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Wing Commander Lanky Ahmad passed away on October 12, 2004 at Lahore, Pakistan where he was born in 1924 and is buried in the Pakistan Air Force graveyard located just before the landing strip of the Lahore International Airport runway.

Foreword

They say, old memories die hard!

In the twilight years of one's life they come to the fore before extinguished forever. We remember, the old friends and the adventures and high points of our lives in the minutest details. The stories written here are true depiction of events as observed and heard through my own eyes and ears. These memories are neither intended to be "Historical Notes" nor an "Autobiography."

I have never kept a diary, the only authentic source which helped me to remember the incidents are my numerous flying Log Books. They provided me with correct dates and names of the personalities, whom I have neither flown with nor met in my official capacity. If there are any omissions or inaccuracies they would not be intentional or because of any bias on my part. I have tried to be as objective as possible, no matter how important the person is being mentioned and discussed.

In the course of my twenty-three years service in the Pakistan Air Force, I was lucky to meet and observe the great men and leaders of our history. Being a pioneer of the Pakistan Air Force, I am proud that I had the opportunity and honour to see this great institution growing rapidly into a formidable force.

I also happen to be the only lucky survivor of the first IAF/PAF course which forced me to write about a few fatal and other accidents. Without the sacrifices of our pilots and hard work this Air Force would never have been the same, as it is today.

I feel it is the right time I should leave something behind as a legacy for my children and for young PAF pilots who might gain from my experiences. It is through these reminiscences, that I would like to say, I met great men and women when the world was a much simpler place. In the words of a simple airman, I was lucky to be there.

"Oh, I have soared with the eagles and touched the face of God." --- S. M. Ahmad