Sarang Helicopter Display Team
ActiveOctober 2003 - present
Country India
BranchIndian Air Force
RoleAerobatic display team
Size14 Officers
32 Airmen
Garrison/HQSulur Air Force Station
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Commanders
Current
commander		Group Captain Santosh Kumar Mishra
Notable
commanders		Wing Commander Hari Nair
Wing Commander Shashank Misra
Wing Commander M Benny Mathews
Wing Commander Girish Komar
Aircraft flown
Helicopter4 - HAL Dhruvs

Sarang (Sanskrit: सारंग, lit. 'peacock') is the helicopter air display team of the Indian Air Force that flies four modified HAL Dhruv helicopters, also known as Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The team was formed in October 2003 and their first public performance was at the Asian Aerospace show, Singapore, in 2004.[1] The name Sarang is symbolic; the peacock is the national bird of India. The 151 HU name was given to the former ALH Evaluation Flight (AEF), which was formed at ASTE on 17 March 2002. The main role of AEF was to evaluate ALH in different terrain and weather conditions. Before 2003 Aero India, AEF was tasked to carry out two Helicopter Display. Post Aero India it was decided by the then CAS that post AEF role the first ALH unit of IAF will form a Helicopter Display Team, thus formation Sarang Display Team as 151 HU at Yelahanka in 2005. 151 HU shifted from Yelahanka AFS, Bangalore to Sulur AFS, Coimbatore in 2009.[2]

Sarang Helicopter Display Team

Performances

The Sarang Display team was initially formed and raised as a three-helicopter display team flying the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) built ALH (Dhruv) Mk-Is. In 2004, the team started performing with four helicopters at the Singapore Air Show in 2004. The team performs regularly at Aero India, a biennial air show held at Yelahanka Air Force Station near Bangalore, and on Air Force Day, the anniversary of the Indian Air Force, at Hindon Air Force Base every 8 October. The unit also performed at Farnborough Airshow in 2008. In 2021 the team performed at the Dubai Airshow.[3]

Incidents

In February 2007, the team had its first fatal accident when a Dhruv crashed at Yelahanka Air Force Station during a rehearsal before Aero India. Co-pilot Squadron Leader Priyesh Sharma was killed instantly and the pilot Wing Commander Vikas Jaitley received serious head injuries.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ILA 2008: Proud as Peacocks
  2. ↑ "'Sarang' team bids adieu to Yelahanka Air Force Station". 25 September 2009.
  3. ↑ "Dubai Airshow: IAF's Sarang team, Tejas aircraft showcase flying skills on opening day". 14 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "Dhruv crashed". The Hindu. 2007-02-03. Archived from the original on 2007-02-06.
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