Men who maintain the flying machines: Meet the unsung heroes behind Suryakiran Aerobatic Team’s daredevil stunts

When the nine BAE Hawk Mk.132 aircraft of the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) take off from Yelahanka Air Force Station, they reach Mysuru in just seven minutes. During the festive rush, however, the 150-kilometre journey by road can sometimes take five hours. The team is in Mysuru to perform for the crowds gathered for the world-famous Mysuru Dasara.

Headquartered at Bidar Air Force Station, SKAT is familiar with the skies above Yelahanka, where it performs every two years during Aero India, the biennial air show. In Mysuru, the pilots execute loops, barrel rolls and synchronised formations, leaving trails of smoke that trace patterns across the sky. When the tricolour smoke trails appear, the crowd erupts in excitement. Then come the high-speed crossings and inverted flying manoeuvres.

While spectators marvel at the pilots’ flying skills and rigorous training, a much larger team works on the ground to make these aerial displays possible. Technical, electronic and communication personnel ensure that the aircraft are ready for flight and that every manoeuvre can be executed safely.

Established in 1996, SKAT has conducted more than 850 displays in India and abroad. Nearly 250 personnel work together to put on each show. The team comprises 13 pilots, three engineering officers, a commanding officer and a medical officer, supported by 180 airmen. The technical crew is responsible for maintaining the nine aircraft, manufactured under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). With the jets flying in close formation, the serviceability of every aircraft is critical to the safety and execution of each display.

Led by Senior Engineering Officer Wing Commander Abhimanyu Tyagi, the technical crew carries out detailed inspections before every flight. The personnel examine the fuselage, wings and other components for signs of damage, check the hydraulic and fuel systems, and inspect the landing gear and tyres. They also check the engine intakes for foreign objects that could affect the aircraft’s performance. The jets are refuelled, and the smoke tanks used to produce the tricolour trails are replenished.

The work continues after landing. Once the aircraft return to their bays, the ground crew checks for signs of wear or damage, monitors fluid levels and examines critical systems. Any problem that requires attention must be addressed before an aircraft is cleared for another sortie.

“The ground staff are the backbone of the team, and their work is crucial to our performance. That is why we call ourselves a team, the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team. It is not just the pilots, but all the other support staff who make this happen,” says Tushar Sharma, a SKAT pilot.

For Himanshu Patel, a structure fitter with the team, the priority is to ensure that every flight is safe.

“Our work is to make everything possible for a safe flight. We also take feedback from the pilots. Aviation is all about trust. We do our work with 100 per cent accuracy,” he says.

That trust rests on the technical crew’s ability to identify potential problems, conduct thorough inspections and respond to feedback from pilots. Their work demands precision and consistency, particularly when the aircraft are subjected to the stresses of aerobatic flying.

SKAT’s Mysuru Dasara performance on Thursday was cut short because of weather conditions. The 23-minute display featured signature manoeuvres such as loops, barrel rolls, inverted flying and the DNA manoeuvre. Flying nine aircraft in close formation, the team demonstrated the precision and coordination required to execute complex aerial patterns. Behind these displays is a ground crew that works largely out of public view, ensuring that every aircraft is ready to fly.

SKAT’s performances have also become an important part of the Indian Air Force’s outreach, introducing audiences to military aviation and encouraging young people to consider a career in the Service.

For some, watching an air show as a child becomes the beginning of a journey into military aviation. Arjun Patel, a Bengaluru native who was previously part of SKAT, told THE WEEK during the 2025 air show that watching an aerial display as a child had inspired him to join the Air Force.

As SKAT prepares to return to the skies above Bengaluru for Aero India 2027, the pilots will once again draw crowds with their precision flying. On the ground, the technical crew will continue its work before and after every sortie, ensuring that the aircraft are ready for their next display.