This Article is From Jan 21, 2015

60 Planes in the Air: The Juggling Feat of Republic Day

60 Planes in the Air: The Juggling Feat of Republic Day

All 60 - a medley of helicopters, surveillance aircraft and supersonic fighters - will be managed in a tight juggling act.

New Delhi: Over nine minutes on Monday next, 30 aircraft of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force will roar over Rajpath during the Republic Day parade, watched by US president Barack Obama, President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many others.

Unseen, 30 more aircraft will be in the air as back up. All 60 - a medley of helicopters, surveillance aircraft and supersonic fighters - will be managed in a tight juggling act by a small make-shift Control Tower that has been set up at Vayu Bhawan - the Indian Air Force Headquarters - at Moti Lal Nehru Marg that flanks Rajpath.

Not only will the aircraft fly at different speeds and height in a limited airspace, each type will take off from a separate base spread over Delhi and neighbouring Rajasthan and Punjab.

"All the 60 odd aircraft depending on their sequence will take off and be holding over at various heights in Jhahhar in Haryana, Jaipur in Rajasthan and Charki Dadri near Bhiwani in Haryana," a senior IAF officer said.

While only 30 aircraft will take part in the fly-past, each will have a back-up in air. "In case one of the planes develops a snag the replacement will swing in immediately," another officer told NDTV.

The Navy's US-made Long Range Maritime Surveillance Aircraft P-8Is - which will be on display for the first time - have been moved to Chandigarh from their base in Arkonam in Tamil Nadu.

The supersonic Naval fighter MiG-29Ks, also on display for the first time, have been moved from their permanent base in Goa to Ambala. These will follow the P-8I in a "victor" formation.

The fighters of the IAF will largely take off from their bases in Rajasthan and Punjab. Five Jaguar fighters will take off from the Nal airbase in Bikaner. The Su-30 MKIs will take off from Jodhpur.

The fly past will be led by the Army's aviation contingent. They will be flying the indigenously built Druv helicopters. They will be followed by the Russian built Mi-35 attack helicopters.  The helicopters will lift off from Delhi. 

The US made C-130 J transport planes that will follow them, will come from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
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