Thirteen (13) young officers of the Ghana Air Force were on Friday 28 July 2017 decorated with their pilot wings at a short ceremony at the Air Forces Officers Mess in Takoradi following their successful completion of their Ab-initio Piloting Course.

Air Vice Marshal Maxwell Mantsebi-Tei Nagai after decorating the new pilots said, receiving the wings should not be the end of studies for them. He advised them to continue to improve on their knowledge and skills in flying so as to be abreast with current trends in flying.

The wings recipients were Flight Lieutenant D Nyanor Beiko, Flt Lt KA Brachie, Flying Officer (Fg Offr) S Nyarko Mensah, Fg Offr A Tahiru, Fg Offr E Julius Cudjoe, Fg Offr G K Foli, Fg Offr AB Brefo, Fg Offr KB Adjei, Fg Offr LK Yalley, Fg Offr AK Essah, Fg Offr SOJ Ofoe, Fg Offr Azamela and Fg Offr K Amponsah-Tetteh

Pilot wings, also known as aviator wings, pilot or air crew badge is an insignia used in most of the world’s militaries to mark out troops who have received training and qualification in military aviation. It also provides a means to outwardly distinguish between military pilots and other professionals of the ground forces in the military.

In Ghana, the wings take the form of an eagle. The monogram is “GAF” representing Ghana Air Force and the crown is a black five pointed star which represents African emancipation. The Ghana Air Force Wing is to be worn by qualified air crew on the left breast above all medal ribbons.

The wings presentation ceremony was first instituted into the Ghana Air Force during the colonial era by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and it was last held in 2016 when ten pilots received their wings.