Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 7: The prestigious 'Surya Kiran' fleet of aircrafts of the Indian Air Force (IAF) that mesmerized the people since the last several years with the display of deft handling skills, aerobatics and dare devilry of the pilots who handled the aircrafts, is set to be disbanded shortly. It may be recalled that the Surya Kirans have been a regular feature of various programmes of national importance, in which the skilled pilots exhibited their skills, made different formations, flew towards the ground and suddenly gained height together, drawing colourful patterns in the sky.

It is expected, that the show being organized by the Surya Kiran team on Thursday October 8, on the occasion of the Foundation Day of the IAF, will be its last. The reason given for the decision to wind up the unit, is the shortage of trainer jets being faced by the IAF.

The IAF wants to use the nine HJT-16 trainer jets presently lying with the Surya Kiran fleet, for training its pilots. Surya Kiran, one of the three teams in the world to have been equipped with the skills in aerial adventures, is left with no other option but to slink to the oblivion, as the BPT-32 aircrafts earlier used by the IAF for training the pilots, have been grounded because of some technical faults. The Air Force is badly in need of HJT-16 aircrafts used by the Surya Kiran team, urgently.