JOIN USThe unsung hero
He’s the one who made the reel star look like the real star. Cdr Paul Randall nicknamed 'Bear' who piloted the F-16 Super Viper in which Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor flew at the Aero India 2011 however remained the unsung star. This despite Paul having taught Shahid all the combat skills that’s done mid-air.
Paul was with Shahid ever since he stepped into the air base. Shahid was taken through the medical tests, put through the simulator, after which Paul spent 45 minutes training him about the fighting combats F-16 Super Vipers do mid-air. “Shahid picked up all the combats pretty fast. He’s a keen observer and has an eye for detail. I am excited to be training an Indian actor. I am told he’s pretty popular with the young girls in India,” he beams.
There were two F-16 Super Vipers that took to the skies on Saturday. One aircraft had Shahid Kapoor with Cdr Paul Randall and the other aircraft had two US F-16 pilots. This was done to demonstrate to Shahid how F-16s combat mid-air. He was taught the combats and was given the charge of the control keys.
Among the combats that were taught to Shahid were ‘Tactical Intercepts’ and ‘Dog Fighting’. “In ‘Tactical Intercepts’ one aircraft tries to get behind another aircraft to shoot it down. It’s like fighting with knives in a phone booth. Such close are the aircraft vying to destroy each other,” explains Paul. In ‘Dog Fighting’ the aircraft face each other.
Talking more about the combats, Paul says, “We taught Shahid how to drop a bomb and taught him several loops as well. Most importantly we introduced him to the skill of low flying. This is no scene out of a movie. This is what we do in real life.”
Paul made sure Shahid was comfortable and even strapped him in a pilot’s gear which comprised a G-Suit, harness and a helmet before he took to the skies.