Curtains down on Aero-India Show
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
Aero India ends with a blast
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
Sales pitch by global biggies, 'desi' companies mark Aero India
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
Reaching for the skies
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
Flight of fantasy takes wheels at Aero India
Bangalore: A speeding Formula SAE car in an air show amidst the best fighter aircraft is indeed an unfamiliar sight.
But, that was what the large crowd that had come to the Aero India 2009 venue got to see, a maroon Formula car speeding between two barricades at the display area on Sunday.
The Formula car PM408 built by Team HAYA, a group of automobile enthusiasts from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of People’s Education Society Institute of Technology (PESIT), is the first-ever race car to be displayed in the air show.
The PM408 which was on static display for the first four days of the air show in one of the exhibition halls had a slew of visitors which included Tata Chairman Ratan Tata, who apart from interacting with the students also gave them a few tips on how they can improve their performance in the upcoming FSAE ITALY 2009, in which they will taking part.
Team HAYA which was to take part in the elite Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE)-Australasia competition, held in November last year, could not do so due to technical snags.
“That failure was one of the main reasons why we brought the car to Aero India, where most of the visitors have an expertise in technology and we wanted to get their views,” he said.
“The car’s highlight is the custommade automatic button shift for fast and efficient transmission, all of which make PM409, the first-of-itskind in this part of the world. The car is to touch around 200 kmph with an acceleration of 0-100 kmph in less than 3.5 seconds,” Bafna added.
16/02/09 ExpressBuzz
But, that was what the large crowd that had come to the Aero India 2009 venue got to see, a maroon Formula car speeding between two barricades at the display area on Sunday.
The Formula car PM408 built by Team HAYA, a group of automobile enthusiasts from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of People’s Education Society Institute of Technology (PESIT), is the first-ever race car to be displayed in the air show.
The PM408 which was on static display for the first four days of the air show in one of the exhibition halls had a slew of visitors which included Tata Chairman Ratan Tata, who apart from interacting with the students also gave them a few tips on how they can improve their performance in the upcoming FSAE ITALY 2009, in which they will taking part.
Team HAYA which was to take part in the elite Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE)-Australasia competition, held in November last year, could not do so due to technical snags.
“That failure was one of the main reasons why we brought the car to Aero India, where most of the visitors have an expertise in technology and we wanted to get their views,” he said.
“The car’s highlight is the custommade automatic button shift for fast and efficient transmission, all of which make PM409, the first-of-itskind in this part of the world. The car is to touch around 200 kmph with an acceleration of 0-100 kmph in less than 3.5 seconds,” Bafna added.
16/02/09 ExpressBuzz
RADA's Navigation Systems Debut at Aero-India
Israel's avionics specialist, RADA Electronic Industries Ltd., is unveiling its latest line of Inertial Navigation Systems at Aero-India: high precision, yet affordable systems designed for airborne, unmanned and expendable applications.
RADA's range of INS on display at Aero-India 2009 includes:
• R-100F: Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG)-Based system
• R-200M: Compact, MEMS-Based, multiple-sensor aided INS
• MAVINS: Modular, All-in-One Avionics and MEMS-Based INS
RADA's navigation-grade, Embedded GPS-INS (EGI) R-100F solutions are applicable to new systems, retrofit and upgrade of aging platforms, replacing mechanical-gyro based units with modern, highly efficient and reliable FOG based solutions. The R-200M and MAVINS compact systems are uniquely built for integration into Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and disposable applications.
RADA's navigation solutions introduce sophisticated and unique sensor fusion algorithms, embedding modular design principles for seamless integration into larger mission systems.
RADA’s avionics solutions and expertise are offered to and adapted by leading air forces and aerospace prime integrators worldwide, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Electric, HAL, Embraer, IAI, Rafael and many others.
15/02/09 defpro.com
RADA's range of INS on display at Aero-India 2009 includes:
• R-100F: Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG)-Based system
• R-200M: Compact, MEMS-Based, multiple-sensor aided INS
• MAVINS: Modular, All-in-One Avionics and MEMS-Based INS
RADA's navigation-grade, Embedded GPS-INS (EGI) R-100F solutions are applicable to new systems, retrofit and upgrade of aging platforms, replacing mechanical-gyro based units with modern, highly efficient and reliable FOG based solutions. The R-200M and MAVINS compact systems are uniquely built for integration into Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and disposable applications.
RADA's navigation solutions introduce sophisticated and unique sensor fusion algorithms, embedding modular design principles for seamless integration into larger mission systems.
RADA’s avionics solutions and expertise are offered to and adapted by leading air forces and aerospace prime integrators worldwide, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Electric, HAL, Embraer, IAI, Rafael and many others.
15/02/09 defpro.com
F-16 tyre burst on landing during air show in Bangalore, none injured
"The tyre was changed within 30 minutes, which is a perfect example of this aircraft's maintainability," the company said.
The statement said the Air Force show safety coordinators were "very impressed with the rapidity with which the tyre was changed".
15/02/09 Press Trust of India
