Ratan Tata: First Indian Businessman to Ever Fly F-16 Fighter Jet

Tata Sons chairman emeritus Ratan Naval Tata passed away at the age of 86 on October 9, 2024, in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital, leaving a legacy of philanthropic and business leadership.

Tata contributed to society in many different ways, including his quest for affordable cars, resulting in the launch Nano cars. His love of flying was another significant part of his life.

Ratan Tata’s Thrilling F-16 Flight Experience

Few people get to witness the high-speed journey that Ratan Tata set off on in February 2007. According to NDTV, Tata, then 69, was asked to co-pilot an F-16 fighter jet at the Aero India Show in Bengaluru that year by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

Tata, a passionate pilot with licenses to fly both jets and helicopters, jumped at the opportunity to co-pilot the combat aircraft.

The F-16: A Powerful Fighter Jet

The F-16 is a multi-role fighter jet that is renowned for its speed and agility. The US-built single-engine aircraft is widely utilized by several air forces across the world.

Tata Takes the Co-Pilot Seat

During the half-hour flight, he apparently seized control of the aircraft under the supervision of a Lockheed Martin pilot. Tata's experience flying as low as 500 feet was called "exhilarating."

In an interview with NDTV shortly after the flight, Tata expressed his excitement and said, "You end up feeling very timid."

“It was a Thrilling Experience,”- Ratan Tata

"Flew around the topography" and descended to about "500 feet off the deck" was how Tata explained how the plane he was co-piloting went. "You just climb over a hill and come down, turn on your side, or turn over," he continued. "It's just unbelievable." It's simply unreal."

According to reports, Tata described the event as "very exciting."

Tata's companion, the Lockheed Martin pilot, was equally thrilled. "He was ecstatic," Tata said. "The best part was when we flew at low altitudes, about 500 feet, at 600 knots (1,110 kilometers per hour)," the pilot said, adding, "You get a real sense of how fast this aircraft can move."

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First Indian Civilian to Fly F-16 Fighter Jet

According to reports, Tata flew the F-16 for 35 minutes.

When Tata landed, Lockheed Martin representatives welcomed him and gave him a little model of an F-16. The American defense firm was competing at the time for a multibillion-dollar deal with the Indian Air Force.

Flying the F-18 Super Hornet Next Day

Tata accomplished other aeronautical feats that week as well. He piloted a larger American fighter plane, the Boeing F-18 Super Hornet, the next day.

Tata flew for an hour from Yelahanka Air Force Station while co-piloting an F-18 fighter, just twenty-four hours after co-piloting an F-16. The flight was piloted by a former US Navy pilot.

Tata ultimately flew back-to-back two of the most sophisticated fighter jets in the world.

About the F-18 Super Hornet

The US Navy makes considerable use of the twin-engine, carrier-based F-18 Super Hornet multirole fighter jet. It is intended for both air-to-ground and air-to-air combat missions. It differs from other planes of its generation in that it can operate from aircraft carriers.

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