Training for 101st Fighter Squadron’s Technical Personnel
Friday, 14.8.2026 | Training
The 101st Fighter Squadron, equipped with MiG-29 multi-role combat aircraft, is conducting intensive training for its personnel to carry out mission-specific tasks.
Training is undertaken by both flight and technical personnel, as the airworthiness and flight availability of the aircraft depend largely on their competence. Qualified aviation-technical specialists within the squadron carry out pre-flight aircraft preparation, technical checks, maintenance, and the elimination of any detected faults.
Radio-radar equipment technician Sergeant Vuk Kojić points out that he and his colleagues are responsible for servicing and preparing aircraft for flight.
“It is crucial for a technician to be responsible while performing their duties, as the aircraft’s take-off depends on their signature. The connection between the pilot and the technician while the aircraft is on the ground is vital; the mechanic maintains constant contact with the pilot, who reports what is happening as the aircraft is being started up. The pre-flight inspection itself is the most critical step, as the aircraft’s take-off depends on it,” explains Sergeant Kojić, adding that what makes his job special is working with the best aircraft in the Serbian Armed Forces’ inventory, and noting that the squadron is looking forward to the arrival of new Rafale jets.
Yesterday, unit members hosted Andrej Odalović—an eighth-grade student from the “Zmaj Jova Jovanović” Elementary School in Voždovac—at the “Colonel-Pilot Milenko Pavlović” military airfield in Batajnica; he said that his dream of taking photos of fighter jets at the airfield had come true.
“This is my first encounter with the MiG-29, and it far exceeded my expectations. It is much larger, more powerful, and more robust than I had anticipated. This is one of the best aviation-related experiences I will always remember,” Andrej explains enthusiastically, adding that he would like his future career to be connected with aircraft.
