As dusk fell over Begumpet on Wednesday, the first day of talks and deal-making at Wings India 2026 gave way to a spectacle in the sky. What was billed as an inaugural aerial display became a fitting finale to day one, drawing participants out of boardrooms and towards a celebration of flight.
Four Extra 330SC aircraft flown by UK pilots Mark Jefferies, Chris Burkett, Peter Wells and Chris Heames sliced through the twilight, their lights tracing sharp arcs overhead. Sweeping low over the venue, the aircraft left shimmering trails of coloured dust, from saffron to green.
Cheers erupted as the formation climbed into a tight spiral, releasing a plume of grey smoke in the team’s trademark “dotty” effect. At one point, the pilots etched two giant hearts more than 1,000 feet high. The tempo rose with a dramatic sequence in which aircraft peeled away, only to rush back towards each other in a series of opposition crosses, closing in at speeds of over 400 miles per hour before breaking cleanly apart.
Just as the last aircraft climbed out of view, the sky shifted roles again, becoming a screen for the drone show that followed. As sunset gave way to night, a cluster of green-lit drones assembled into a glowing rectangle, their colour intensifying against the deepening blue.
