Remarks: One of two F-16 Desert Falcons sent by the UAE Airforce and used exclusively for joy rides during Aero India 2011.
Here one of them is about to exit the ramp for a joyride just as the sun is about to set on day 3 of Aero India 2011.
Remarks: LM Test Pilot Jim Hedges retracts the gear just a brief second after blasting-off runway 09 as "Oscars 2". Him & the HD Camcorder toting gentleman in the backseat are tailing F16IN tail # 3010 Piloted by Cdr Paul 'Bear' Randell with Bollywood Actor Shahid Kapoor in the backseat to get some Air-to-Air footage & give Shahid some Flight Experience for his upcoming Movie 'Mausam' where he plays an IAF Mirage 2000 Pilot [Aero India 2011]
Remarks: Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Jim Hedges and a LM Videographer with a Pro HD Camcorder in the back taxi out to the end of runway 09 tailing Cdr Randell & Bollywood Actor Shahid Kapoor's Lead F16IN 3010 as the first of 3 pairs of 3 Suryakirans each land after one of their LAST displays. On the top left is an IAF Mi-8 tail # Z 2363 which also did daily flypasts & aerial display Su30MKI's tail # SB 131 & 141 are parked on the top right at the IAF remote bay. [Aero India 2011]
Remarks: In service with the UAE Air Force and is a regular visitor at Aero Indias. The UAE F16s are fitted with conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) - seen on the upper surface of the F-16’s fuselage. CFTs have the tank’s lower surface conforming to the aircraft shape and giving a muscular look to the normally svelte F16. These lightweight CFTs holds 450 gallons of additional fuel.
