Aero India 2005

I just came back from the Aero India 2005, Yelahanka, Bangalore. I went to witness the Aero show. It was awesome. Indian fighter jets showing their pweress, acrobatics and maneuverability.

This show really proved some subtle points which I thought could be done only in movies and is mostly camera tricks. All those drills where performed live.

In the helicopter category I saw, Advanced Light Helicopter(Dhurv) and Chetan. 3 ALH did fly in a close formation. Really can't believe the angle at which these monsters took a turn. The agility was put to real test. I was stumbled when I saw them going backwards (reverse gear), floating in air and nose-up flying and nose-down flying.

Fighters jet included Sukoi 30 MKI, Mig 29, Sea harriers, Jagurs. All of them were amazing, performing incredible drills, which I had to believe. I was awestuck when I saw a free fall of Su30 with revolutions. Jagur was in perfect speed, unable to track with the naked eye. Sea harrier showed us the creeping landing (Reminding True-Lies movie in which Arnold takes off the Sea harrier landed on the road). Su30MKI power was incredible, it passed us with very low speed and at very low altitude and then suddenly zoomed up at an amazing speed.

In the foreign flight category, there was Hawk jet from British (It is a stage II trainer, which India is planning to buy). LCA(Tejas) the indigeniously build super sonic fighter was also displayed. There was display of various trainer jets like AJT, Navy copters, and army's version of ALH. Army performed a drill of airlifting and dropping troops and their machinaries using their helicopters.

Then came the Suriyakirans (a set of 9 flights in formation). 3 planes took off simultaneously. They performed various formations and I was dumbstuck when they flew direct opposite and took a 90 degree turn away (Reminds me of Pearl Harbour movie). There did lot of drills and formations. The best and the timely one was drawing an artine and arrow (Valentine's day spl, using colors from their exhaust).

Akash Ganga team concluded the show with their brave display of paratrooping.