Since 1993, the Indian Air Force became Gender-free and the women were included in many of the complicated tasks. However, the flight Engineer Branch wasn’t open to women until 2018. A flight engineer is the member of an aircraft’s flight crew who monitors and operates its complex aircraft systems requiring a specialised skill set.
Now, India will have its first woman Flight Engineer in the name of Hina Jaiswal. A dream come true moment for Hina who trained shoulder to shoulder with men for six months from the 112 Helicopter Unit attached to the Air Force Station in Yelahanka in Bengaluru.
Born in Chandigarh, Hina was commissioned in the engineering batch of the IAF on January 5, 2015. Jaiswal has served as the chief of firing team and the battery commander in a frontline surface to Air Missile Squadron.
Hina now will be posted to a helicopter squadron where she will monitor and operate IAF’s complex aircraft in various conditions, including the Siachen Glacier and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a press release by the Defence Ministry states.
