After F-16, Tata flies the Super Hornet

Bangalore -- Tata group chairman Ratan Tata, who flew the multi-role combat aircraft F-18 Super Hornet as a co-pilot over an hour Friday, called it a terrific ride.

"It was a terrific ride. I really enjoyed flying Super Hornet. We spent a lot of time waiting to come in and went around doing some manoeuvres," Tata told IANS minutes after disembarking from the F-18 cockpit at the Yelahanka base of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the venue of the Aero India 2007 international air show in Bangalore.

During the sortie with US Navy pilot Todd Nelson, 36, Tata said he got the feel of the place (in and around Bangalore) both at high speed as well as low speed.

"I just flew it in the air for a short while and got to see all of Bangalore and its surrounding areas from a great height cruising at high and low speeds," he added.

The 69-year-old industrialist flew the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet of the Boeing Corporation from the Yelahanka base a day after he co-piloted a F-16.

Asked how different was flying F-18 from the F-16 of Lockheed Martin that he flew Thursday, Tata said as a twin-engine aircraft, the Super Hornet was different from the other (F-16) but the experience was equally terrific.

"We did different things in both. F-18 is a different aircraft. There were not many manoeuvres. On the whole, the experience is exhilarating," Tata added.

Asked if he would also fly in the aircraft of the IAF and Russia-built fighters, Tata said he would not as he was leaving for Mumbai later in the day.

The Super Hornet was originally designed for the US Navy as a multi-role carrier-based aircraft.

US-based global aerospace major Boeing is also pitching in F-18 for the IAF order of acquiring 126 multi-role combat aircraft to replace the latter's ageing Russian-built MiG-21 fleet.