Flying start to India's air show in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Feb 18: India's air show got off to a flying start Wednesday in this aerospace hub with a spectacular display of its air prowess and daredevilry aerobatics by its fighters, helicopters and transport aircraft. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the 10th edition of Aero India 2015, a five-day trade expo, at the Yelahanka base of the Indian Air Force (IAF), 20 km from the city, and witnessed the flying display in a clear sky on a sunny day. Modi and about 1,000 invitees were treated to thrilling aerial feats by different types of aircraft, including the homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Sukhoi-30, Mirage-2000, Jaguar and the Advance Jet Trainer (AJT) Hawk. French aerospace major Dassault Aviation flew its medium multi-role combat aircraft Rafale to demonstrate its awesome strike force, as the IAF has short-listed the MMRCA for induction in its frontline fleet in place of the ageing Russian-made MiG-21. The IAF pilots also flew the Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv as Sarang aerobatics team, heavy-lift transport plane C-17 Globemaster-III of the Boeing and the Russian-made Ilyushin-76 transport aircraft. Daredevilry feats by Flying Bulls of Czech Republic, AeroSuper Baltics and Aerowind Services from Britain, Scandinavian air show team Wasp and Open Skydiving of the US Special Forces drew cheers from the spectators. In all, 72 military aircraft are on flying and static display, including P8-A maritime reconnaissance aircraft and KC-135 tanker of Boeing and EMB-145 Embraer fromABrazil.