Article Posted on : - Jan 27, 2012

IAF planes make a formation during 63rd Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi on Thursday. A PTI photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): As always, the flypast signalling the culmination of India's Republic Day parade left the spectators -- from tiny tots to the elderly -- gazing at the skies with wonder-struck eyes.

They were spell bound as pilots from Indian Air Force did dare-devilish manoauvers in the sky, trying the difficult formations like 'Trishul', 'Big Boy', 'Arrowhead' and 'Vertical Charlie'.

This time, the new introduction in the fly past fleet was the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, bought recently from the United States. The aircraft has created a record for carrying out the longest flight of nine hours and forty five minutes without refuelling.

A clear sky was what all the spectators wanted and the flypast began with three Mi-35 helicopters in a Vic formation followed by three Super Hercules planes again in a Vic formation.

An an IL-78 flanked by two AN-32 and two Dornier trailed them in a Big Boy formation.

Next in line were the fighters -- five Jaguars followed by five MiG-29 flying in Arrowhead formation.

Then zoomed through the skies over Rajpath three Su-30 MKI fighters in Trishul formation. Once in front of the saluting dais, the Su-30MKI aircraft split upwards, making a Trishul in the sky.

The flypast concluded with another Sukhoi Su-30 MKI carrying out a Vertical Charlie manoeuvre over the saluting dais.