R-Day: Air Force fly past too restricted

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 18: Apart from a truncated parade with no tanks and armoured personnel carriers, even the Air Force fly past will be restricted this year to four Mi-8 helicopters and three Su-30 aircraft.

The fly past by the impressive IL-76 Gajraj heavy lift transport aircraft flanked by two An-32 and Gnat in finger five formation will be missing since the transport aircraft are flying ammunition and other supplies to the troops at the borders. The Su-30 will also not be doing a vertical charlie and victory roll.

The fly past will be in two phases; one at the beginning of the parade comprising the helicopters and the other — fighters flying at the end of the parade.

The four helicopters will fly in the inverted wine glass formation and shower rose petals on the audience. The helicopters will be flying 200 feet above the ground at a speed of 90 kilometres per hour. The Su-30 will fly at an altitude of 1,000 feet at a speed of 780 kmph, an IAF spokesman said.