A small two feet aircraft streaked across the sky as the gathering watched in awe at the Aeroplus 2016, an exhibition of aircrafts organised by the Nehru Group of Institutions.
“It is a controlled-line aircraft,” says R. Moses Daniel, convener of the exhibition and Principal of Nehru Institute of Information Technology and Management. “The aircraft is connected to the control system through a high tensile tungsten wire. It was created by our boys and the effort was well appreciated by former president Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam when he visited our institution,” he informs.
Inspired by Dr.Kalam’s visit, the Nehru Group of Institutions created APJ Vision 2020 Club to organise exhibitions and awareness programmes on aeronautical sciences across the State. “We have now extended our activities to Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, Dharapuram, Tirunelveli, Valliyoor and Marthandam,” says Sanoj P. Suresh, one of the coordinators of the club.
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There was also a breathtaking display by small three feet helicopter that runs on Nitro Methanol fuel. “A 320 ml temporary fuel tank is attached to the copter and it can also be fitted with a one litre fuel tank which will enable it to to fly from Coimbatore to Udhagamandalam in one go. But getting permission from the aviation department is tough. Hence we don’t fly this copter above 40 feet altitude,” says P. Maniarasan, Principal, Nehru Institute of Engineering and Technology. According to the manufacturers, the copter can also be fitted with the GPRS system for long flying purpose and it can travel at an average speed of 70-80 kms per hour.
There was also a live demonstration of flying a quad copter. Volunteers also educated the visitors on the principle behind rocket launch with a simple experiment. Till last year, aeroplus exhibition was organised in their campus in Kuniamuthur near Coimbatore and this is the first time they have come out. “Logistics is the main problem. Dismantling the aircrafts for transportation and assembling involve a lot of human effort. Around 200 volunteers worked for the event,” says P.T. Vijaya Rajakumar, coordinator of the exhibition.
The NGI Beach Craft, King Air C-90 aircraft, Cesna 150D, 1960-make Enstorm F-28 helicopter, Bell 47 G5 helicopter, one split Rolls Royse engine, MIG 21 engine and Turbo Shaft engine were on display.
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“The exhibition has enlightened our students. It has augmented our teaching in classrooms. It is more useful. We are planning to host this exhibition and air show in our institution to coincide with the National Science Day that falls on February 28,” says K. Janani, correspondent, Aarushi Global School, R.S. Mangalam, Ramanathapuram.
“I am thrilled to enter an aircraft which I always saw from a distance. Such exhibitions should be organised regularly to educate students like me,” says A.M. Sabari, XI Standard student of Thiagarajar Model Higher Secondary School.
The organisers also demonstrated a ground run of the Cesna 150D aircraft. Apart from the show, there was also a display of aircraft accessories, aviation photo gallery and cockpit instruments.
There were no crisscross and crossover performances still the exhibition had enough material to attract spectators who came in large numbers.