Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh (L) felicitating Squadron Leader Saanya with a memento on her achievement. (Photo: IAF)
New Delhi: Squadron Leader Saanya of the Indian Air Force has become the first woman officer to earn the Category-A Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) qualification, the highest instructional rating awarded to military aviators in India. Sqn Ldr Saanya was commissioned in the IAF on June 20, 2025, as a flying officer, was promoted flight lieutenant on June 20, 2017, and squadron leader on June 20, 2021.
The achievement marks another milestone in the gradual but accelerating integration of women into the IAF’s most demanding professional roles. In October 2025, Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh – a Rafale fighter pilot – became the first Indian woman to receive the QFI badge. Sqn Ldr Saanya has now gone a step further, reaching the top tier of the QFI grading system.
The QFI qualification is awarded by the Flying Instructors School (FIS), based at Air Force Station Tambaram near Chennai. The school trains experienced operational pilots from the IAF, Indian Army, Indian Navy, paramilitary forces, and friendly foreign nations to become flying instructors. Candidates must complete 22 weeks of rigorous training spanning 10 phases of flying instruction and more than 200 hours of ground training. Assessment covers flying skill, instructional ability, and professional knowledge.
The IAF uses a tiered grading system to rank instructors. In the early 2000s, the service simplified the structure to three categories – C, B, and A – with Cat-A representing the highest level of instructional proficiency. Earning it requires not merely completing the course, but demonstrating exceptional competence across every evaluated dimension.
QFIs hold a central role in the Air Force’s training pipeline. They are responsible for instructing ab initio, or beginner, pilots through basic, intermediate, and advanced flying training – effectively shaping the next generation of air warriors. The FIS also accepts officers from sister services and foreign air arms, a reflection of the school’s standing as a regional centre of aviation training excellence.
The IAF, in a post on X, described Sqn Ldr Saanya’s achievement as embodying “dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence” and called it “a proud milestone for the IAF and an inspiration for aspiring aviators across the nation.”
