Abhinandan Varthaman Joins FLY91 as a Pilot 

 Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman has joined Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a pilot. Abhinandan Varthaman joins FLY91 as a pilot after a distinguished IAF career that included his role in aerial combat in 2019. 

Varthaman joined the airline in August after completing his service in the Indian Air Force. His move to commercial aviation marks a new phase for the former fighter pilot, who spent years flying military aircraft. 

Varthaman became widely known after an aerial engagement with a Pakistani fighter in 2019 following India’s Balakot air strikes. He shot down the Pakistani fighter during the encounter and was later captured by Pakistan before being returned to India. 

In 2019, an aerial engagement gave Varthaman a lot of attention both in India and abroad. His role in the operation became a significant part of his military career, and he was later awarded the Vir Chakra for his service. 

Varthaman is now working as a commercial pilot with FLY91, a Goa-based regional airline. The move takes the former military aviator from fighter operations into civilian airline flying. 

As a FLY91 airline pilot, Varthaman will operate in the commercial aviation sector after his years of service with the Indian Air Force. The transition gives him an opportunity to continue flying in a different part of the aviation industry. 

His military career included service during the aerial combat that followed the Balakot strikes. The Vir Chakra awarded to him recognised his role during the operation, which became one of the most notable episodes of his IAF career. 

Abhinandan Varthaman joins FLY91 as a pilot at a time when regional airlines form an important part of India’s domestic aviation network. His appointment also brings a former fighter pilot with military flying experience into civilian aviation. 

For the former IAF Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, joining FLY91 marks the beginning of his commercial flying career. His move from military service to a regional airline brings a new chapter to a career that gained national attention after the 2019 aerial engagement.