CUPID'S ARROW FORMATION
BY SURYKIRANS ENTHRALL SPECTATORS AT FULL DRESS REHEARSAL AIRFORCE
DAY PARADE 2002
Two Kiran aircraft
forming the shape of a heart with its wake while the third aircraft
piercing through to form a perfect cupid's arrow against the blue
skies enthralled the audience at the full dress rehearsal of the
Air Force Day Parade cum investiture ceremony at Air Force Station,
Palam this morning. Over a thousand people including families
of Air Force personnel and children of Air Force schools witnessed
the event. Air Marshal AR Ghandhi, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Western Air Command, IAF reviewed the parade comprising of 56
officers and 378 airmen.
A total of 31 frontline aircraft, operating from four airbases,
participated in the flypast and aerobatics display. The flypast
by 03 Mi-17 helicopters followed by 03 Mi-35 gunship helicopters
with clockwork precision to coincide with the reviewing officer
in front of the Air Force 'colour'. The fighter flypast was led
by two waves of 05 Jaguars in Arrowhead formation operating from
Ambala. This was followed by the Su-30K 'VIC' comprising of three
aircraft. The ceremonial parade ended with three Su-30K aircraft
'VIC' approaching the dais from straight ahead with the leader
completing a breath-taking three turn vertical Charlie.
The awesome display of skill and professionalism further heightened
with nine red and white coloured Kiran Mk-II aircraft taking off
right in front of the spectators. The eighteen minutes scintillating
synchronised aerobatic display by the Suryakirans in near perfect
weather conditions against the clear blue skies had the spectators
at the edge of their seats. The first formation was a nine aircraft
'Diamond' formation maintaining the formation while doing a 'loop'
and a 'Barrel roll' in perfect synchronisation at 550 kms per
hour. The next was an Arrowhead formation followed by the Apollo
and Card. The synchro aerobatic display, with two aircraft approaching
each other head-on, crossing each other, appearing to cross at
a point, in front of the dais while the remaining six aircraft
formed the Phoenix, Shockwave, Wedge and Tango. The climax was
two aircraft forming the shape of a heart against the blue skies
while the third pierced it to produce a perfect "Cupid's arrow".
The grand finale and adieu of the display was the Bomb Burst with
nine aircraft dispersing from one point in all directions with
the leader doing a vertical loop.
