``These young boys have joined a list of some 200 fighter pilots killed in routine training missions. We are losing bright youngsters whether it is in Srinagar, Pathankot, Himachal Pradesh or elsewhere,'' points out an officer, stressing the desperate need for an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft to train young pilots.

According to Air Force officers the young pilots who fly the fighter jets are still trained on either Hunter aircraft of the 1950s vintage or the trainer variant of MiG-21. ``Though almost half the Indian Air Force comprises of MiG-21 aircraft, these too are beset with problems,'' say sources.

``MiG-21s are of 1960s vintage and the major problem with them is that their spares are not easily available. They are not being manufactured and dealersconsequently provide second-hand or reconditioned spares. The failure rate of these spares have been high,'' adds an officer.

Quoting from a Parliamentary standing committee report on defence, he says the IAF has lost 551 aircraft due to pilots (200 dead) not being trained on appropriate aircraft.

``Take yesterday's example. The pilot who died (Dhindsar) was all of 23. Even though he was asked to eject, he could not and was killed. And the court of inquiry is still trying to ascertain why 25-year-old Flight Lieutenant K S Deswal ejected. Our IAF is very young and very enthusiastic. But youngsters need better training on proper trainer jets,'' says another officer.

IAF sources say more than the loss of aircraft, it is the loss of life that hurts. ``And not just financially. No doubt crores of rupees are spent on training the pilots and subsequently in salaries and perks but the loss in terms of experience and morale of the IAF family hurts,'' he adds.

But what is heartening, says the IAF, is that theCentral Government has accepted a proposal for the induction of AJT into IAF. Recently, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Anil Yashwant Tipnis said that within a year something positive on the AJTs will emerge.

``But the accident rate is declining and the AJTs will not be a magic cure -- that once they come there will no longer be any air accidents,'' caution Vayu Bhavan officials. ``From an average of 24 per year during 1993-96, the accidents have come down to 17-18 per year from 1996-98. No doubt an AJT is required and will be a great asset but accidents will not stop altogether,'' he adds.