The Indian Air Force celebrates its 82nd anniversary on 8th Oct, 2014. The Armed Forces have a tradition of celebrating their anniversaries on Army Day, Navy Day & Air Force Day. While Army displays its might on land & Navy showcases itself as Bluewater Navy. The IAF deploys various aircrafts in an Airshow which uses precision flying in close formation with pinpoint accuracy.
For aircrafts to fly in such close proximity, the pilots need absolutely accurate wind direction & speed at their level of flying & also visibility report to remain in visual contact & maintain necessary separation.
The air display by various aircraft will form part of the Air Force Day Parade cum Investiture Ceremony at Air Force Station Hindon. The air display will commence with flag bearing sky divers of Akash Ganga Team dropping out of AN-32 aircraft. The commencement of the Air Force Day Parade will be marked by fly past of ENSIGN formation comprising of three Mi-17 V5 helicopters in VIC formation trooping the Air Force Ensign. This will be followed by various formations of aeroplanes like C-130J Hercules AN-32s ,Fighter fly-past, Globemaster-III the latest inductee, & finally a display by Sarang Helicopters will mark the grand finale to the ceremony.
For all these aircrafts to fly precisely & safely, accurate forecasts of wind directions & speed at every 100 feet is needed, so that do not fly too close or too far apart. These winds are crucial for paratroopers to manouvere their landing right in front of dais. For fly-past by fighters visibility is a vital parameter as visual contact with team members is a absolute must. Any clouding can hamper these operations & a cloud free sky is essential for air display to go on smoothly.
