Negative COVID test for aero show must: IAF officer

A negative COVID-19 test has been made mandatory for those attending the 13th biennial Aero India-2021 show at the Indian Air Force Station at Yelahanka in Bengaluru from February 3-5.

As the preparations are afoot for the event, an Indian Air Force official said on Friday that a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test report is a must to attend the show.

"Whoever wishes to attend the event has to have a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report without which there will be no entry," Air Commodore Shailender Sood, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station, Yelahanka, told reporters.

The test report has to be taken 72 hours prior to the show, he said.

According to the Aero India's website, the report should be dated January 31.

The report has to be uploaded and details on the Aero India's website would be validated by a medical team.

Once validated, the same would be forwarded to the registered e-mail ID or mobile number.

The organisers have decided to allow not more than 15,000 people at the venue.

Each day, only 3,000 visitors would be allowed at the flight display venue.

According to the IAF official, 41 aircraft would participate in the flight display on the inaugural day while there would be 63 aircraft on static display.

The key attractions would be the display by Surya Kiran aircraft and Sarang helicopters, which would be participating for the first time in this biennial event, the officer said adding that Chinhook and Apache helicopters and Rafale aircraft were likely to participate.

This year's Aero India show would be a hybrid show, which means the delegates would be present either physically or virtually.

In view of the untoward incidents including mid-air crash of two Hawk trainer jets in February 2019 and hundreds of cars burnt at the parking lot, a slew of measures have been taken.

There would be deployment of two AN-32 and two Mi-17 helicopters for the casualty evacuation.

The grass at the proposed parking lot has been removed and CCTV cameras installed.

There would also be two helicopters with Bambi buckets to cater to a fire emergency.

To a question on the participants, Air Commodore Sood said many countries would be participating this year but said the details of the international aerobatic team would be known by the January-end.

The Yelahanka Air Base is decked up for the biennial event.
A gallery for spectators has been erected for the viewers, and the runway cleaned up.