A naval team from Goa

Sagar Pawan, Hindi for “sea breeze”, was formed in 2003 within the Indian Naval Air Squadron 551, the navy’s jet training unit at INS Hansa, Dabolim, in Goa. It flew four modified HAL HJT-16 Kiran trainers in a dark blue and white scheme, fitted to trail coloured smoke. While it was active it was often described as one of only two naval jet aerobatic teams in the world, the other being the US Navy’s Blue Angels. The team performed at venues across India, notably during the annual Navy Day celebrations, and at events such as the silver jubilee of INS Shivaji in 2009.

Hyderabad and the end

On 3 March 2010 one of the team’s Kirans crashed during an air show in Hyderabad, killing Commander Suresh Kumar Maurya and Lieutenant Commander Rahul Nair, both pilots with more than 1,000 flying hours. The team stopped displaying in late 2010, the reason given being a shortage of Kiran aircraft needed for pilot training; in September 2011 the press reported it as taking a break. The squadron commander said displays could resume once the training load eased and the BAE Systems Hawk had entered naval service, but the team was not re-formed.