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I have a question about the upcoming show at Yelahanka/India:
In 2011 there was a nice flypast on the first wednessday of the show (around 10 am). However, in 2013 there were "only" 3 Hips carrying flags and no further flypast at all...
Does anyone have information about this years event: will there be an impressive flypast...or not...?!
I dont know of anyone that would be able to answer this question with any degree of certainty, their website doesn't even have a list of expected aircraft with less than a month to go - see https://www.aeroindia.in/Default.aspx and it is not in the nature of anyone in the military to give any info out in public.
My guess from having lived in India for some time is that the main flypast at the beginning of each airshow is for the assembled VVIPs, and if there are no VVIPs planned to be there then there would be no point in having the flypast. Given the recent change of government along with lots of new noise regarding defence spending then I would guess (that word again!) that in 2015 there would be an improved chance of VVIPs being present and therefore a flypast would be more likely.
It has been announced in the Indian press that Prime Minster Modi should be attending the opening of the airshow on Wednesday morning so I would say the chances of a flypast would be excellent this year.
No info from the official website (no change there then!) but the following info comes from some of the press releases (I cant speak for their accuracy):
At Aero India 2015, Russian Helicopters and Rosoboronexport will present the latest military-transport helicopters in the Mi-8/17 family, and the multirole Ka-226T. The Ka-226T can be operated by India’s military, police, and civilian agencies. Due to the growth in the market for commercial helicopters in the region, Russian Helicopters will showcase its Mi-8/17 commercial multirole helicopters, which are popular the world over, and also the light Ansat.
Russian Helicopters will also showcase its latest upcoming models at Aero India 2015, with the Mi-171A2, which is based on Mi-8/17 helicopters. The first prototype of the Mi-171A2 started flight tests in November 2014.
At least three versions of the LCA Tejas, the IAF version, the Naval version and the trainer version will either fly at the show or will be displayed on the ground, informed sources told defenseworld.net.
PARTICIPATING AIRCRAFTS
F-16, Hornet F/A-18E, MiG-29, MiG-35, Eurofighter EADS, Rafale from France, Super Hornet, India's Su-30MKI, Russia's MIG35 and AN12, C-17Globemaster 3, Chinook, Apache, MK-132 Typhoon, Globemaster C-13 heavy lift, CJ-135 Hercules transport, Boeing P-8I maritime aircraft, Light Combat Helicopter, Advanced Light Helicopter, Russian Su-30, Jaguar, and more! Commercial airplanes will also be on display, including the 787 Dreamliner! The B-777 and B737 will also be there.
I was lucky enough to visit the show on the opening day Weds 18 Feb and the log is presented below. I will post a link to some photos once I get them processed.
Overall the show was somewhat disappointing with the hoped-for flypast not materialising and the absense of several aircraft which could reasonably have been expected such as Indian Navy P8 and MiG29K or the recently delivered Air Force Global Express.
The log below includes civil aircraft for the sake of completeness whilst several of the aircraft on the far side remain unidentifed as I did not get across there on this occasion. Please excuse the lack of exact types as I am still building the final log but thought the timeliness of the log may help some people to decide whether to attend or not.
Preserved at main gate:
W1759 TS11
Z1372 Mi8
visitors
K5103 BBJ with Prime Minister Modi
CB-8010 C17
Z419 Chetak c/n AH123 confirmed
It was disappointing that there were no An32 or Avro 748 visitors on the VVIP day
9N-AKY Let 410UVP Goma Air
D-CNEU Do228NG
F-HLXS F2000LXS c/n 269 confirmed
HB-FWM PC12 c/n 1521 confirmed
HB-JSL F7X
RA-89053 SJ100 VIP version
VT-AJJ Phenom 300 JoyJets c/n 50500159 confirmed
VT-NAL Bell 407
The Yakovlevs display team with Yak50: 33, 49, 61, 66
Breitling display team with Stearman: N5057V, SE-BOG
Catwalk display team with various types: SE-IRX, SE-KXR, SE-XZA
Red Bull display team with Zlin 50: OK-XRB, OK-XRC, OK-XRD
public static area
u/m Dhruv mockup
KH2002 Tejas
117 Rafale 118-IV
far side, including display aircraft
KH2013 Tejas
KH2018 Tejas
SB318 Su30
SB413 Su30
Z923 Chetak
An32 maintenance ramp: K2749, K3071 plus one, plus an unidentified Do228
An32 operational ramp: K2748, K3059 plus Avro 748s H2179, H915
Mi8/17 scattered around hangars included Z23(55 or 56)*, Z2358*, Z2350, Z2360, Z2369, Z2383, Z2384, Z2450, Z2453, Z2454, Z2837 plus at least another 3 with no rotors
Those marked * were on maintenance with no rotors
Sarang display team with Dhruv: J4042, J4045, J4051, J4060, J4063 plus one unidentified amongst the Mi8s in maintenance area
Three Army Dhruvs operated from a grass area on the far left side: IA1108, IA1128, IA3105
PC7 P151 operated from the far side but was only visible once it taxied out for display, presumably there was one other unseen as well.
Nice to meet Rickie in the later stages of the show. Additions/corrections welcome!
