'Sarang' to be showstopper at Aero India

A magnificent display by both civil and military aircraft besides famed aerobatic teams from around the world would enthrall audience in Bengaluru as the 10th edition of Aero India gets inaugurated tomorrow.
Asia's premier air show will see world-acclaimed aerobatics teams - Breitling Wingwalkers (US), Scandinavian Air Show, Flying Bulls from Czech Republic, Yakovlevs formation display team from UK - captivating the young and old onlookers alike with their stunts.
However, India's very own Indian aerobatics team 'Sarang' flown by young IAF helicopter pilots will be the showstoppers as they take to the sky.
The IAF Sarang Helicopter Display Team has the unique distinction of being one of only two helicopter display teams in the world, the other being 'Blue Eagles' of the British Army.

The Sarang profile will begin with entry in an inverted wine glass formation. This will be followed by various close formations in 'Line Astern' and 'Diamond' formation to facilitate a closer look at the helicopters for the audience.
Three helicopters then group together to perform the star manoeuvre which is unique to helicopter flying - the 'stall turn' known as the 'Dolphin's Leap'.

The team will then continuously keep the audience glued to the skies with their breath-taking manoeuvres.
The team then will regroup for its final signature manoeuvre 'The Sarang Split' involving the four helicopters criss-crossing each other vertically and horizontally to form a knot.

The leitmotif 'Sarang' is derived from Sanskrit for 'peacock'.
The helicopters have been painted in bright colours with the peacock form superimposed on them.
"It attempts to symbolise the beauty and grace of the peacock during the display," Sarang Team Leader, Wing Commander A S Abhyankar said.
A qualified flying instructor and now Commanding Officer of the outfit, the return to Aero India for Wg Cdr Abhyankar and a few others is a deja vu moment. Abhyankar first flew in the 2003 Aero India edition as a young Flight Lieutenant.
The Sarang team first debuted at the Asian Aerospace Air show at Singapore in February 2004. Since then, the team has performed in over 35 air shows in India and abroad.

Their scintillating performance at Al Ain Aerobatic Show, UAE, in January 2005, earned them a reputation as one of the best display teams in the world.