IAFs daredevil air show sweeps Agartala residents off their feet

The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted its first air show in Tripura on Thursday morning mesmerising the people who had gathered here at the Agartalas Dasharat Dev Stadium.

By Pinaki Das

Agartala, Dec 20 : The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted its first air show in Tripura on Thursday morning mesmerising the people who had gathered here at the Agartala's Dasharat Dev Stadium.

The IAF's pilots performed daredevil aerobatics up in the sky and demonstrated spectacular flying manoeuvres, considered one of the most demanding feats in aviation.

It's not every day, that one get to see an aerobatics team in action, specifically, to see Surya Kiran taking the skies.

Surya Kiran (which means "the sun's rays" in Hindi) is the aerobatics demonstration team of the IAF, and it etched the tri-colour on Agartala skies.

In certain distinctive formations the multicoloured planes come within five metres of each others' wingtips, while manoeuvring at speeds of between 200 and 600 kilometres per hour.

The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team was formed in 1996 to serve as the Ambassadors of the Indian Air Force and to showcase the professionalism, calibre and the mettle of the service.

Surya Kiran occupies a rarefied place as one of the four prominent 9-aircraft aerobics team in the world. What makes them exceptional is the level of expertise required to fly in such large numbers so close together.

The team has dazzled crowds over the length and breadth of India, as well as other parts of the world and have performed in Burma, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and recently in Malaysia.

Natasha, who came along with her family to see the air show said that such shows help one to know that India is a strong nation and makes one feel proud of it.

Moreover, it also helps youths to get motivated to join the force, she added.

Beside these, members of the IAF's sky diving team 'Akash Ganga' also performed acrobatics.

Wing Commander Kamal Singh, Team Leader of Akash Ganga said that the main reason behind organizing the show is to motivate the youths of this region to join the force.

He added that he is confident that after witnessing the show some of the youths, who were present there, would come forward to join the Indian Air Force.

ANI