Monday, February 16, 2009
Bangalore: The signature manoeuvres of the Surya Kiran and the Sarang teams enthralled thousands of spectators below and marked the last day of Aero India 2009. After five days of business meetings and several rounds of aerobatics by combat aircraft, the largest event in the Indian defence sector drew its curtains down until the next Aero India two years later.
The five-day show saw the largest number of business and other visitors ever in any Aero India event -- a 30,000 increase in both categories. There were over 500 domestic and aviation companies plus all the big names from the aviation sector. The first three days saw hectic business meetings, deals that will culminate in the weeks and months to come.
Combat aircraft from major contenders for the Indian Air Force's requirement of 126 fighter jets stole the show, with every company vying for India's attention. The Eurofighter Typhoon, participating for the first time, wowed the crowd, so did the F-16 and F-18, LCA Tejas, Sukhoi 30 MKI and others.
To give the show its glamour quotient was present Ratan Tata on the first day, although he did not fly this time. This year, Olympics star Abhinav Bindra, India's first astronaut Rakesh Sharma, and MP Naveen Jindal flew the F-16. Journalist Suman Sharma became the first Indian woman to fly both the F-16 and the MiG-35.
Towards evening, after Aero India 2009 ended, many eyes were still glued to the sky and people clicked more pictures. The roar of the Sukhoi-30 and MiG-35 and dozens of other aircraft from across the globe, was hard to shake off.
16/02/09 Times of India
The five-day show saw the largest number of business and other visitors ever in any Aero India event -- a 30,000 increase in both categories. There were over 500 domestic and aviation companies plus all the big names from the aviation sector. The first three days saw hectic business meetings, deals that will culminate in the weeks and months to come.
Combat aircraft from major contenders for the Indian Air Force's requirement of 126 fighter jets stole the show, with every company vying for India's attention. The Eurofighter Typhoon, participating for the first time, wowed the crowd, so did the F-16 and F-18, LCA Tejas, Sukhoi 30 MKI and others.
To give the show its glamour quotient was present Ratan Tata on the first day, although he did not fly this time. This year, Olympics star Abhinav Bindra, India's first astronaut Rakesh Sharma, and MP Naveen Jindal flew the F-16. Journalist Suman Sharma became the first Indian woman to fly both the F-16 and the MiG-35.
Towards evening, after Aero India 2009 ended, many eyes were still glued to the sky and people clicked more pictures. The roar of the Sukhoi-30 and MiG-35 and dozens of other aircraft from across the globe, was hard to shake off.
16/02/09 Times of India
Labels: The Show That Was
To read the news in full | PermaLink
A tyre burst on the concluding day of Aero India 2009 dented the image of an otherwise precision air show which spectacular air display for five days. Both the rear tyres of the Lockheed Martin F-16 IN Super Viper burst on Sunday afternoon while landing after a regular sortie.
The ill-fated two-seater aircraft was the same which India’s sole Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra co-piloted on the second day of the air show. This incident came as a major embarrassment for Lockheed Martin which is pitting the F-16 against six other international companies to bag the IAF’s 126 Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contract.
However, the Lockheed Martin put up a brave face by stating, “The tyres were changed within 30 minutes which is a perfect example of this aircraft’s maintainability.
The IAF show safety coordinators were very impressed with the rapidity with which the tyres were changed,” officials claimed.
Five days of breathtaking air display by the world’s most lethal war birds came to an end as dusk settled over the Yelahanka Air Force base on Sunday bringing down curtains on the Aero India 2009.
Over two lakh visitors attended the show which includes fifty thousand business visitors alone, exceeding the projection at the start of the show. Terming the five-day show as a grand success, organisers said the defence industries were set to get a boost. Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Deputy Director General Gurpal Singh said that 588 business-to-business (b2b) meetings took place under the umbrella of CII. These include 350 between Indian and foreign companies and the remaining between Indian business houses. The newly- introduced software, enabling online registration and enhancing business propositions among companies worldwide, proved a huge success during the show as about 600 meeting were held.
He added that the highlight of the event was the raising of Rs 7.15 crore as venture capital through business and promoting components. In total 303 companies from overseas and 289 from India participated in the air show.
16/02/09 ExpressBuzz
The ill-fated two-seater aircraft was the same which India’s sole Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra co-piloted on the second day of the air show. This incident came as a major embarrassment for Lockheed Martin which is pitting the F-16 against six other international companies to bag the IAF’s 126 Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contract.
However, the Lockheed Martin put up a brave face by stating, “The tyres were changed within 30 minutes which is a perfect example of this aircraft’s maintainability.
The IAF show safety coordinators were very impressed with the rapidity with which the tyres were changed,” officials claimed.
Five days of breathtaking air display by the world’s most lethal war birds came to an end as dusk settled over the Yelahanka Air Force base on Sunday bringing down curtains on the Aero India 2009.
Over two lakh visitors attended the show which includes fifty thousand business visitors alone, exceeding the projection at the start of the show. Terming the five-day show as a grand success, organisers said the defence industries were set to get a boost. Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Deputy Director General Gurpal Singh said that 588 business-to-business (b2b) meetings took place under the umbrella of CII. These include 350 between Indian and foreign companies and the remaining between Indian business houses. The newly- introduced software, enabling online registration and enhancing business propositions among companies worldwide, proved a huge success during the show as about 600 meeting were held.
He added that the highlight of the event was the raising of Rs 7.15 crore as venture capital through business and promoting components. In total 303 companies from overseas and 289 from India participated in the air show.
16/02/09 ExpressBuzz
Labels: The Show That Was
To read the news in full | PermaLink
Bangalore: The five-day Aero India 2009, during which Global aviation majors and national firms displayed flying prowess of their machines, concluded at the Yelahanka Airbase here on Sunday.
Tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts turned up to watch "magnificent flying metal birds", especially on the last two days when the show was open for public, as a slew of MoUs and agreements were signed during the event organised by the Ministry of Defence and managed by the Confederation of Indian Industry.
Agustawestland, a Finmeccanica company, and Tata Sons inked an MoU for formation of an Indian joint-venture company which would establish a final assembly line for manufacture of AW-119 helicopters in India.
Also, Tata Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML), a Tata Group Company, and global firm Saab signed a business agreement for manufacture of structural composite components. In sharp focus were six companies -- Lockheed Martin and Boeing from the United States, Russia's MiG, which is part of the 'UAC,' France's Dassault, Sweden's Saab and the EADS consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies -- who are in race for a Rs 40,000-Rs 45,000 crore contract to supply 126 fighter jets to India.
15/02/09 PTI/The Hindu
Tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts turned up to watch "magnificent flying metal birds", especially on the last two days when the show was open for public, as a slew of MoUs and agreements were signed during the event organised by the Ministry of Defence and managed by the Confederation of Indian Industry.
Agustawestland, a Finmeccanica company, and Tata Sons inked an MoU for formation of an Indian joint-venture company which would establish a final assembly line for manufacture of AW-119 helicopters in India.
Also, Tata Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML), a Tata Group Company, and global firm Saab signed a business agreement for manufacture of structural composite components. In sharp focus were six companies -- Lockheed Martin and Boeing from the United States, Russia's MiG, which is part of the 'UAC,' France's Dassault, Sweden's Saab and the EADS consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies -- who are in race for a Rs 40,000-Rs 45,000 crore contract to supply 126 fighter jets to India.
15/02/09 PTI/The Hindu
Labels: The Show That Was
To read the news in full | PermaLink
Bangalore: Focus India—that is the mantra for the global aerospace and defence industry as the country goes on a buying binge to modernize its military.
The world’s third largest arms importer is expected to spend nearly $ 100 billion, or Rs4.87 trillion, by 2017 to buy fighter planes, utility and attack helicopters, spy planes and own satellites in space. Despite a home-grown aerospace and defence industry, India still imports nearly 70% of its needs, defence minister A.K. Antony said on Monday.
The shopping list includes 126 fighter planes, estimated to cost at least Rs42,000 crore—the world’s biggest tender—nearly 197 helicopters for its army, an additional 57 Hawk trainers to train its pilots, tanker aeroplanes that will refuel fighters in mid-air and allow pilots to fly on long-distance sorties.
Nearly 592 exhibitors, including 303 from 25 countries, will take part in the five-day event which, besides frontline aircraft, will also see vendors selling components and systems to India’s home-grown aerospace industry.
11/02/09 K Raghu/Livemint
The world’s third largest arms importer is expected to spend nearly $ 100 billion, or Rs4.87 trillion, by 2017 to buy fighter planes, utility and attack helicopters, spy planes and own satellites in space. Despite a home-grown aerospace and defence industry, India still imports nearly 70% of its needs, defence minister A.K. Antony said on Monday.
The shopping list includes 126 fighter planes, estimated to cost at least Rs42,000 crore—the world’s biggest tender—nearly 197 helicopters for its army, an additional 57 Hawk trainers to train its pilots, tanker aeroplanes that will refuel fighters in mid-air and allow pilots to fly on long-distance sorties.
Nearly 592 exhibitors, including 303 from 25 countries, will take part in the five-day event which, besides frontline aircraft, will also see vendors selling components and systems to India’s home-grown aerospace industry.
11/02/09 K Raghu/Livemint
Labels: The Show That Was
To read the news in full | PermaLink
