Flying display main pull for Aero India visitors

BENGALURU: Aviation enthusiasts are gearing up for the upcoming air show, which features several scintillating displays over Bengaluru’s skies every two years. Flying displays by several military planes as well as aerobatic teams, seem to be the main draw for non-business visitors this time around as well. 

However, one of last edition’s most memorable performers, the Scandinavian Air Show, who set the skies ablaze with their one-of-a-kind night time flying display, will be giving Aero India 2019 a miss this year, much to the disappointment of many who were hoping to see a repeat of their catwalk/skycats performance where the crew performs outside the cockpit during flight. 

“The flying displays are the highlight of every Aero India for us and we make it a point to go at least two times. The first time you see the planes and the crew, there is a feeling of excitement,” said Siddhartha Patel, who visits the Air Display Viewing Area (ADVA) every two years. In 2017, the Yakovlevs, the United Kingdom-based 4 ship formation aerobatic team, flying the Russian Yak-50 Unlimited Aerobatic and the Yak-52 aerobatic training aircrafts, had also caught the attention of visitors with their performance. This time around as well, the team will be present at Aero India. 

There is a lot of interest in watching flight demonstrations by fighter jets as well. “The Tejas is my personal favourite and most Bengalureans living in the eastern parts of the city would be well versed with its roar. The Rafale also leaves the audience screaming for more and I hope to see both in the air, soaring over Yelahanka this year,” said Abhay KS, a college student. The line up in 2017 also featured the Sarang Helicopter Display team of the Indian Air Force as well as the Surya Kiran team, these are likely to be present this year as well.