The Hindu Business Line : Tata in F16 steals the show

TOP GUN: Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Group, getting into an F-16 US fighter aircraft at the Aero India 2007 in Bangalore on Thursday. . - G.R.N. Somashekar

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Bangalore Feb. 8 On Day 2, it was Mr Ratan Tata who set the skies ablaze over Bangalore - eclipsing the fighters and the two IAF aerobatics teams.

A pilot licence-holder who has flown his company-owned aircraft, Mr Tata on Thursday co-piloted the Lockheed Martin F16 Falcon fighter for nearly 40 minutes.

To fly for Boeing

And he has agreed to do it again on Friday morning, this one for Boeing IDS, Lockheed's competitor. On Thursday, Mr Tata spent half an hour at the simulator of the Boeing F/A 18 Super Hornet - coincidentally positioned right opposite the stall of his company, TCS.

The competing US fighters - the Falcon and the Super Hornet - are among the half a dozen aircraft making a pitch at the IAF's proposal to buy 126 new fighters. The others in the $6.5-billion race are Sweden's SAAB JAS-39 Gripen,which has been tested by the IAF commanders; MiG-35; the European Eurofighter, and the French Rafale.

Outsourcing options

Both Lockheed Martin and Boeing IDS have said they are in talks with TCS and other Tata group companies for possible design outsourcing options as part of the offsets, should either clinch the deal.

Mr Tata did not comment after the flight, though he had earlier said he was excited about the prospect. Mr Paul Hattendorf, the F-16 test pilot with whom he flew, said Mr Tata was in command for most of the time and "he was a good pilot." The two flew 60 miles around Bangalore at 18,000 feet, Mr Hattendorf said.