DTN News: Singapore Aborts Flight Show After Safety Breached

DTN News: Singapore Aborts Flight Show After Safety Breached *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) SINGAPORE - February 6, 2010: Singapore aborted a flight display at its international airshow on Thursday after a South Korean pilot steered his jet too close to spectators, witnesses and the show organiser said. The T-50 Golden Eagle, formerly known as the KTX-2, jet trainer and light attack aircraft is being built for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF). The aircraft is being developed in the T-50A advanced trainer and T-50B lead in fighter trainer versions. The T-50 LIFT is called the A-50 by RoKAF. The T-50 is designed to provide pilot training for current and next-generation fighters like advanced F-16s, F-22s and the joint strike fighter. The first flight of the T-50 took place in August 2002. The RoK Air Force has a requirement for 50 T-50 trainers and 44 T-50 LIFT. RoKAF placed a production contract for the first 25 T-50 in December 2003 and the first production aircraft was rolled out in August 2005. The first two aircraft were delivered to RoKAF in December 2005 and the aircraft entered service in April 2007. 13 aircraft are currently operational. Two squadrons (30 to 40 aircraft) are due to be operating by 2008. 1,000 flights have been completed in the test programme. The A-50 made its first flight in September 2003. A programme of weapon delivery flight testing is continuing and deliveries of the A-50 are planned to begin in 2009. In December 2006, the RoKAF placed a second production contract for 50 T-50 and A-50 aircraft. KAI is developing a fighter version based on the T-50, called the F/A-50 for the RoKAF, which has a requirement for 60 aircraft to replace the F-5. It is planned that the F/A-50 will be fitted with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. An aerial display, which was supposed to last for eight minutes, was shortened to less than half that after the error by the T-50 Golden Eagle jet, owned by the Korean Aerospace Industries. "The T-50 Golden Eagle's flight this afternoon was observed to have infringed the safety boundaries and the pilot was instructed to terminate his flying display as a precaution," Singapore Airshow's Marilyn Ho said in an email to Reuters. "The Singapore Airshow has strict safety standards for all aerial displays. Proper safety markers and boundaries are in place to ensure the safety of the audience and the pilots." The week-long biennial Singapore Airshow kicked off on the densely populated island-state on Tuesday and is due to open to public this weekend, when thousands of spectators are expected to visit. Thursday's flight display was watched by hundreds of trade visitors -- many of whom were wowed by the aircraft's proximity as it approached the show centre's seaside grounds, and then made an acute turn back out to sea, a witness told Reuters. "I was surprised at how low the aircraft was flying. First, I thought it was part of the thrill factor, but found it anti-climaxed when I didn't see the jet return, only to realise that the show had ended," said a Singaporean photographer who didn't want to be identified.