Air Chief Marshal S K Sareen took a decision during the last Air Force commander's conference held last April to encourage young transport and helicopter pilots to change over into fighter pilots. The only condition being that these pilots were found medically fit and professionally competent, according to official sources in the Defence Ministry here on Wednesday. Till now two helicopter pilots have been cleared by the Air Crew Examining Board to fly fighter aircraft. These pilots have to now be re-trained into fighter flyers and thereafter they will join frontline combat squadrons.

The IAF has around 3,000 pilots totally with a third of them comprising each stream. The shortage among the 1000 fighter pilots is as high as 50 per cent as most of these flyers are not posted to operational squadrons but in staff ornon-flying appointments according to Air Force sources.

The IAF has a fighter pilot shortage owing to the low intake of pilots after basic flying training. Also fighter pilots face inherent risks and higher casualty rates.

This development should enable young pilots to change over to the fighter stream.