Yelahanka Air Force Station, India

Author and photographer: Ian French

Yelahanka AFS was established during World War II as an RAF airfield and is located at Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore). India gained independence in 1947 and took control of the station for pilot training.

Yelahanka gained widespread international recognition due to its role in hosting Aero India, a biennial event that began in 1996. The Aero India exhibition is one of Asia’s largest air shows, showcasing military and civilian aviation, defence technology, and aerospace innovations. It has become a major event attracting international defence companies.

Based units, detailed further below, have included:

112 Helicopter Unit
Fixed Wing Training Faculty
Air Force Training Command

112 Helicopter Unit ‘Thoroughbreds’

112 Helicopter Unit was established in 1963 at Jorhat AFS. The unit relocated to Bagdogra AFS in 1966 and Yelahanka AFS in 1982. The unit is primarily responsible for training pilots, flight engineers and flight gunners but also undertakes support for civil operations during cyclones, floods and VVIP movements. 112HU was the last Indian unit to operate the Mi 8.

Helicopters operated: B47G 1963-1966, Chetak 1966-1982, Mi-8 1982-2017 & Mi-17-1V from 1997

Fixed Wing Training Faculty

The FWTF was established in 1984 at Yelahanka AFS. It can trace its origins to the formation of 2 Transport Training Wing in 1963 at Yelahanka following the Sino-Indian conflict when the necessity of expanding training on transport aircraft became imperative. In 1968 the unit became the Transport Training Wing and later it was just known as Yelahanka Air Force Station.

Aircraft operated: C-47 1957-1974, HAL748 1974-1985, An-32 from 1984 & Do.228 from 1984

Air Force Training Command (HQ TC)

The flight was formed in 1946 as 2 Group Communication Flight at HAL Bangalore. It was renamed 2 (Tng) Group Flight in 1947 and as HQ Training Command Communications Flight in 1950. In 1964 the unit relocated to Yelahanka.

Aircraft operated: Harvard, Devon, C-47, Vampire & HS748

H-2181 2378 HS748 of HQ FLT TC & KA2728 2737 2740 all of FWTF

H-2377 HS748 of HQ FLT TC

KA2703 An32RE of FWTF

KA2728 An32RE of FWTF

KD674 688 712 & 717 Do228 KA2722 An32RE FWTF & Mi 17-1V of 112HU

KD688 Do228 of FWTF

KD-712 Do228 of FWTF

KD716 Do228 of FWTF

KD717 Do228 of FWTF

ZM2894 Mi 17-1V of 112HU

ZM3027 Mi 17-1V of 112HU

Aviation Press would like to thank 4 Aviation for their organisation of the visit.

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