Group Captain Sachin to fly Sukhoi soon

New Delhi: Conferred with the honorary rank of Group Captain by the IAF on Friday, top Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar will soon fly the Sukhoi frontline fighter plane to earn his "wings" and realise a childhood wish.
Tendulkar, who became the first sportsperson to be honoured with a honorary rank by the IAF and the first with no aviation background to get this recognition, said he had wanted to fly the Sukhoi for long.
He had in 1996 taken a joy ride on Italian-made Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 'Impalla' military jet of the South African Air Force and cherished that experience.
Tendulkar, 37, was formally "welcomed into the Air Force family" by IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik in the presence of Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh.
Naik, who piped the Group Captain rank on Tendulkar's shoulders and took the first formal salute from the cricketer, told reporters that he was scheduling a training flight on the Sukhoi for Tendulkar so that he could earn his "wings".
03/09/10 Press Trust Of India/CricketNext.in

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2010