<p>Underwhelming in its aerial spread, the 13th international aerospace exposition Aero India 2021 had its Full Dress Rehearsal (FDR) at Bengaluru's Yelahanka Air Base on Tuesday, the absence of foreign aircraft clearly showing. But the first-ever Suryakiran-Sarang jugalbandi did try to compensate.</p>.<p>None of the big foreign flying regulars were part of the display fleet, static or aerial. A lone Ukrainian business jet stood out on the tarmac as if to remind everyone of the stately range that defined the previous shows. But the crowd of mostly Indian Air Force (IAF) men and their families did not seem to mind.</p>.<p>Nine Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Hawks, wearing the Suryakiran colours soared to the skies in formation, drawing loud applause. In seconds it was clear their aerobatics would be unique this time as the Sarang Advanced Light Helicopter team roared in.</p>.<p><strong>Joint aerobatics</strong></p>.<p>For the first time ever, fixed and rotary wing aerobatics were in sync, lines were drawn by their collective exhausts crisscrossing to cover the aerial canvas. The Suryakirans did make the enduring love sign, but the Sarangs were present this time to add a dash of colour and verve.</p>.<p>In 2019, the buzz around the Dassault Rafale had everyone hooked to the French multirole combat aircraft. The FDR had three of them take off in tandem and show off their prowess, this time in IAF colours.</p>.<p>Just as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was launching its second production line at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas took off to prove another point. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had recently approved a Rs 47,000-crore deal to produce 73 Mk-1A variant of the Tejas LCA.</p>.<p><strong>Vintage touch</strong></p>.<p>Adding a vintage touch to the airshow, the refurbished Douglas DC-3, rechristened Parashurama, returned in stately grandeur. Inducted into the IAF as the first major transport aircraft in 1944, the Dakota still turned heads. In its operational prime from 1947 to 1971, the aircraft had a critical role to play in the 1947-48 Indo-Pak war.</p>.<p>The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Apache also had a prominent position in the static display section. But they could not match the CH-47 Chinook, the advanced multi-mission helicopter stationed at the far end of the section. Last year, IAF had taken delivery of the 15th helo from Boeing, enhancing its strategic airlift capability for both combat and humanitarian missions.</p>.<p><strong>Covid-19 protocol</strong></p>.<p>Crowds thronged in big numbers, but Covid-19 safety protocols took a backseat at least for the dress rehearsal. A negative RT-PCR test report was mandated for even the rehearsal, but visitors were not checked.</p>.<p>This is likely to change for the actual show day beginning on February 3. The Defence Ministry had mandated that only those with a negative report from a test dated January 31, 9 am or later, will be allowed into the Yelahanka Air Base. Barring 3,000 visitors, the general public is now allowed this time.</p>
<p>Underwhelming in its aerial spread, the 13th international aerospace exposition Aero India 2021 had its Full Dress Rehearsal (FDR) at Bengaluru's Yelahanka Air Base on Tuesday, the absence of foreign aircraft clearly showing. But the first-ever Suryakiran-Sarang jugalbandi did try to compensate.</p>.<p>None of the big foreign flying regulars were part of the display fleet, static or aerial. A lone Ukrainian business jet stood out on the tarmac as if to remind everyone of the stately range that defined the previous shows. But the crowd of mostly Indian Air Force (IAF) men and their families did not seem to mind.</p>.<p>Nine Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Hawks, wearing the Suryakiran colours soared to the skies in formation, drawing loud applause. In seconds it was clear their aerobatics would be unique this time as the Sarang Advanced Light Helicopter team roared in.</p>.<p><strong>Joint aerobatics</strong></p>.<p>For the first time ever, fixed and rotary wing aerobatics were in sync, lines were drawn by their collective exhausts crisscrossing to cover the aerial canvas. The Suryakirans did make the enduring love sign, but the Sarangs were present this time to add a dash of colour and verve.</p>.<p>In 2019, the buzz around the Dassault Rafale had everyone hooked to the French multirole combat aircraft. The FDR had three of them take off in tandem and show off their prowess, this time in IAF colours.</p>.<p>Just as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was launching its second production line at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas took off to prove another point. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had recently approved a Rs 47,000-crore deal to produce 73 Mk-1A variant of the Tejas LCA.</p>.<p><strong>Vintage touch</strong></p>.<p>Adding a vintage touch to the airshow, the refurbished Douglas DC-3, rechristened Parashurama, returned in stately grandeur. Inducted into the IAF as the first major transport aircraft in 1944, the Dakota still turned heads. In its operational prime from 1947 to 1971, the aircraft had a critical role to play in the 1947-48 Indo-Pak war.</p>.<p>The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Apache also had a prominent position in the static display section. But they could not match the CH-47 Chinook, the advanced multi-mission helicopter stationed at the far end of the section. Last year, IAF had taken delivery of the 15th helo from Boeing, enhancing its strategic airlift capability for both combat and humanitarian missions.</p>.<p><strong>Covid-19 protocol</strong></p>.<p>Crowds thronged in big numbers, but Covid-19 safety protocols took a backseat at least for the dress rehearsal. A negative RT-PCR test report was mandated for even the rehearsal, but visitors were not checked.</p>.<p>This is likely to change for the actual show day beginning on February 3. The Defence Ministry had mandated that only those with a negative report from a test dated January 31, 9 am or later, will be allowed into the Yelahanka Air Base. Barring 3,000 visitors, the general public is now allowed this time.</p>
