IAF to mark 87th anniv with scintillating air display at Hindan base

The Indian Air Force will complete 87 glorious years on October 8 and the IAF has planned to mark the anniversary at its Hindan Base with a spectacular air display showcasing both vintage aircraft and modern fleet, officials said on Sunday.

The IAF was founded on October 8, 1932 and the force has participated in several crucial wars and landmark missions.

"The IAF will proudly celebrate its 87th anniversary. A scintillating air display by various aircraft will be the hallmark of the Air Force Day parade-cum-investiture ceremony at the Hindan Air Force Station in Ghaziabad," a senior IAF official said.

Rehearsals for the air display will commence from Tuesday, the IAF said.

"The air display will commence with flag-bearing sky divers of the famous Akash Ganga team dropping out of an AN-32 aircraft in their colourful canopies. The flypast would include the vintage aircraft, modern transport aircraft and frontline fighter aircraft," the official said.

The ceremony will conclude with a spellbinding aerobatic display, he said. The general area over which the aircraft will be flying at low levels are Wazirpur Bridge, Karawalnagar, Afjalpur, Hindan; Shaml, Jiwana, Chandinagar, Hindan; Hapur, Philkua , Ghaziabad, Hindan, the IAF said.

The IAF also appealed to people to not throw eatables in the open area or dump garbage in the open as it attracts birds whose flight pose a serious threat to flying aircraft, especially at low heights.

Also, any carcass found lying in the open should be reported to authorities for its disposal, the IAF said. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Kargil conflict in which the IAF as part of Operation Safed Sagar of Army's Operation Vijay had played a critical role.