Maneuvers of the Surya Kiran - Aero India Show 2009

The latest of Surya Kiran show witnessed by me was in February, 2009 at the Aero India Show which had six of the ten planes left in the team. Over the years the aerobatic team as lost three planes along with some of the finest pilots who dared the limits of the sky.
All the pilots donning the red plane colors are from a tough backdrop that have flown in various fighter jets like the MIG 23 & 27 versions, Mirage 2000 and the Jaguar.
It is essential for these pilots to have more than 2000 hours of flying and also be a qualified flying instructor. All these fighter pilots have to do a 2 year stint with the Surya Kiran and burn the skies of various countries before being deputed back to their mother units.
The present SKAT is led by Wing Commander Joy Thomas Kurien.
Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT) - formally christened so in 1996 - is just one of the four nine-aircraft formation flying squads in the world and traces its history to the IAF's Hunter aircraft formation flying squad, the Thunderbolts of 1982.

At the India Aero Show – 2009 at Yelanka Air force base the men from the red were on a low morale as they had lost a senior pilot in Wing Commander RS Dhaliwal in an air crash on January 21st, 2009. But they came anyway and wowed the guests and visitors with their half strength in mind and maneuvers at the Aero India 2009, in Bangalore from February 11 to 15, 2009. Below are some of their maneuvers captured on camera.

The Surya Kiran team perform an sharp turn (Above) and the split into the 'Bomb Split', (left) during the Aero India Show 2009.



The Surya Kiran aerobatic team's first move is to paint the sky with the tri color (National Flag of India - Colors) above the heads of the onlookers to set their tone for patriotism and a sense of belonging to the country.










The Surya Kiran team members perform their now famous Barrel roll which at the end of their maneuver shows the sign of the 'AIDS' symbol at the Aero India 2009.










The Surya Kiran Team roll over for an drop down bomber style (left) as an ground staff chats up with a Russian lady in a stall at the Aero India Show 2009, after gifting her with one of the shoulder badges of the Surya Kiran team.

The 6 member Surya Kiran Aerobatic team sign off in style by flying low first with the tri color smoke and then pulling up to create an 'Wright', tick mark to stun the visitors and guests who keep waiting and wanting for more at the Aero India - 2009.

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