Bengaluru Air Show Turns Into A Carnival

BENGALURU: The biennial Aero India 2015 show turned into a carnival, as over 60,000 people flocked to the Yelahanka base of the Indian Air Force (IAF) here to witness spectacular aerobatics and thrilling aerial feats by fighters, helicopters, stunt aircraft, transport planes and even unmanned aerial vehicles.

"As the five-day event opened to the public on weekend, the venue is jam-packed, as thousands of people, especially children and women descended for flying display and the aerospace expo," Defence Exhibition Organisation director M.D. Singh told IANS at the trade fair on the city's outskirts.

Though the hosts made separate arrangements for the public to view the four-hour air show and see aircraft on static display, they could not cope with the heavy rush in the 10 pavilions where about 700 overseas and domestic aerospace firms are showcasing their technologies and products.

"We have segregated the public coming for flying and static display from those visiting the expo for meetings and business to avoid over-crowding and regulate the visitors' movement," Singh asserted.

With the venue located in the city's northern suburb on the busy national highway and across the Kempegowda international airport at Devanahalli, access roads were choc-a-bloc with thousands of vehicles on both sides, forming a gridlock for hours and giving a harrowing time to hundreds of traffic constables.

Multiple security checks and frisking at three levels tested the patience of many visitors, leading to heated exchanges, frowns and scorn as people visiting the expo in colourful attire had to wait at least an hour in serpentine queues to enter the air base and pass through security gates to reach pavilions or tarmac across the runway for the aerial show.

As the flying display began, with the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv first taking to the sky for a solo flight, followed by vintage aircraft like the Tiger Moth and Scandinavian Wasp (a small stunt plane), spectators forgot their entry woes and enjoyed the awesome speed and deafening sound of a F-16 fighter doing basic manoeuvres, including a double barrel loop, vertical turns, rolls, flying upside down and in angular combat mode.

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