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Harry Goonatilake
Air Chief Marshal W.D. Harry Goonetileke USP, ndc, psc, SLAF (November 27, 1929 – April 11, 2008) was the fifth Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force from November 1, 1976 to April 30, 1981. Early life Born 27 November 1929, as the only son of a family of five girls, his father was a booking clerk in the Railways Department and became an Assistant Transportation Superintendent at the time of retirement. Educated at the Royal College, Colombo and played of the college rugby team, he would continue to play and coach the air force team as well. Career in the Air Force Harry Goonetileke joined the Royal Ceylon Air Force as a Flight Cadet in 1951 in the first batch of locally trained pilots. He received his flight training in the Chipmunk and Boulton Paul Balliol aircraft and earning his Wings in 1954. Four years later in 1958, he was promoted to Squadron Leader. He was a member of the team that flew to UK and back ferrying the RCyAF's new de Havilland Heron aircraft to Ceyl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flight Cadet
A flight cadet is a military or civilian occupational title that is held by someone who is in training to perform aircrew duties in an airplane. The trainee does not need to become a pilot, as flight cadets may also learn to serve as a bombardier, navigator, or flight engineer. Flying Cadet Pilot Training Program (USAAS) From 1907 to 1947, the army ran this program to train pilots for the US Army Air Service (1918-1926), US Army Air Corps (1926–1941), and US Army Air Force (1941–1947). During America's involvement in World War II (1942–1945), the rank of flight cadet was changed to that of aviation cadet and the program name was changed to the " Aviation Cadet Training Program". From 1947, this program was run by the now separate US Air Force. The pilot cadet program ended in 1961, but the navigator cadet program ended in 1965. Naval Aviator Training Program (USN) {{main, Aviation Cadet Training Program (USN) Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force operated a flight cad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shirantha Goonatilake
Air Commodore Shirantha Goonetileke RWP, RSP, SLAF (? - 29 April 1995 ) was a Sri Lankan aviator and the most senior Air Force officer to be killed in action. He was the youngest son of Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonatilake the 5th Commander of the Air Force and the brother of the 12th Commander of the Air Force, Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Goonetileke. Early life Shirantha Goonetileke completed his education at Royal College, Colombo and then he follow the footsteps of his father and elder brother to join the Sri Lanka Air Force. SLAF career and death In the 1980s Goonetileke took to flying SIAI Marchetti SF.260 as ground attack roles and gained the rank of Squadron Leader and led the ''Red formation'' during the famed Operation Eagle in 1990. On 27 April 1995, an Avro 748 crashed soon after taking off from SLAF Palaly killing all on-board which included Wing Commander Roger Weerasinghe, SLAF Northern Zonal Commander and several wounded soldiers. Initially suspecting mech ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chief Of The Defence Staff (Sri Lanka)
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the most senior appointment in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, and the highest-ranking military officer in service, outranking the heads of each service branch. The CDS does not, however, have operational command authority over service branches, but rather oversees inter-service co-operation and develops and implements the joint operations doctrine of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Coordination of inter-service joint operations are handled by the Office of the Chief of the Defence Staff formally known as the ''Joint Operations Headquarters''. The CDS is the Chairman of a Committee made up of service commanders and is a member of the National Security Council. It's subordinate command is known as the Overall Operational Command. History The post could be traced back to post of general officer commanding (GOC) of the ''Joint Operations Command'' when General T. I. Weerathunga was first appointed to it on November 2, 1985. The Joint Operations ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roshan Goonatilake
Marshal of the Sri Lanka Air Force W. D. M. J. Roshan Goonetileke, RWP and bar, VSV, USP, PhD (Hon), FIM (SL), ndc, psc is a senior officer of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The current Governor of the Western Province, Goonetileke had served as the Chief of the Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force. He was the 12th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and is the eldest son of the 5th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonatilake and the elder brother of Group Captain Shirantha Goonatilake, who was killed in action in 1995. He was the second serving service Commander to be appointed as Chief of Defence Staff whilst holding the office. Goonetileke is the most decorated officer in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force and is held in high esteem for the role he played in ending the almost three decade long civil war that tore down the country's economy and claimed thousands of lives. As a result, he was bestowed upon with the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marshal Of The Sri Lanka Air Force
Marshal of the Sri Lanka Air Force is the highest rank in the Sri Lanka Air Force. Marshal of the Air Force is ranked immediately above Air Chief Marshal, and has been awarded only once, to Roshan Goonetileke as an honorary rank. It is equivalent to Field Marshal in the Army and Admiral of the Fleet in the Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It include .... References Marshals of the Sri Lanka Air Force Sri Lanka Air Force {{military-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SLAF Museum
The Sri Lanka Air Force Museum (SLAF Museum) is the museum of the Sri Lanka Air Force, and its predecessor, the Royal Ceylon Air Force. Open to the public, the museum is at the SLAF Ratmalana and is maintained by the Sri Lanka Air Force. History The brainchild of Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonatilake, former Commander of the Air Force (Sri Lanka), Commander of the Air Force, the museum exhibits, amongst other things, former aircraft and equipment of the Sri Lanka Air Force and the Royal Ceylon Air Force. Notable items include the medals and sword of Air Vice Marshal Edward Amerasakera, E. R. Amarasekara, the first Ceylonese Commander of the Air Force. The Sri Lanka Air Force museum is the only national museum dedicated entirely to aviation and the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The museum was first established in 1993 as the Aircraft Preservation and Storage Unit at SLAF Ratmalana and was reopened on 5 November 2009 after refurbishment. Aircraft on display The museum exhi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Defence Services Staff College
The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) is a defence service training institution of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It trains officers of all three services of the Indian Armed Forces – ( Indian Military Service, Indian Naval Service, Indian Airforce Service), selected officers from the Paramilitary forces and the Civil Services and officers from friendly foreign countries for command and staff appointments. History One of the oldest military institutions in India, it was founded in 1905 as the Army Staff college in Deolali (near Nashik). In 1907, it moved to its permanent location at Quetta (now Pakistan). After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, the Indian elements of the Staff College, Quetta led by the senior-most Indian Army instructor Colonel S. D. Verma moved to India. Verma was promoted brigadier and appointed as the first commandant and chose Wellington Cantonment in The Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu as the location of the S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
De Havilland Heron
The de Havilland DH.114 Heron is a small propeller-driven British airliner that first flew on 10 May 1950. It was a development of the twin-engine de Havilland Dove, with a stretched fuselage and two more engines. It was designed as a rugged, conventional low-wing monoplane with tricycle undercarriage that could be used on regional and commuter routes. A total of 149 were built, and it was also exported to about 30 countries. Herons later formed the basis for various conversions, such as the Riley Turbo Skyliner and the Saunders ST-27 and ST-28. Design and development In the closing stages of the Second World War, the aircraft manufacturer de Havilland began development of a new small twin-engined passenger aircraft, the DH 104 Dove, intended as a replacement for the earlier Dragon Rapide and which soon proved to be successful. As a further development, the company basically enlarged the Dove; the fuselage was lengthened to make room for more passengers or freight, and the w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Squadron Leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. An air force squadron leader ranks above flight lieutenant and immediately below wing commander and it is the most junior of the senior officer ranks. The air force rank of squadron leader has a NATO ranking code of OF-3, equivalent to a lieutenant-commander in the Royal Navy or a major in the British Army or the Royal Marines. The equivalent rank in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, Women's Royal Air Force (until 1968) and Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (until 1980) was "squadron officer". Squadron leader has also been used as a cavalry command appointment (UK) and rank (Fran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
