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Air show takes off, but not LCA

Fakir Chand in Bangalore

The third edition of the Bangalore air show, 'Aero India 2001', took off on a spectacular note on Wednesday with magnificent flying displays by military aircraft and helicopters at the Indian Air Force station at Yelahanka on the outskirts of Bangalore.

But, contrary to expectation, the Light Combat Aircraft did not fly on the inaugural day, disappointing thousands of spectators, including delegations from around 35 countries, among them six defence ministers and 15 air force chiefs.

Regretting the LCA's omission from the flying display, Defence Minister George Fernandes told reporters that it was "decided" at the last minute not to fly the multi-role fighter aircraft as "this is not the appropriate time".

"It was decided that it would not be wise to display the LCA during the air show, though there was a consensus earlier to allow the fighter to take off from the HAL airport on the other side of the city and fly over the venue to demonstrate its capabilities," Fernandes claimed.

His scientific adviser V K Athre, however, told reporters later that a technical snag had held up the LCA's flight.

Dr Athre explained that in pre-flight checks, no red light should be seen in any of the indicators in the cockpit. But in the LCA's case, the T-21 indicator, a pilot bit testing indicator, glowed red. So a decision was taken to put off its flying display by a day or two.

Dr Athre added that efforts were on to make at least one flying demonstration of the indigenously developed jet fighter during the Bangalore air show.

Though the large gathering missed viewing the LCA in flight, it was more than made up by an awesome display of air power by Sukhoi 30MKI, Jaguar, MiG-29K, MiG-27 and Surya Kiran II fighters of the IAF and Tornados of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. The aircraft flew in formation and performed breath-taking aerobatics and exciting exercises in the air.

The grand show also witnessed a scintillating display by the indigenously built Advanced Light Helicopter, the heavy assault fighter helicopter Peak 17 of Israel, and the T-38 'flying truck' from Poland.

The five-day air-cum-exhibition show began with a skydiving display by a 14-member team of IAF paratroopers. The team, codename Akash Ganga, made a perfect landing on the airstrip right in front of the dignitaries, including Fernandes, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, scientific adviser to the prime minister, Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis, and others.

Before appearing suddenly from nowhere in a clear sky, the skydivers made a free fall from a height of 6,500 feet to about 3,500 feet, then unfolded their parachutes to descend gracefully.

The setting for the take-off was perfect. So was the timing. The spring sky was azure blue with a hazy horizon for the magnificent flying machines and their ace pilots to perform thrilling manoeuvres to the delight of the spectators.

Inaugurating the show, Fernandes apologised for the conspicuous absence of host state Chief Minister S M Krishna, who stayed away from the opening ceremony in protest against protocol bungling by defence ministry officials.

Fernandes, however, thanked Krishna and the Congress government of Karnataka for extending all support to the defence organisations, which have collaborated in hosting the show.

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