27 Officer Cadets from the No 58th Intake and 4 Lady Officer Cadets from the No 10th Intake along with 437 Airmen and 220 Airwomen of the 167th Regular Airmen Recruit Course, 37th Regular Airwomen Recruit Course, 130th Volunteer Airmen Recruit Course, 13th Volunteer Airwomen Recruit Course, 35th Direct Entry Airmen and Airwomen Recruit Course proudly passed out from the SLAF Academy China Bay this morning (11 January 2019). Also on this occasion 06 Pilot Officers of No 58th Intake of Officer Cadets who followed the No 87th Flight Cadets Course received their Flying Brevets.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Hemasiri Fernando graced the parade as the Chief Guest on the invitation of Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy.

The Commander, the Chief of Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sumangala Dias, the Air Force Board of Management, the Commandant of the SLAF Academy China Bay, Air Commodore Sampath Thuyacontha and senior officers of the SL Army, SL Navy, and SL Police of Trincomalee District also attended the event.

The Officer Cadets/Lady Officer Cadets have successfully completed 3 years of rigorous training while the Airmen/Airwomen followed a 20 week Basic Combat Training programme. The Parade, which was commanded by the Commanding Officer of the Ground Training Wing at SLAF Academy China Bay, Wing Commander Roshan Gunawardane, was followed by an Aerobatic Display of PT6 Aircraft which incidentally show cased for the first time in the history of the SLAF the “Blue Eagles” Aerobatics Team piloted by Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) of the No.1 Flying Training Wing. This was followed by a Band Display, Drill Display by SLAF Colour Wing, Unarmed Combat Display by the newly passed out recruits, Parachute Display and a Camp Attack Display.

This year onwards on an initiative of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy the trophies awarded to Officer Cadets who have performed exceptionally in their respective branch training have been named after officers of those respective branches who laid down their lives for the country.

Following is the list of award winners at this year’s parade;

The Sword of Honour and the Air Chief Marshal PH Mendis Trophy for the Best All Round Officer Cadet was awarded to Pilot Officer SADT Senanayake while the the Group Captain NR Raheem Memorial Trophy for the Best All Round Lady Officer Cadet went to Pilot Officer MTA De Silva

Best Officer Cadet in the General Duties Pilot Branch and winner of the Group Captain CR Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy
Pilot Officer SADT Senanayake

Best Officer Cadet in the Technical Engineering Branch and winner of the Group Captain DS Wickramasinghe Memorial Trophy
Pilot Officer HDMNL Hapuarachchi

Best Officer Cadet in the Electronic Engineering Branch and winner of the Squadron Leader BSP Mendis Memorial Trophy
Pilot Officer VGSD Abeywickrama

Best Officer Cadet in the Logistics Branch and winner of the Wing Commander HP Karunarathne Memorial Trophy
Pilot Officer GGBS Wijerathne

Best Officer Cadet in the Administration Branch and winner of the Flight Lieutenant SVS Fernando Memorial Trophy
Pilot Officer SACG Subasinghe

Best Officer Cadet in the Administrative Regiment Branch and winner of the Wing Commander JE Peiris Memorial Trophy
Pilot Officer MPM Perera

Best Officer Cadet in the Operations Air Branch and winner of the Group Captain SNH Gunathilake Memorial Trophy
Pilot Officer KTL Wijerathne

Best All Round Recruit of the 167-A Regular Airmen Recruit Course and the winner of the Air Chief Marshal AW Fernando Trophy
AC2UT Gamage HGNH

Best All Round Recruit of the 37-A Regular Airwomen Recruit Course and the winner of the Air Vice Marshal KVB Jayampathy Trophy
AC2UT Jayakody JBN

Best All Round Recruit of the 167-B Regular Airmen Recruit Course
AC2UT Prasanna Kumara TH

Best All Round Recruit of the37-B Regular Airwomen Recruit Course
AC2UT Sewwandi WDR