S. Korean aerobatic flight team flies high at Malaysian air show
.jpg?w=728)
Eight T-50Bs of the Black Eagles aerobatic flight team draw a big arrow during an air show at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in Malaysia from March 21 to 25. / Courtesy of the Korean Air Force
By Jun Ji-hye
The Air Force’s aerobatic flight team, the Black Eagles, demonstrated various advanced maneuvers at a Malaysian air show last week, winning praise for the excellence of the pilots’ skills and their T-50 supersonic trainer jets, the Air Force said Sunday.
The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2017, one of the largest air shows in the Asia-Pacific region, ended Saturday.
During the five-day event that brought 500 defense companies from 36 countries and 200,000 visitors together, the eight T-50Bs of the Black Eagles conducted eight flights, demonstrating various maneuvers, including their trademark show of drawing a huge heart and the Taegeuk symbol from the Korean flag with white smoke.
“The Black Eagles received huge attention from visitors and media during the event,” the Air Force said. “Hishamuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s defense minister, also praised the team, calling it one of the world’s first-class aerobatic flight teams.”
The Air Force said the team’s participation was another chance to promote the nation’s advanced trainer jets in the global defense industry, which will help exports.
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) developed the T-50 in 2001 with technical help from U.S. aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. The Korean company, based in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, has also made aerobatic and combat variants, namely the T-50B, the TA-50 and the FA-50, as well as the Surion utility helicopter.
The Black Eagles’ performances at air shows in the United Kingdom and Singapore have also contributed considerably to export sales of the jets, the Air Force said.
The jets were exported to Indonesia, Iraq and the Philippines.
“Three Malaysian pilots experienced flying the T-50s for an hour during the event,” the Air Force said.