This photo-essay of mine appeared in Huffington Post India on 3rd March 2015. To see it at HuffPost, please click here!

Earlier this year, 5-day Aero India 2015 in Bangalore (18-22 Feb 2015) offered a stunning visual delight for the visitors. The key reason for the show was defence-related business deals; but from visitors’ point of view, the impressive fly pasts and the daring aerobatics displays put up by various global teams was the high point. I went there for travel photography of air devils. Here are glimpses of their awesomeness!

Travel Photography of Air Devils

travel photography of air devils

HAL Tejas: Its roar shook the airfield!

travel photography of air devils

Despite supersonic speed, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI has a capability to land on shorter runways, thanks to a pair of parachutes opening when it lands.

travel photography of air devils
US Air Force Military Transport Aircarft

C-17 Globemaster, a US Air Force Military Transport Aircraft, was the largest monster on display. This 53m long aircraft needs an airstrip of just 900mts to land, and can carry 77.5 tons of cargo.

travel photography of air devils
Cheetah – IAF’s ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter)
travel photography of air devils
Cheetah – IAF’s ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter)

Cheetah – HAL’s Advanced Light Helicopter – demonstrated great manoeuvrability.

travel photography of air devils
Sarang Display Team
travel photography of air devils
Sarang Display Team
travel photography of air devils
Sarang Display Team

Sarang Aerobatics team (in HAL’s Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv) took our breath away with their fearless aerobatics. They crisscrossed each other just a few feet apart and flew one on top of the other, while the audience’ hearts were in their mouths as their rotors seemed to be meshing into each other like gears.

travel photography of air devils
UK’s aerobatic display team ‘Yakovlevs’

Yakovlevs, an aerobatics team from UK, demonstrated their own brand of dare-devilry. They flew past each other at great speeds and flew upside down for the most part.

Breitling (UK) and Catwalk (Sweden) shared the honours of bringing a ‘first’ to India – both teams had a pair of wing walkers engaged in gutsy midair ramp… er… wing walks. Catwalk team stole a march over the Breitling team with their tricolour contrails display.

travel photography of air devils
UK Display Team

Wing walker team of Breitling (UK)

travel photography of air devils
Aerobatic Display Team from Sweden

Catwalk ready for take off

travel photography of air devils
Aerobatic Display Team from Sweden

Catwalk flying low

travel photography of air devils
Aerobatic Display Team from Sweden

Catwalk wing walker

travel photography of air devils
Aerobatic Display Team from Sweden

Catwalk Tricolour Triptych

travel photography of air devils
Czech Republic – Zlin Z-50 aircrafts
travel photography of air devils
Czech Republic – Zlin Z-50 aircrafts

The most audacious aerobatic display was mounted by the Red Bull team flying Zlin Z-50 air-crafts from Czech Republic. Besides the upside-down manoeuvres, they were also flying extremely close. As a result, two red bulls crashed into each other midair, but the pilots managed to land the damaged birds safely, despite one plane suffering a major crack in its wing.

If you’d like to know how to shoot these supersonic machines zipping about in the skies, email at travelure@travelure.in

Czech Republic – Zlin Z-50 aircrafts

Comments

comments

15 COMMENTS

  1. Ajay, your photos are gorgeous as usual! I especially liked helicopter shots.

    And that mid air collision was so scary. You have captured them so well.

    • Thanks, Nisha! Mid air collision was a chance capture. I saw these aircrafts take-off, do some manoeuvres for a short while and then doing a sudden bumpy landing. That’s when I reviewed my captures and discovered they had collided!

  2. Beautifully captured. Although I imagine looking at all that through a lens would have been quite dizzying! Love your work, I will be looking for you on IG

    • Thanks, Rob! I don’t know if you noticed the last triptych – of two Red Bull aircrafts colliding midair. That was something! I didn’t realised they had collided till I saw them land bumpily and then started to review my captures!

  3. How cool. We have several air shows near me in Florida plus alot of fantastic ones before NFL football games.This one looks very amazing and your photos are just jumping off the page. Beautiful!

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