On its second day, the excitement of Aero India finally seemed to have settled in the city as thousands filled up the Air Display Viewing Area (ADVA) at the Air Force Station Yelahanka on Wednesday.
After a tepid first day, the back gates of the Air Force Station were finally opened to allow the general public, who braved the searing heat, to cheer the aerobatic performances.
“I make it a point to visit Aero India every time. The ADVA area has wide open spaces and is perfect for photographing the aircraft as they perform,” said Rohan, who had brought a professional camera kit along for the show.
Whether it was the long-lens cameras or mobile phones, all instruments were pointed at the skies.
Among the more popular shows was the Scandinavian Airshow. The brightly coloured planes and skycats were the highlight of the show for children while the fighter jets kept the photographers busy with their daring mid-air manoeuvres. “I showed my child the skycats through a pair of binoculars and he was amazed that people would take the chance of hanging outside a plane’s cockpit in thin air,” said Pooja Shah, who had come with her family. The air display on Wednesday also featured parachuters who jumped from the C-130 transporter.
Commentary lost in crowd
However, for many, it was only a visual experience rather than being an informative one as the commentary for advanced fighter jets and helicopters that whizzed in the air was lost in the crowd. The speakers, which relayed commentary on the speciality of the performance as well as music, were positioned far away and the audio could barely be heard near the barricades where many had stood for a closer look at the action over the tarmac.
“We often do not know which planes are in the air and also what they are doing. There is good commentary from the teams, but it cannot be heard over here. They should install speakers for general visitors who would like to know the details of what they are watching,” said Arpita S.K., a visitor.
Despite the heat and dust at the air base, there were no untoward incidents. The organisers had put an ambulance and Fire Services crew on standby at the venue.
