Delhi residents to aid in bird strike prevention

Aviation fans everywhere await the cool displays at the upcoming Aero India show (9-13 February), but Delhi residents are set to get a nice prequel on 26 January, when India celebrates Republic Day.

The aerial component of the planned parade will include Jaguars, Mig-29s, Su-30MKIs, helicopters, and transport planes. A vertical climb by an Su-30MKI will mark the parade's end.

Since birds are everywhere in Delhi, particularly pigeons, hawks, and even parakeets, the Indian Air Force has made a special appeal to Delhi residents: "In view of the flypast at heights varying from 60 to 500 metres and the associated flight safety concerns posed by birds, the IAF appeals to all citizens of Delhi and its neighbourhood to keep their areas clean and avoid throwing eatables, garbage, dead animals, or carcasses in the open in all the days leading up to 26 January."

Interestingly, all the planes listed for the flypast have two engines. Notably absent from the list are the single-engined Mig-21 and HAL Tejas, which recently won its IOC.

This made me think of something a former IAF officer told me during a long, rambling discussion about the medium multi-role combat aircraft competition.

"Nobody has told me a thing, but I really think they'll go for a twin-engined aircraft," said he. "There are a lot of birds flying around India. Bird strikes are a real problem, so you're better off with two engines."

If he's right, this is bad news for the F-16IN and Saab Gripen IN.