Aero India 2019: IAF teams fly in 'missing man' formation to pay tribute to fallen colleague on day 1 of show
Aero India show’s 12th edition commenced at Yelahanka Air Force base, with aerial displays by Rafale, Tejas, Sukhoi aircraft and combat helicopters
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Aero India show’s 12th edition commenced on Wednesday at Bengaluru’s Yelahanka Air Force base. On the first day of the five-day show, the beginning was a sombre one as a two-minute silence was observed to pay homage to Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi, who lost his life when two Surya Kiran aircraft collided mid-air during rehearsal on Tuesday. The Surya Kiran aerobatics team, comprising of nine aircraft, did not participate in the show. AP
The enthralling show began with French aviation major Dassault’s Rafale jet taking to the skies. The multi-role medium combat aircraft was being flown at a slow speed in order to pay tribute to Sahil Gandhi. PTI
Three Indian Air Force fighter jets, with a Sukhoi-30 in the middle and LCA and Jaguar fighter jets on the side flew in the missing man formation in another tribute to Sahil Gandhi. On the first day, Lockheed Martin’s F-21 multi-role fighter jet was also unveiled. The aircraft will be manufactured under the Make in India initiative. PTI
IAF’s helicopter aerobatic team Sarang put up a delightful performance for the thousands of people in the crowds, ending the display with a split manoeuvre. AP
The Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) paid homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had named the fighter jet ‘Tejas’. PTI
The Dakota, Douglas DC-3 and Airbus 330-900 also left the audience speechless with spectacular fly-pasts. Seen here is the IAF’s MiG-21 aircraft. PTI
Sixty-one aircraft registered for flying and static display this year, while 373 aerospace firms registered for participation in the expo. Seen here are training aircraft Dornier, Hawk and HTT-40 in a flypast. PTI
The expo has five themes for every day. Day 1 was inaugural day, day 2 and 3 are start-up days, day 4 is women’s day and day 5 is a day open for the public. Seen here is Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Light Combat Helicopter. PTI
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