Today, December 29, 2024, marks the 82nd birthday of Mr. Rilo Pambudi, a retired Air Chief Marshal and the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force from 1993 to 1996. I was invited to attend his birthday celebration held in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.
I have always addressed him as “Pak Rilo.” He graduated from the Indonesian Air Force Academy (AAU) in 1965, making him six years my senior. As a senior officer, Pak Rilo is one of the most approachable and friendly seniors to his juniors. Alongside Pak Saleh Basarah, a graduate of the TALOA Pilot School in California, USA, in 1951, Pak Rilo has been a senior, mentor, teacher, and friend of mine.
I first met Pak Rilo in 1972 when he was a flight instructor at the Pilot School in Yogyakarta and later served as his staff officer when he was the Director of Operations and Training for the Air Force (Diropslatau). It was during this time that I learned extensively from him about the intricacies of managing operations and training in the Air Force, including coordinating joint operations and training with air forces from ASEAN countries, Australia, and allies like the United States Air Force (USAF).
Amidst the extraordinary workload, I had to learn how to type using a computer to ensure all tasks were completed within deadlines. As is common in air forces worldwide, one of the busiest units is the Directorate of Operations and Training at Air Force Headquarters. There, I gained invaluable knowledge from Air First Marshal Rilo Pambudi, who was then Diropslatau. After his tenure as Diropslatau, he served as the Air Force Chief of Staff for Operations and later as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, attaining the rank of Air Chief Marshal in 1993.
At the afternoon gathering, I had the pleasure of reuniting with Mr. Rudy Taran, my pilot instructor who graduated from the Czechoslovakian Pilot School in 1963, before the establishment of Air Force Academy.
He was my mentor during the advanced training phase at the 18th Pilot School in Madiun, where we trained using the L-29 jet trainer. Despite my mediocre performance during the primary and basic training phases, where I was nearly grounded, I managed to excel during the advanced phase, thanks in part to the guidance of Mr. Rudy Taran. As an instructor, he was exceptionally humble and approachable, a rare instructor.
I also reconnected with Mr. FX Soejitno, a graduate of AAU class of 1965 and a fighter pilot with a tall and commanding presence, often perceived as slightly arrogant.
When I served as the Wing Commander at AAU in 1992, he was the Deputy Governor. Although he seemed stern at times, he was instrumental in saving my career in the Air Force. He trusted me with the prestigious position of Commander of Sulaiman Air Force Base in Bandung, a highly respected role for a colonel at the time. My close connection with him was partly due to the proximity of our homes—his wife was from the same neighborhood as mine in Benhill.
That afternoon, I also met Mr. Sutria Tubagus, who succeeded Pak Rilo as Air Force Chief of Staff. I will never forget him because he was not only my Hercules pilot instructor but also played a pivotal role in my career progression, ultimately leading to my appointment as Air Force Chief of Staff with the rank of Air Chief Marshal. He personally summoned me during his tenure as Air Force Chief of Staff to assign me the role of Diropslatau, a position previously held by Pak Rilo.
In my role as Diropslatau, I was once tasked by Air Chief Marshal Sutria to join a team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs preparing materials for an international congress abroad on air law, specifically concerning national sovereignty in the air, which is a key responsibility of the Air Force. This assignment made me realize my limited knowledge and prompted me to seek guidance from Prof. Dr. Priyatna Abdurrasjid, a senior advisor to the Air Force Chief of Staff and the founder of the Air & Space Law program at Padjadjaran University in 1964—the first of its kind in Asia. Thanks to Pak Sutria’s support and Prof. Priyatna’s mentorship, I gained a deeper understanding of Air & Space Law, vital to the Air Force’s mission of safeguarding national air sovereignty.
In 2014, during the 50th anniversary of the Air & Space Law program at Padjadjaran University, I was honored to be invited as a speaker at the prestigious International Conference on Air and Space Law, alongside speakers from Indonesia, Singapore, and the Netherlands.
Thus, on this bright Sunday afternoon, December 29, 2024, at Pak Rilo’s birthday celebration, I had the privilege of meeting several senior officers who greatly influenced my Air Force career journey. I reconnected with Pak Rudy Taran, Pak Soejitno, Pak Sutria, and, of course, Pak Rilo Pambudi.
Thank you, especially to Pak Rilo, his wife, and his family for hosting this wonderful event. Once again, happy birthday—wishing you good health and all the best.
Warm regards,
Chappy Hakim and Wife
Jakarta, December 29, 2024
Indonesia Center for Air Power Studies