Pilots' exposure to social media worries IAF chief

Exposure of young Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots to the cyber social space has become the biggest concern for the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne.

"My biggest concern today is the exposure of the cyber social space for our young aviators and the increased demand it places on them to balance their personal life with professional life and the professional demands on them," Browne said at an aerospace medicine conference here.

Observing that the younger generation was more convinced about "I, me and myself syndrome", Browne said the internet and social media had actually made the problem worse.

"What I believe is that we have to get back to basics of developing relationship, developing a team and finding out new leadership challenges and skills to overcome these problems," Browne said at the 53rd annual conference of the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM).

Asserting that an aviator cannot be operating in a standalone mode, the IAF chief said since the pilot had to be a part of a larger team, pressures of the environment, which impinge upon him in daily life was matter of concern.

"In such a scenario, the pressures of the environment which impinge upon these young men and women in daily life are something that bothers me a lot. I only hope these are not carried with him (pilot) into the cockpit," Browne pointed out.

Calling upon the aerospace medicine specialists to address the problem, the IAF chief said unless they (specialists) understand what a pilot goes through and unless they knew him well, they would not be able to advise him or caution him on where he is actually going right or wrong.

"I only hope these (social problems) are not carried with him (pilot) into the cockpit. This is where the aerospace medicine specialists come in. Because unless you are plugged in, unless you understand what he (pilot) goes through, unless you know him well, you will not be able to advise him or to caution him where he is actually going right or wrong," Browne told the specialists.

Noting that tremendous growth in manned flight operations had thrown up new challenges to aerospace medicine specialists, Browne said the task on hand was to surmount the daunting physiological and mental conditions of air force pilots.

"While technologies have improved the aircraft performance, it is the aerospace medicine support that enabled military pilots to foray into uncharted territory. Besides combating physical dangers, improvement in mental stamina have brought forth primarily due to some of the techniques in aeromedicine research and trials," Browne observed.

Admitting that aerospace medicine specialists have become a vital chord in the safety mechanism, the IAF chief said it was not just the physiological part, but the interface between what an aviator thinks and feels in the cockpit that was equally important.

"As the environment is changing all the time, if we remain static in our research and development, we would leave the operators far behind," Browne added.