Indian air force students have accumulated more than 3,000 flight hours using the service’s new Pilatus PC-7 Mk II basic trainers, the Swiss manufacturer says.

A first training course involving more than 80 students was launched at the air force academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad in mid-July. “By the end of August, the fleet had already logged 3,000 flight hours with almost 5,600 landings,” the company says, also noting that the inaugural course is running ahead of schedule.

Eighteen trainers from a 75-unit order have been delivered to India to date, with the manufacturer saying “a steady stream of additional aircraft is being added on a monthly basis”. Under an accelerated programme schedule, the entire order will be completed by mid-2015, it adds.

Source: Flight International