LANGKAWI: Air Force chief Gen Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan made history when he became the first Air Force chief to fly an aircraft in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition air show since it was held in 1991.
In the exhibition themed "Today's Innovation, Tomorrow's Achievements" which began at 1.30pm Tuesday (May 20), Mohd Asghar Khan opened the air show in the cockpit of a SU-30MKM fighter jet featuring the iconic Jalur Gemilang livery known as "Toruk Makto (Rider of the Last Shadow from the movie Avatar)", enthralling thousands of spectators present.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force said, in a statement Tuesday, that Mohd Asghar Khan, who goes by the call sign "Gunjiz", was in action flying alongside Gong Kedak Air Base commander Col Mohd Norazan Othman, who carried the call sign "Sting".
"During the 12-minute flight, the aircraft performed various manoeuvres, some of which were incapable of being performed by other fighter aircraft, capturing the attention of local and international guests present on the opening day of Lima'25," the statement read.
It added that Mohd Asghar Khan's direct participation not only reflected his patriotic spirit but also demonstrated the commitment of RMAF's top leadership to uphold professionalism, courage and organisational excellence.
Mohd Asghar Khan, who began his career as an Air Force pilot in 1985, also has experience flying A4 Skyhawk, F-5E and MiG-29N fighter aircraft.
"Other teams that were also involved in the air show during Lima'25 were the Russian Knights from the Russian Air Force, Jupiter from the Indonesian National Air Force (TNI-AU), GB 1 aircraft from the Gliding Academy, Extra 300L from Aerotree Defence and Services.
"Another RMAF aircraft that was also involved was the F/A-18D Hornet," the statement said. - Bernama
