of the major air arms in the world and can boast of the best trained men and material force, which is engaged in defence services, guarding the country's skies against external aggression from air. Aircraft is the major constituent of Air Force, both for defence and offence. Hence, the entire service is engaged in the flying of aircraft and the pilot is the key person in the organisation. For operational readiness of the flying machines, an infrastructural strength of highly trained and qualified man power is required.
Std XII Stream: Science, Commerce, Humanities/Arts
Mandatory Subjects: Mathematics, Physics
Academic Difficulty : High
Job Profile
Other than the officers in flying branch, the Ground Duty Branch is constituted by the following:
Technical Branch
Logistics Branch
Administrative Branch
Accounts Branch
Administrative Officer
Education Branch
Air Traffic Controller/ Officer
Meteorology Branch
Fighter Controller
Medical Branch
Flying branch
Flying Branch has following four categories of aircraft flyers: Fighters & fighter bombers, Bombers, Transport, and Helicopters. Pilots usually specialise in one type of aircraft.
Pilots are employed exclusively in flying duties, however, they may also be assigned other duties.
Fighter Pilots are trained in air fights to shoot down enemy aircraft and attack ground targets in enemy territory. They fly at 2 to 2.5 times the speed of sound. Fighter bombers can match this speed today. Bombers drop bombs, missiles and other explosives on enemy targets. They are equipped with electronic devices, radars and cameras for pinpoint bombing and target acquisition.
Navigators in these aircrafts direct Pilots to the site by navigational equipments, radars and other optical devices and release the bombs. They assist the Pilots in navigation.
Transport Pilots carry men, material and explosives to required places. They also carry army personnel, their weapons, guns and light vehicles from one theatre of war to another.
Navigators in transport aircrafts chart the route, supervise loading of men and equipment, work out fuel requirements and check the flight path with maps during the flight.
Helicopters are used for carrying personnel and material including hardware and ration to those places and heights and terrains where it is not possible to make an airfield or road but a helipad can be made. Helicopters are used to support both Airforce and Army and if needed even Navy as it can land on the ship's deck.
Technical branch
The engineers work in either of the two areas:
Aeronautical Engineers in Mechanical Branch - AE (M) are responsible for aircraft and its weapon system. They are concerned with the operational readyness of aircrafts so that these machines can deliver the maximum punch to the enemy when needed.
Aeronautical Engineers in Electronic Branch - AE(L) maintain most sophisticated electronic networks of communications from ground to air and vice versa.
Install, maintain, operate defence radar systems; operate other electronic gadgets, sophisticated computers ; maintain and operate other ground defence electronics equipments
Administrative branch
Administrative officer is responsible for personnel management and administration of the Air Force bases
Motivates the work-force to deliver the desired result through a high order of operational preparedness, necessary for the Air Force.
Air traffic control officer
Provides control and advisory services in order to enable the pilots of military and civil aircrafts to conduct their flights with total safety in all weather conditions.
Fighter controller
Counters enemy threats from the air by using modern electronic counter-offensive equipment.
Logistics branch
Logistics officer is responsible for the logistic support in IAF.
Responsible for provisioning of aircraft spares, mechanical transport, fuel, armament and explosives, flying and other clothing items, rations and other items essential for day to day running of the organisation and sustaining its manpower.
Accomplishes supply management efficiently and in a cost effective manner.
Accounts branch
Accounts officer analyses the cost and fund requirements
Monitors the expenditure and unit funds
Plans and forecasts the budgetary requirement of the Air Force.
Functions as a financial controller with diversified activities.
Education branch
Education branch officers design training programmes which incorporate the latest technological developments.
In training institutions they teach a variety of subjects like Science, Computer Technology, Military Science, etc.
Responsible for guiding the personnel in furthering their academic qualifications.
Organise and run the Air Force Schools for children of Air Force personnel.
Meteorology branch
A Meteorology Branch officer undertakes day-to-day scientific work in the Air Force, using the latest state-of-art technology.
Accurate weather forecasting is one of the important tools of success in any operation and for the IAF. Success of an Air Operation largely depends on meticulous planning which incorporates the prevailing weather conditions in the area of operation.
Medical and Dental branch
Officers from Army Medical Corps are seconded to Air Force. Air Force runs some hospitals and clinics where even Army and Navy personnel are entitled for treatment and vice versa.
Physical requirements
For flying branch, minimum height requirement is 162.5 cm, leg length 99-120 cm. Candidate should not be colour/night blind or wear glasses.
Vision - Visual acuity (min) Distant Vision (corrected) Better eye 6/6, worse eye 6/18, Myopia of not more than minus 5.5 D including astigmatism.
To be passed as fit, a candidate must be in good physical and mental health and free from any disability likely to interfere with the efficient performance of duty.
Employment Opportunities
After successful completion of training, the candidates are inducted in the rank of Flying Officer and become entitled to the pay and allowance of the rank.
Air Force offers good career prospects though it varies from branch to branch.
Each higher rank carries with it extra emoluments
Grant of higher rank from Wing Commander and above is by selection.
Officers have good chances for promotion.
How do I get there?There are several entry options. Entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA) is after Class XII. Graduates can enter through Combined Defence Services Exam (CDSE).
Where to study?
Indian Military Academy, Dehradun
National Defence Academy, Pune
Officers Training Institute
