Kiren Rijiju to fly high on sortie on board Sukhoi-30MKI tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will join an elite list of dignitaries who have undertaken a sortie on board the frontline attack aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI when he will take off tomorrow from an airbase in Punjab.

44-year-old Rijiju will take off from Indian Air Force's Halwara base and fly for about 30 minutes in the supersonic jet, which can go upto the height of 56,800 feet at a maximum speed of 2,100 km per hour.

The Union Minister of State for Home will possibly be the fourth dignitary to fly on board the aircraft. Earlier, former Presidents late A P J Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil and the then Defence Minister George Fernandes had cruised in the aircraft.

Sources said that Rijiju had already undergone a successful medical fitness test and will occupy the co-pilot seat along with an experienced top notch fighter pilot of the IAF.

A proper jump suit and a special eye-gear have been prepared for the Minister so that he can comfortably undertake the high-gravity sortie.

Rijiju is under taking the sortie following a request of IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, sources said.