Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Surya Kiran team arrives

Raring to go: Members of the Surya Kiran aerobatic team of the Indian Air Force posing for photographs near their machines after touching down at the Thiruvananthapuram International airport on Thursday.

Thiruvananthapuram: Six Hindustan Mark-II subsonic jet trainers of the Surya Kiran Aerobatic team of the Indian Air Force (IAF) landed here on Thursday afternoon to enthral spectators at Shanghmughom beach on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The colourfully painted aircraft are here as part of the silver jubilee of the Southern Air Command (SAC).

Wing Commander J.T. Kurien commands the aerobatic team. One of the IAF’s UK-made Jaguar deep-penetration strike aircraft also touched down at the technical area of the airport to be part of the static display.

The other flying machines on display are Russian made AN-32 transport plane, Avro transport aircraft and MI-8 medium lift helicopters.

The display is open to the public (between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.) for three days from Friday.

The public can enter the IAF Technical Area, go around the aircraft and get to know the IAF’s assets at close hand. The IAF has placed display boards depicting the features and use of each aircraft in front of the planes.

The IAF’s Sukhoi MKI fighter aircraft are not on static display because some of them are in the U.S to participate in a joint military exercise code named ‘Red Flag,’ over Alaska.

NCC Cadets from the 1 Kerala NCC Air Squadron will guide the public. The IAF will practice its display at 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The main show is at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The practice session are open to the public and could be seen best from Shanghumugham beach.

IAF officials have requested the public not to litter the beach with food articles that attract birds. Low-flying birds are a threat to aircraft flying at low altitudes, they said.

The main event of the show is a mock air combat between two Russian-made Sukhoi 30 MKI heavy-class air-superiority multi-role fighter aircraft of the Number Eight Pursuit Squadron and four Jaguar deep-penetration bombers of the Number Six Dragon squadron.

The Sukhois will take off from Pune, arrive over Shanghumugham, fly low over the spectators and climb up into the sky to form a two-aircraft combat air patrol.

The Jaguars will take off from Bangalore and attempt to ‘attack’ the demonstration area. The bombers will be flying low in attack formation, with the two jets in the rear in ‘abreast’ position.

The Sukohi’s orbiting overhead will peel off and engage the ‘enemy’ in a dog fight. The Sukhois will try to gain the tail of the evasive Jaguars to make a ‘gun kill.’

The Sukhois will execute several hard turns over the spectators and one of the fighters will break formation to display the aircraft’s low- speed manoeuvring capability. An IAF official said the air show will be held even if the sky is overcast. Low clouds, rain, strong wind and low visibility might force the IAF to call of the show. The rehearsals are open to the public and it will have all the components of the one-hour main show.

The show will begin with a fly past of two MI-8 medium lift helicopters. One will ‘troop’ the colours of IAF. The other will shower rose petals on the spectators. A close formation of two Avro transport aircraft will tail the helicopters. The Avros will be followed by three AN-32 transport aircraft in ‘VIC’ formation.

Six subsonic Hindustan Mark-II jet trainer aircraft of the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team will perform over Shanghumughom for nearly 20 minutes. IAF helicopters will demonstrate how commandos are ‘injected’ into battle. One of the MI-8s will stage a mock sea rescue operation. The show will end with a sky diving demonstration of the IAF’s Akash Ganga team.

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