Airshows are usually far better when they feature an excellent formation aerobatic display team - so watch out for a treat during Asian Aerospace when the Indian air force's Surya Kirans make their debut in the skies above Changi.
Flying nine Hindustan HJT-16 Kiran IIs - each with a Day-Glo orange paint scheme - the team made its debut at the Aero India display in 1996. It has subsequently performed in Sri Lanka as well as in the home country where last autumn it gave a memorable joint display with the Royal Air Force's world-famous aerobatic team, the Red Arrows.
Unusually, some of the aircraft in the display will fly with a complement of two pilots - and for an interesting reason. Because the Kiran II trainer has a side-by-side configuration, when flying aerobatics on the left-hand side of the formation, the aircraft has to be flown from the right-hand - student's - seat. Otherwise it's impossible to line up accurately during formation manoeuvres.
However, as some of the controls - like the all-important undercarriage and canopy jettison levers - can only be reached from the left-hand seat, the aircraft have to be flown with a passenger to operate the vital controls.
When they're not thrilling the crowds with their excellent formation aerobatics, the Surya Kiran's nine pilots, each with more than 1,000h as instructors on the Kiran II, fly the Indian air force's Dassault Mirage 2000s, Sepecat Jaguars and MiG 23s/27s.
Powered by a single Rolls-Royce Orpheus 701 engine, the Kiran II entered service with the Indian air force in 1968. It is capable of 695km/h (375kt) with a ceiling of 9,145m (30,000ft).
Source: Flight Daily News
