Suryakiran's colour to Rafale’s might, IAF's rehearsal a hit over Chennai’s Marina beach

CHENNAI: Thousands flocked to the Marina, their gazes turned skyward in search of a glimmer of flying metal, as the Indian Air Force’s frontline fighters, helicopters, and vintage planes took to the Chennai skies for the final dress rehearsal of the special air show on Friday that would be held in connection with the IAF’s 92nd Raising Day.

The main event is scheduled for October 6 (Sunday) from 11 am to 1 pm, but that didn’t deter people from coming out on Friday to enjoy the rehearsals. Throughout the week, social media has been buzzing with photographs and videos of fighter aircraft over the Chennai skies, and all that excitement descended on Marina beach on Friday, as people cheered for the men in blue in their flying machines.

The vast shoreline provided a picturesque backdrop for the flypast, with people pointing toward the lighthouse every time a metal bird with its taxi lights switched on entered the air show arena. The Marina offered unobstructed views, allowing spectators to see the aircraft from almost every corner.

In between, Garud special forces troops rappelled down Mi-17 choppers, which are armed with rocket pods, for a simulated hostage rescue situation, and the Akash Ganga skydiving team carried out a HALO jump from 8,000 ft from an An-32 aircraft. Chetak helicopters from Air Force Station Tambaram, trooping the Tricolour and Air Force flag, started the flypast with an aerial salute.

The exhilaration hit the crescendo when the Rafale entered the skyline. Living up to its French name that translates to "gust of wind”, they vanished into the blue yonder like the wind. The new entrant to the IAF fleet flew at sub-sonic speeds of 1,100 km/h, leaving the crowd in a frenzy and setting the tone for what was to come.

The Sukhoi-30s, taking off from Thanjavur, thrilled the crowd with their loop, tumble, yaw, and vertical Charlie manoeuvers while dispensing flares.

Fresh off their performance in Egypt last month, the Sarang helicopter team enthralled the audience. To wrap up the event, commentators called for the "Ambassadors of the IAF" as the mighty C-17 Globemaster led the nine-aircraft Suryakiran team, painted in their famous red and white livery, dispensing Tricolour smoke. This marked the team's return to the Chennai skies after almost two decades. The icing on the cake this time was the presence of two local flyboys in the cockpit: Group Captain Ajay ‘Dusty’ Dasarathi and Group Captain Sidhesh ‘Sidz’ Kartik.

Also Read: 8 things to know about the IAF Air show at Chennai's Marina Beach

The Suryakiran did what it does best, leaving spectators spellbound with their close formation aerobatics and solo flybys. Tejas, MiG-29, and the Navy P-8 Poseidon were also part of the rehearsal, alongside the soon-to-be-inducted HTT-40 aircraft, which performed its first aerial display ever.