Latest news with #Gunjiz
Barnama
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Barnama
LIMA'25: Asghar Khan's Final Salute, A Heartfelt Tribute To The Airforce
LANGKAWI, May 22 (Bernama) -- With just a month remaining before he hangs up his decorated uniform, General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan chose to bid farewell with a deeply meaningful gesture, a final salute from the cockpit of the SU-30MKM, soaring through the skies of Langkawi for the team he has long regarded as family. More than an aerobatic display for the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA'25), the flight was a heartfelt tribute to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), the institution that has been his lifeblood, and a powerful reflection of his passion, courage and enduring fighting spirit. Today marked the third consecutive day that the Air Force Chief, fondly known by his call sign, 'Gunjiz', piloted the fighter jet nicknamed Toruk Makto, proudly bearing the Jalur Gemilang livery. Reflecting on his final flight, the Selangor-born pilot shared that his participation in LIMA'25 was driven by a desire to lead by example, especially at a time when the RMAF is facing a shortage of pilots for aerobatic manoeuvres in the event's 17th edition. 'For this air show, we're short on aerobatic pilots due to various global circumstances. That's one of the reasons I decided to step in to help fill the gap and support the team,' he said. '…And also, I'm retiring in a month, so I just wanted to have fun,' he said. What reignited his desire to return to the cockpit was a series of conversations with his foreign counterparts during their visits to Malaysia, where he learned that some of them were still actively flying. 'I hadn't flown in quite a while. But last year, a few of my counterparts from abroad came to Malaysia and mentioned that some generals in their countries were still flying. That got me thinking — so I decided to 'intercept' them,' he said. He also shared that he had made a promise to the Russian Knights, the world-renowned aerobatic team from Russia, that if they returned to perform at LIMA in 2025, he would return to the skies alongside them.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Gunjiz-Sting: Mentor-protégé team behind the ‘Toruk Makto' airshow that wowed LIMA'25 visitors
LANGKAWI: The performance that stole the show at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA'25) yesterday may have just lasted for 12 minutes, but for the pilots of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Su-30MKM dubbed 'Toruk Makto', it could be considered a lifetime in the making. Visitors were wowed not only by the aerobatic display of airmanship of the fighter, decked in the new Jalur Gemilang livery, but the fact that Chief of Air Force Gen Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan, known by his pilot callsign 'Gunjiz', was the man behind the joystick. What many may not know is that both Mohd Asghar Khan and his co-pilot, RMAF Col Mohd Norazan Othman have shared more than just that amazing 12 minutes together in the cockpit, as both men have been a mentor-protege team, stretching back to the days when they served together in the RMAF's MiG-29N squadron. 'When I was informed that I would be flying with my former trainer in the airshow in LIMA' 25, obviously I was very excited and proud to be able to fly with him. 'We took three months to undergo the aerobatic training and did our very best to choreograph the aerobatic stunts to perform at the 17th edition of LIMA,' Mohd Norazan, who's callsign is 'Sting', told reporters in an interview here today after flying Toruk Makto with his mentor again at LIMA'25 today. Mohd Norazan, who serves as the commander of Gong Kedak Air Base, has flown Su-30MKMs since 2008 and is a veteran performer at LIMA, having been involved in six editions. Obviously, LIMA'25 now occupies a deeper and special place in his heart. He also took the time to express his gratitude to the RMAF for entrusting him with flying the Su030MKM bearing the new livery. According to the RMAF official website, Mohd Norazan was appointed as Gong Kedak Air Base commander on Aug 20, 2024. The base is the main base for the RMAF's Su-30MKM aircraft.2024. Incidentally, 'Gunjiz' and 'Sting's scintillating performance yesterday turned out to be also historic, as Mohd Asghar Khan became the first Chief of Air Force to fly an aircraft in a LIMA airshow since it started in 1991.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Historic LIMA'25 flight unites RMAF chief and protégé
LANGKAWI: The performance that stole the show at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA'25) yesterday may have just lasted for 12 minutes, but for the pilots of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Su-30MKM dubbed 'Toruk Makto', it could be considered a lifetime in the making. Visitors were wowed not only by the aerobatic display of airmanship of the fighter, decked in the new Jalur Gemilang livery, but the fact that Chief of Air Force Gen Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan, known by his pilot callsign 'Gunjiz', was the man behind the joystick. What many may not know is that both Mohd Asghar Khan and his co-pilot, RMAF Col Mohd Norazan Othman have shared more than just that amazing 12 minutes together in the cockpit, as both men have been a mentor-protege team, stretching back to the days when they served together in the RMAF's MiG-29N squadron. 'When I was informed that I would be flying with my former trainer in the airshow in LIMA' 25, obviously I was very excited and proud to be able to fly with him. 'We took three months to undergo the aerobatic training and did our very best to choreograph the aerobatic stunts to perform at the 17th edition of LIMA,' Mohd Norazan, who's callsign is 'Sting', told reporters in an interview here today after flying Toruk Makto with his mentor again at LIMA'25 today. Mohd Norazan, who serves as the commander of Gong Kedak Air Base, has flown Su-30MKMs since 2008 and is a veteran performer at LIMA, having been involved in six editions. Obviously, LIMA'25 now occupies a deeper and special place in his heart. He also took the time to express his gratitude to the RMAF for entrusting him with flying the Su030MKM bearing the new livery. According to the RMAF official website, Mohd Norazan was appointed as Gong Kedak Air Base commander on Aug 20, 2024. The base is the main base for the RMAF's Su-30MKM aircraft.2024. Incidentally, 'Gunjiz' and 'Sting's scintillating performance yesterday turned out to be also historic, as Mohd Asghar Khan became the first Chief of Air Force to fly an aircraft in a LIMA airshow since it started in 1991.
