Aero India takes off today

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Feb 18, 2015, DHNS: The 10th edition of the biennial aerospace exhibition — Aero India 2015 — will take off in a flurry of fascinating aerial displays at the Yelahanka Air Force Station here on Wednesday.

Breaking tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the show instead of the defence minister. With a record 623 participating companies and 72 aircraft, the show gets bigger this time.

Betting big on the “Make in India” campaign, Modi is expected to beckon global aviation majors to invest and collaborate with Indian firms. But alongside the aggressive push for partnership deals, the steel birds will take flight to impress business visitors and the public alike.

On the threshold of getting the Final Operational Clearance from Indian Air Force, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas will also showcase its prowess. Giving the LCA stiff competition on the versatility front, American and French fighter jets will make one final bid to clinch the long-delayed Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal.

For the public, the wing-walkers of the globally renowned Scandinavian Airshow Group and the Aero Superbatics team from the United Kingdom will fly high in breathtaking aerobatic manoeuvres. The display pilots will walk and dance to musical beats on the wings of the flying aircraft. The US Special Forces will debut with their pulsating open sky jumps, while the Flying Bulls from Czech Republic will be back again.

The gigantic C-17 Globemaster-III, the Boeing KC-135 tanker and Embraer’s EMB-145-I will remain big on static display, alongside 17 other civilian aircraft. Record ticket sales of over 3 lakh is expected to make the crowd turnout unprecedented in scale. Official delegates have confirmed participation of 24 countries.

People can also watch out for packed food, colas and mineral drinking water supplies throughout the five days. The authorities have also made arrangements for air conditioned toilets to make it comfortable for visitors. Casual dressing would be fine given the hot weather.

Meanwhile, 3,000 policemen, including home guards, have been pressed into security and traffic-related services. Additional policemen will be deployed on the last two days of the show. The first three days have been dubbed trade days for business visitors, and the weekend is for general visitors.

However, the crowd-puller aerobatic displays will be on show on all the five days. General visitors could view the aerial displays on all days from the Air Display Viewing Area.