Surya Kirans to enthral audience in Hasimara on Saturday

KOLKATA: The Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) which took to the skies after a break of nearly four years, will perform in the skies over Air Force Station Hasimara in north Bengal on Saturday. This will be SKAT’s second performance after it became operational again in October this year, sources in the IAF said. The first one was at Hindon near Delhi on October 8, during the Air Force Day Parade.The performance at Hasimara will be held to celebrate the presentation of President’s Standards to Squadrons 18 and 22 of the IAF by President Pranab Mukherjee.
IAF’s first nine-aircraft aerobatic team was raised in 1961 by the No. 7 Squadron, also known as the ‘Battle Axes’. This was not without incident though. Both the No. 7 and No. 17 Squadrons had converted to Hunters in the UK and were based at Ambala. After the pilots had gained sufficient expertise in the aircraft, they started training in formation flying and aerobatics. Unfortunately, an unhealthy competition developed between the pilots of the two sister squadrons and there was a mid-air collision over Ambala air base. Though both pilots ejected safely, pilots of the No. 7 Squadron were the ones allowed to continue flying nine-aircraft formations. The first time they performed was in January, 1962, during the squadron’s 20th anniversary.
SKAT was raised in 1996 and the aircraft they used was the Hindustan Jet Trainer (HJT-16) or Kiran Mk–II for aerobatics till 2011. The last time they flew was during Aero India 2011 after which the aircraft returned to Air Force Academy in Dundigal near Hyderabad. The pilots went off to Staff College in Wellington. The reason for disbanding the team was the shortage of Kiran Mk-II aircraft that was then used for basic jet training at the Air Force Academy. The Kirans were later grounded and the IAF started inducting Pilatus PC7 for training.
“Over the years, the Surya Kiran team had developed into one the best in the world. It was sad when the team was disbanded. Apart from the entertainment part, SKAT was used to encourage youngsters to join the IAF. In their absence, organizers had to get teams from abroad to perform during Aero India 2013 and 2015. It was a great decision to revive the team with AJT Hawks earlier this year. This is a versatile and advanced aircraft. For the time being, SKAT is operating with only four Hawks, coloured in their traditional red and white. Orders have been placed for more Hawks that will perform aerobatics so there is no shortage of aircraft used for training. For the time being, the maneuvers won’t be too elaborate but full-fledged aerobatics can be expected from 2016 when a full team is formed and the pilots gain sufficient practice,” a senior IAF officer said.