Date: 26th May, 2016

One of the significant and efficacious event of 2016 is the tour to Bangladesh Air Force Technical Base organized by IEEE BRAC University Student Branch. It has been a glorious opportunity and splendid accomplishment for BRAC University as it is the first University in Bangladesh which has effectively made this tour possible. Major General (Retired) Muhammad Sahool Afzal, Registrar BRAC University had contributed prominently to arrange this tour successfully. The tour took place on 26th May and the bus started off from the campus premises at 8:15 am with 27 people. Among them, 25 were students who are IEEE members, following with two respected lecturers of Electronic and Electrical Department (EEE) Atanu Kumar Saha and Avijit Das. By 9 am we reached their technical base precisely, at the Hanger named Bangabandhu Aeronautical Centre and was warmly welcomed by the Bangladesh Air Force officers. Squadron Leader Shahid guided us throughout the tour. At first, he gave us briefing on Bangladesh Air Force. He further described about their Fighter Planes for example, F-7 and other Air Crafts which were previously purchased from China however, the planes can be assembled in Bangladesh now as we have ample amenities. Next, we were taken to the Electric Specialized Equipment Shop where F-7 series Aircraft equipment were shown and displayed.

Following that, they showed all the plating treatment and process of the F-7 Aircraft at the Surface Treatment Plant, which is the largest surface treatment plant in Bangladesh. They displayed few of the plates which were rusted and treated those by electro-chemical processes like hard Anodizing, Chromium Plating, and Zinc Plating. After that, they gave us a tour to their different Electrical Workshops which are, Turbo Cooler Tester Room, Hydraulic Curve Compressor Testing Room, Mechanical Performance and Tensile Test Room, Pipe Repair Workshop, NDI Workshop, NDT Workshop, Cable Room, Radio and Radar Workshop etc. In each workshop, there were many cooperative technicians assigned to brief us on the components and clear the queries of the students. At the end of the fascinating tour to their workshops, we had the breakfast break which was arranged by them. Then we were taken to another unit where they showed us videos and two officers gave us lectures on the facilities presently available on Bangladesh Air force. Following that, the second part of the tour started which was at their communication sector where they showed us various ways of communicating with the Aircrafts from the ground. Also, how amplitude and frequency modulation are used in Aircrafts and Ground Communication, what kind of Bandwidth they use, etc. which were very relevant to our theoretical studies of communication. We had the opportunity to see the practical implementations of the theories that we have studied in communication which is mentionable and was highly beneficial for us. At the end, they took us to Precision Measuring Equipment Lab (PME) where calibration of the circuits and sets are tested in oscilloscopes and to the R&D Cell from where the direction and location etc. are controlled by their R&D project. With that it came to the end of the tour. As can be seen, that this tour was a lifetime experience for the students of EEE department of BRAC University; not only we have seen the practical implementations of our theoretical knowledge but also we got the chance to enhance our acquaintance and think beyond our understanding and familiarities in the Electronic and Electrical arena.