Into the sunshine

There were heart-stopping moments. These were interspersed with heart-dropping moments as well. The 10th edition of Bengaluru’s flagship event, ‘Aero India 2015’ concluded on a high note and drew mixed reactions from the large sea of people who had gathered over the weekend to witness some daring stunts in the skies.

The first-timers sat with their hearts in their mouth. But those, who had been to ‘Aero India’ before, said that the manoeuvres were not enough. But everybody sat with their eyes glued to the skies as Sarang, Tejas, Rafale fighter jet aircraft, Jaguar aircraft, soared the skies and matched the sweltering sun rays with their aerobatics.

   This was one event that Bengalureans were not ready to skip. Supriya, a professional, couldn’t stop clicking pictures of both the metallic birds in the skies and those in the static display lounge. “This is the first time that I got to see the aircraft up close and touch them. The view of the take off and landing of aircraft this close is a rare sight. I love Tejas and its piercing sound will remain with me for a long time,” she said.

A large section of the crowd had literally come dressed to watch the aircraft tumble and toss in the air. Many dressed light to cope with the heat. Armed with large hats, colourful umbrellas and dressed in shorts, people were seen enjoying the show even as they gulped down bottles of water. Sisters Ranjitha and Arpitha made concerted efforts to dress up for the show. “We never get to see these magnificent aircraft and it is only on occasions like this do we get the chance to bring out our big hats, shorts and cool tees,” said Ranjitha, an IT professional. Arpitha, a student, confessed that she felt like she was under a spell of sorts after she witnessed the show. “You really need some guts to get up there and do all those stunts,” she observed.

The static display lounge served as the perfect setting for many to click pictures near the aircraft. This was Akshatha and her husband Mithun’s first time at the ‘Aero Show’ and they were seen clicking selfies regularly. “We are excited and have never seen a show like this. The stunts in the skies are truly a test of the resilience, determination and commitment of the pilots. They are inspiring,” said Akshatha.

While the officials were busy wrapping up the show, Biju N, director, ‘Pavilions and Interiors’, said, “The show is getting bigger with each edition and this year, the increased foreign participation has made a significant difference. We hope the next time, the participation will double.” The Sarang team was easily the most popular among the crowd. They were seen mixing with everyone and happily obliging to their picture requests. Wing Commander Mudit Chaurasia of Sarang team concluded saying, “The greatest excitement for us is when we meet the crowd and they are all out to shake hands with us. It gives us an opportunity to inspire the young to join the Indian Air Force.”