Patrick Chitumba in Gweru
President Mnangagwa, Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, has conferred flying wings on 10 newly qualified officers of the Air Force of Zimbabwe during the Number 70 Pilot Training Course Wings Presentation and Commissioning Parade at Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base in Gweru.
The 10 officers completed an intensive training programme that equipped them to take up responsibilities as combatant pilots in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
Addressing the parade, President Mnangagwa commended the School of Flying Training at Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base for maintaining its tradition of excellence and producing the 10 officers.
“To earn a commission as an officer in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and qualify as a combatant pilot is a remarkable achievement at a personal level, and indeed a major national milestone. Well done, makorokoto, congratulations,” he said.
The President said the graduands’ journey to earning their wings had been demanding, involving rigorous training, sacrifice and discipline.
He revealed that the course commenced on November 8, 2021, with 12 officer cadets comprising one female and 11 males. One cadet was discharged, while another died in an air crash alongside an instructor pilot.
President Mnangagwa expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased student and instructor pilot, saying the nation shares in their loss.
