The phase out of MI-8 medium lift helicopter was carried out in a customary ceremony at Air Force station in Bengaluru today. Air Marshal SRK Nair, Air Chief Marshal FH Major and other senior officers attended the ceremony. <br/><br/>These helicopters were inducted into the air force between 1972 and 1988 and a fleet of 107 helicopters were operational for 45 long years taking part in various operations of the Air Force. Also known as mighty Pratap, they took part in Operation Pavan as part of IPKF team in Srilanka. <br/><br/>They had also operated during Operation Meghdhoot in 1984 and also in Antartica, Siachen, Andaman islands and recently in Chennai as part of relief team during floods. In the ceremony today, the last of the helicopter took a bow before flying into the sunset thereby ending its era of serving the Indian Air Force. Speaking during the occasion, Air Marshal SRK Nair said that helicopters that were de-commissioned today will be handed over to agencies to use them as static displays for motiving youth to join defence forces.