Thursday, February 08, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Bangalore: Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata on Thursday soared to new heights literally when he took off in a multi-role combat aircraft F-16 at the airshow here. Tata, 69, undertook the flight in co-pilot's seat which was commandeered by Paul Hattendorf, the test pilot of Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the aircraft. The jet belongs to Bloc 50 of the US Air Force. F-16, also known as Fighting Falcon, is in the race for Indian Air Force's mega plans of acquiring 126 multi-role combat aircraft. Lockheed has been lobbying hard to sell its jet to India. With this, Tata has now become the oldest Indian to fly the American-made aircraft. Tata, who holds a pilot's licence, had said the thought of the F-16 flight "excites me very much."
08/02/07 Times of India
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08/02/07 Times of India
Labels: F16, Lockheed Martin, Tata, US
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New Delhi: After sealing the $12-billion jumbo deal to buy Anglo-Dutch steel-maker Corus, Tata group chairman Ratan Tata is set to pull off another surprise by flying a fighter jet at the Aero India Show in Bangalore Feb 7-11.
The 69-year-old trained pilot will fly Lockheed Martin's F-16 multi-role combat aircraft during the show that the Bethesda, Maryland-based defence and aerospace major will feature. It proposes to sell 126 of them to the Indian Air Force.
'Lockheed Martin officials are handling this matter. The finer details of when, where and what is being finalised,' a Tata official told IANS, confirming the proposed sortie on an F-16 by the group's chairperson who enjoys flying.
'I don't get much spare time, but what little spare time I have is spent flying. I am a trained pilot for both planes and helicopters,' Tata has been quoted as saying in an interview posted on the group's Web site
According to defence industry sources, Lockheed Martin has also been in talks with the Tatas and the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics to outsource components manufacture for the aircraft.
04/02/07 India PRwire (Press Release)
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The 69-year-old trained pilot will fly Lockheed Martin's F-16 multi-role combat aircraft during the show that the Bethesda, Maryland-based defence and aerospace major will feature. It proposes to sell 126 of them to the Indian Air Force.
'Lockheed Martin officials are handling this matter. The finer details of when, where and what is being finalised,' a Tata official told IANS, confirming the proposed sortie on an F-16 by the group's chairperson who enjoys flying.
'I don't get much spare time, but what little spare time I have is spent flying. I am a trained pilot for both planes and helicopters,' Tata has been quoted as saying in an interview posted on the group's Web site
According to defence industry sources, Lockheed Martin has also been in talks with the Tatas and the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics to outsource components manufacture for the aircraft.
04/02/07 India PRwire (Press Release)
Labels: Defense, F16, Fighters, Lockheed Martin, Tata, US
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