The iconic Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, the fighter aircraft that served the Indian Air Force (IAF) for more than 60 years, was decommissioned on Friday. The Russian-origin warhorse. which was inducted in the 1960s, was decommissioned at a mega farewell at the Air Force Station in Chandigarh in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.
Rajnath termed the MiG-21 a 'national pride', saying the aircraft made a huge contribution in the IAF's journey. "As we give a send-off to MiG 21, I feel we are giving a send-off to a chapter which will be written in golden letters in military aviation history," he said, calling the MiG-21 a testimony to the friendship between India and Russia.
"Be it any historic mission, MiG-21 always held the honour of the national flag high. This farewell is of our collective memories and national pride, and of this journey of courage, sacrifice and excellence," the defence minister added.
During the decommissioning ceremony of the MiG-21, the Form 700 was handed over to the defence minister by Air Chief Marshal Singh, marking the retirement of the aircraft.
What is Form 700?
Form 700 is a technical log that is kept in an aircraft when it is in service. It generally contains the complete details of the technical issues and malfunction that were reported in an aircraft. It also includes the complete record about maintenance of the aircraft.
What does the Form 700 contain?
The Form 700 contains the maintenance record of an aircraft. This document has all details about the issues that the aircraft had encountered during its service. In addition to this, the Form 700 also has the details about the onboard requirements that are required for the maintenance of the aircraft.
The ground staff also uses the Form 700 to report the issues that an aircraft has faced. Meanwhile, flight engineers use it communicate with the maintenance team and the crew for repairs regarding the aircraft.
