Sri Lanka Volunteer Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Sri Lanka Volunteer Air Force (SLVAF) is the volunteer reserve element of the Sri Lanka Air Force. Its current mission is to provide trained personnel in support of the Sri Lanka Air Force, specifically No. 3 Squadron, SLAF Regiment and Airfield Construction Squadron. It is very similar to the Royal Air Force
's Royal Auxiliary Air Force
and the Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force
of the Sri Lanka Navy.
All officers and airmen who are commissioned or enlisted to the Volunteer Air Force has to undergo a specified training course to suite the SLAF requirements since they are a part of the staff of the SLAF. The duration and the nature of the training is determined by the Commander of the SLAF.
. This was in response to the man power shortage faced by the air force in face of the 1971 JVP Insurrection that started on the 5 April 1971. The purpose of the Volunteer Air Force is to absorb personnel into the organization to fulfill urgent requirements and mobilize in specialized as well as in other areas on a temporary basis to supplement the regular force. Sqn Ldr J.T. Rex Fernando was the first Commanding Officer of the unit with Flt. Lt. Mani Seneviratne as his adjutant.
At its conception the role of the Volunteer Force was essentially to assist the Regular Force in its primary and internal security duties. With more volunteers employed on internal security duties the skilled regular tradesmen were able to concentrate on their specialist technical and other skilled duties.
Apart from internal security duties and general operational tasks Volunteer personnel were employed almost in every field of Air Force activity, on flying duties, Air Field Construction, Mechanical Transport Operations and maintenance, Engineering duties, Logistics and Catering Duties and Administrative, clerical , Medical and other miscellaneous service duties. The Airfield Construction Squadron was organized to undertake major construction projects and maintenance commitments.
Among the officers, specialists recruited were General Duties Pilots who were required to supplement the small number of Regular Pilots who were continuously flying day and night on operational and air transportation commitments since the outbreak of the insurrection. The Volunteer Pilots were intended to provide some relief though it was not possible to immediately employ most of them on flying operational duties. While a very few were experienced pilots, most of the selected pilots held previous experience in light training aircraft only. A rapid course of training on the basic De Havilland Chipmunk
s and converting them on the De Havilland Doves and De Havilland Heron
s they were of assistance to the regular pilots. The volunteers were demobilized by 1972 when the insurrection was stopped successfully.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
's Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Royal Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
and the Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force
Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force
The Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force is the volunteer reserve force of the Sri Lanka Navy. The present headquarters of the VNF is at SLNS Lanka in Welisara. 95% of the members of the Volunteer Naval Force are now in the active service and deployed across almost all Sri Lankan Naval bases, with a...
of the Sri Lanka Navy.
All officers and airmen who are commissioned or enlisted to the Volunteer Air Force has to undergo a specified training course to suite the SLAF requirements since they are a part of the staff of the SLAF. The duration and the nature of the training is determined by the Commander of the SLAF.
History
It was formed in 1971 vide Extraordinary Gazette No. 14, 953/18 dated 14 April 1971 by the Governor-generalGovernor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
. This was in response to the man power shortage faced by the air force in face of the 1971 JVP Insurrection that started on the 5 April 1971. The purpose of the Volunteer Air Force is to absorb personnel into the organization to fulfill urgent requirements and mobilize in specialized as well as in other areas on a temporary basis to supplement the regular force. Sqn Ldr J.T. Rex Fernando was the first Commanding Officer of the unit with Flt. Lt. Mani Seneviratne as his adjutant.
At its conception the role of the Volunteer Force was essentially to assist the Regular Force in its primary and internal security duties. With more volunteers employed on internal security duties the skilled regular tradesmen were able to concentrate on their specialist technical and other skilled duties.
Apart from internal security duties and general operational tasks Volunteer personnel were employed almost in every field of Air Force activity, on flying duties, Air Field Construction, Mechanical Transport Operations and maintenance, Engineering duties, Logistics and Catering Duties and Administrative, clerical , Medical and other miscellaneous service duties. The Airfield Construction Squadron was organized to undertake major construction projects and maintenance commitments.
Among the officers, specialists recruited were General Duties Pilots who were required to supplement the small number of Regular Pilots who were continuously flying day and night on operational and air transportation commitments since the outbreak of the insurrection. The Volunteer Pilots were intended to provide some relief though it was not possible to immediately employ most of them on flying operational duties. While a very few were experienced pilots, most of the selected pilots held previous experience in light training aircraft only. A rapid course of training on the basic De Havilland Chipmunk
De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk is a tandem, two-seat, single-engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force and several other air forces through much of the post-Second World War years...
s and converting them on the De Havilland Doves and De Havilland Heron
De Havilland Heron
The de Havilland DH.114 Heron was 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...
s they were of assistance to the regular pilots. The volunteers were demobilized by 1972 when the insurrection was stopped successfully.
Notable members
- Desmond de SilvaDesmond de SilvaDesmond de Silva is a Sri Lankan singer and entertainer, noted for his youthful voice that has changed little over four decades of performing, and regarded as the "King of Baila." Born in Matara in southern Sri Lanka, De Silva is now resident in Great Britain and has performed to packed concert...
- Entertainer - Tony OpathaTony OpathaAntony Ralph Marinon Opatha is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played five ODIs between 1975 to 1979.-External links:*...
- National Cricketers - Brian Obeysekera - National Cricketers
- Nihal De Zoysa - National Cricketers
- Dr. T.H. Amarasinghe - Senior Consultant
- Dr. S. Maheshwaran - Consultant Surgeon
- Dr. S. Rajapakse - Dental Surgeon
- Susantha Jayasekara - Civil aviation Pilot
- David Peiris - Civil aviation Pilot
- Mervyn Koch - Civil Servant
See also
- Sri Lanka Army Volunteer ForceSri Lanka Army Volunteer ForceThe Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force is the principal and Volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard of the Sri Lankan Army. The SLAVF is made up of part-time Officers and soldiers paid at a similar rate,...
- Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval ForceSri Lanka Volunteer Naval ForceThe Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force is the volunteer reserve force of the Sri Lanka Navy. The present headquarters of the VNF is at SLNS Lanka in Welisara. 95% of the members of the Volunteer Naval Force are now in the active service and deployed across almost all Sri Lankan Naval bases, with a...
- Royal Auxiliary Air ForceRoyal Auxiliary Air ForceThe Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
- RAF Volunteer Reserve