New Delhi: In a bid to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence, the Indian Air Force (IAF) put up a scintillating display of aerobatics over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday, news agency PTI reported. According to the report, as many as nine aircraft of the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team of the Eastern Air Command conducted the aerobatic display off the Blue Flag Beach in Puri in Odisha in the morning. The display was witnessed by thousands of tourists visiting the seaside pilgrim town, leaving them enthralled.
Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal also attended the event, drawing loud cheers from the people.
As a part of the air show, the fleet of the IAF’s Suryakiran aircraft made several flypasts and conducted manoeuvres such as the arrow, rocket roll, diamond and synchro. In one of its moves, an aircraft even flew upside down and did spins as it returned.
Moreover, in a thrilling display of its air manoeuvres, two Suryakiran aircraft came face to face from opposite directions at a speed of over 1,500 kmph and then flew apart to the left and right leaving the spectators spellbound.
However, the aerobatic team could not perform some of the pre-planned formations owing to limited visibility due to the presence of monsoon clouds.
According to a team member, during a similar exercise over the Kuakhai river bank in Bhubaneswar on Friday, they could not drop to a lower height due to the buildings nearby.
"But in the sea off Puri we were able to fly the aircraft at 100-300 feet," PTI quoted the official as saying.
"The weather was bad in the morning, but we are so glad that we managed to hold the show," she further added.
It is to be noted that the IAF had earlier held an air show in Cuttack in 2016 to mark the birth centenary of former chief minister Biju Patnaik.