Air Force Technical College, Bangalore

HISTORY

Air Force Technical College is situated in Bangalore, India. Air Force Technical College (AFTC) was established on 4 July 1949, in collaboration with Air Service Training Corps, Hamble, UK with Gp Capt J Beaumont CBE DFC as the first Commandant. The college was then named technical Training College (TTC). Initially, the entire staff of the College were officers and technicians from the Royal Air Force (RAF). Judged by their civil attire and gentle behaviour it was conjectured that some of the instructors were civilians. At that time TTC was the first College in India and probably in the whole of Asia which trained aeronautical engineers. TTC was renamed as AFTC on 1 January 1957, with Gp Capt MJ Kriplani MBE as the first commandant of the college. It is the alma mater for all technical officers of the Indian Air Force.Originally, AFTC was established with the assistance of Air Service Training, Hamble (UK) and the entire staff were foreigners. By 1956, the staff was completely Indianised. In Dec 1962, owing to the national emergency, the Apprentices’ Training Scheme was suspended and officers’ training stepped up. In Dec 1971, the four technical braches were integrated into two i.e., Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics). With the passion out of No. 51 DEO course in Nov 1972, ab-initio training of Aeronautical Engineers’ Course in AE(M) and AE(L) braches was started in Jan 1972.

In recognition of the high quality training imparted at AFTC, the college was awarded ISO-9001 certification in the year 1999 and earned the honour of being the first IAF establishment to receive the ISO certificate. The certificate was handed over by Shri. PS Das, Director General of Bureau of Indian Standards to Air Chief Marshal AY Tipnis PVSM AVSM VM ADC, Chief of Air Staff at an impressive ceremony held at the college. The certification has been awarded to AFTC for its quality training of international standards in the field of Aeronautical Maintenance & Defence Management Concepts.

The aim of the college is to educate and train engineers from various disciplines on the current technologies of aircraft, weapon and support system held by Indian Air Force and also to instill qualities of military leadership, managerial skills, values and ethos of an Air Warrior, to enable them to function effectively as Aeronautical Engineers and contribute to growth of knowledge through research and development as members of officer cadre of the Indian Air Force. The college in Addition to training engineers of Indian Air Force and its sister services has also trained officers of DRDO, HAL, Air India and many foreign officers.

CREST
The crest of the college depicts a mechanical gear and emanating electrical waves superimposed by a torch bearing an eternal flame. The President of India approved the crest on 08 Aug 1962. The crest symbolises the flame of knowledge, which gives rise to the fraternity of mechanical and electronic engineering professionals engaged in pursuit of higher goals. The motto printed on the crest “Gyanen Shobhamahe” means ‘It is knowledge through which we find pride in ourselves’. With its multi-faceted growth the college has lived up to its motto and continues to impart a high standard of training to military Aeronautical Engineers. This has enabled the college to strongly support the Indian Air Force to “Touch the sky with Glory”.