Riding the Wind: A Test Pilot's Story

Riding the Wind – A test pilots storyAnyone including a layman who is curious in knowing the role of a Test Pilot, then this book is the right book. The author Wing Commander Padmanabha Ashoka joined the Indian Air Force as a Fighter Pilot in 1954. Has test flown more than 58 types of aircraft which include Trainers, Fighters and Transport with piston engine as well as jet engines which include right from the Tigermoth to the Mirage 2000The book is 181 pages hardbound with text in medium font. Page 117 to 128 comprises of photos of the author and the aircraft that he has flown.In 3 December 1963 Wg. Cdr. Ashoka received the Empire Test Pilots School Trophy at Farnborough, UK along with Edwards Award for best progress in the course. This is an interesting read which makes one proud.The Book has following contentsForeword by Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma [ Research Cosmonaut]PrefaceTypes of Aircraft Flown by the AuthorAcknowledgementsChapters:1. Call of the Armed Forces2. Learning to Fly3. The 1st jet fighter of the IAF4. The 1st Transonic jet fighter of the IAF5. The smallest transonic jet Fighter6. Test Pilot Training7. Early years as a test Pilot8. Aircraft and Armament testing unit9. Test flying transport Aircraft and Gliders10. Supersonics11. HAL Bangalore part I12. HAL Bangalore part II13. Test Flying Light AircraftMy Brother Wg. Cdr. P. Gautam MVC and bar, VMMy FamilyI rate this book at 5 stars. It is perfect. However I expected a few color photos of the author along with the MiG 21, MiG 27, MiG 29, the Sepecat Jaguar and the Mirage 2000.Happy Reading.

By their very nature Test Pilots are the creme de la creme of any nation . There are some incredible accounts of Western test flying with hair raising stories of survival and development . Given the culture of the West and its systematic recording of history , such efforts are the rule than the exception .In India given our culture of NOT recording anything related to the military for decades, it is but natural that various myths abound . However for the last decade or so some doors are being opened and many memoirs and historical accounts, mostly cautious, are emerging into the public realm.So it is an ABSOLUTE JOY to read this memoir which takes us into the rare world of Indian test pilots and how the whole process of test flying evolved in India . With his experience of flying basic piston engined trainers to supersonic fighters and everything in between , Wing Cdr Ashoka's memoir is an absolute must for every person interested in the stories and perils of Indian military test flying. There are also insights into the early days of flying in India including hardships such as no family accommodation, living in tents and dugouts, having scorpions inside tents and boots and so on. Barring couple of errors (eg - Kurt tank as designer of the Messerschmidt fighter), the book is an absolute joy to read and at 180 pages is a quick read.I have no qualms in recommending this to anyone who is interested in Indian military test flying and just for the SHEER JOY OF FLYING which comes through in each and every page of this wonderful memoir.

Though he was much senior to me while in HAL, I am blessed to have shared a common past with him. Wg Cdr P Ashoka, undoubtedly has been one of the greatest Experimental Test Pilot ever but his writing skill has been a revelation. His book is not only very lucid and highly educative, it also gives me a deep sense of nostalgia. Had he not been such an ace pilot that he has been, his writing skills alone would have placed him in the class of Nevil Shute.

Fortunate as India has been in her test pilots, Wg Cdr Ashoka has been extremely modest about his superb professional skills and dedication. The engaging and absorbing account contains enough of the details of the technical, human and aerodynamic aspects of test flying to make it a must have book for aviation and engineering enthusiasts. Remarkable is Wg Cdr Ashoka's description of how he used focussed mindfulness to refresh his recall of the emergency checks and procedures for the very different and diverse types of aircraft he tested, very often on the same day, in succession! Fifty years of testing are recalled in amazing detail, witness to the author's brilliant mind. A book that will not disappoint even the most choosy.

Is a great journal of a test pilots journey... flying a wide variety of military aircraft that have served the Indian Air Force. With moments both light hearted as well as hair raising, and simplified technical explanations of the nuances involved in flying, this is a must read for anyone interested in flying

Received in good condition