"It was terrific. Better than the last time... I would love to do it again,” enthused Ratan Tata, group chairperson of Tata companies, as he alighted from the F/A-18 Super Hornet all weather, multirole fighter aircraft made by Boeing which he had co-piloted at the Aero India military-cum-civilian aviation show at Bangalore on February 10, 2011. This is the second time the industrialist has been at the controls of an F-18 supersonic fighter, the earlier experience being in 2007.
Ratan Tata (top) ready to soar; (above) with co-pilot in front of the F-18 supersonic fighter
After being airborne for a thrilling 45 minutes, the keen aviator told the media: "It takes a lot more to fly the F-18 as compared to the Falcon!” The Falcon, better known as the F-16, is an earlier model in the series of fighter aircraft originally created for the US Air Force.
In 2009, the 73-year-old who holds a commercial pilot’s licence, had flown the F-16 fighter plane at the air show.