Fifty-eight-year old Tipnis, who has logged 4000 hours of flying and has flown all kinds of aircraft from transport to Mirage-2000s, MIG-29s and the latest multirole SU-30s, is currently holding charge at the air headquarters here.

The appointment of Tipnis, who would have a three-year term as air chief, was officially announced today.

Under the new guidelines for superannuation, the tenure at the top post would be restricted to three years or 62 years of age, whichever is earlier.

In the early 1970s, Tipnis was posted as a fighter instructor to the Iraqi Air Force and a decade later he was leader of the mirage-2000 induction team which brought these aircraft to India from France.

Born on September 15, 1940, Tipnis joined National Defence Academy in January 1956 and was commissioned into IAF on May 28, 1960. Hegraduated later from defence service staff college and National Defence College.

A pilot attack instructor and a combat fighter leader, Tipnis served several fighter squadrons before commanding a MIG-21 squadron. He commanded Mirage-2000 air base, was assistant chief of the air staff (inspection) at air headquarters and later air officer commanding in Jammu and Kashmir.

An outstanding fighter pilot, he took active part in the 1965 operations and flew many combat missions, flying with the first MIG-21 squadron.

He held several important operational and staff appointments including those of air officer commanding-in-chief of the Western Air Command and senior air staff officer of the Eastern Air Command.