Sarang display team
Sarang Indian Air Force Helicopter Display Team | |
---|---|
The Sarang HAL Dhruvs performing at Aero India 2013 | |
Active | October 2003 to Present |
Country | India |
Branch | Indian Air Force |
Role | Aerobatic display team |
Size |
14 Officers 32 Airmen |
Garrison/HQ |
Sulur Air Force Station Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Wg Cdr Hari Nair, Wg Cdr Shashank Misra |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | |
Aircraft flown | |
Helicopter | 4 - HAL Dhruvs |
Sarang (Sanskrit: सारंग meaning Peacock) is the helicopter display team of the Indian Air Force. The team flies four modified HAL Dhruv helicopters, also known as ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter). The team was formed in October 2003 and their first public performance was at the Asian Aerospace Show, Singapore, 2004.[1] The name Sarang (Peacock in Sanskrit) is symbolic as it is the national bird of India. The unit was inducted as No.151 Helicopter Unit in 2005.
Performances
The first two helicopter display by HAL built Dhruv was carried out in at Aero India 2003 at Bangalore led by Sqn Ldr Pathania. In later part of 2003, it was named as Sarang and a three helicopter display team was formed. In 2004, the team started performing with four helicopter starting with the Singapore Air Show in 2004. The team performs regularly at Aero India, a biennial air show held at Yelahanka Air Force Station near Bangalore and at the anniversary of Indian Air Force in Hindon Air Force Base on 8th Oct. It also performed at Farnborough Airshow in 2008.
Incidents
In February 2007, the team had its first fatal accident when a Dhruv crashed at Yelahanka Air Force Station during a rehearsal before Aero India. Co-pilot Squadron Leader Priyesh Sharma was killed instantly and the pilot Wing Commander Vikas Jetly received serious head injuries.[2] Later Wing Commander Vikas Jetly succumbed to his injuries on 11 January 2011 at Delhi, after being in a comatose state for nearly 4 years after the accident.
See also
Gallery
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarang. |
- Sarang video
- Sarang at the Asian Aerospace Show, 2004
- Indian peacocks strut their stuff, Aviation International News
- Image of Sarang helicopter
- Aero-India 2007, Sarang Helicopter Display Team, www.Bharat-Rakshak.com
- Aerobatics Aero-India 2007
- Government of India - Press Information Breau release
- "The Hindu" newspaper article: Sarang's aerial ballet