SoloTürk

SoloTürk or Solo Türk, often stylized as SOLOTÜRK, is a single-aircraft aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force. Plans for the team began in November 2009 and the pilot training process was finalized in August 2010 with three pilots initially. The first demonstration flight was performed within the military in September 2010, and the team made its first public appearance 15 April 2011. Since then, SoloTürk has participated in several national and international airshows, with most maneuvers in demonstration flights being special to the team.

SoloTürk
SoloTürk badge
Active25 November 2009 (formation)
15 April 2011 (performances)
CountryTurkey
BranchTurkish Air Force
RoleAerobatic demonstration Team
Size3 pilots
2 support personnel
9 maintenance personnel
Garrison/HQKonya Air Base
ColorsBlack, Gold, White, Silver
Aircraft flown
FighterGeneral Dynamics F-16C Block 40
Transport1 CASA CN-235M-100

The team uses a specially-painted General Dynamics F-16C Block 40 aircraft which is combat ready. SoloTürk formerly operated out of the Akıncı Air Base, but moved to Konya Air Base in 2016 after the coup d'état attempt. The team has a total of 13 personnel, including two pilots, and uses a CASA CN-235M-100 for transportation. Pilots wanting to fly for the team must meet certain criteria before they qualify for a training. SoloTürk has received multiple awards for its demonstration flights.

History
SoloTürk in 2014

The development of a one-aircraft aerobatic team started on 25 November 2009. The pilots were selected in January 2010 and training started in May the same year, which lasted three months.[1] The first display flight was performed on 1 September 2010 to then Turkish Air Force commander Hasan Aksay at the 4th Main Base Jet Command,[2] where the team was stationed until 2016.[3]

The team made its first public appearance on 15 April 2011 at the Akıncı Air Base in Ankara during the 100th anniversary event of the Turkish Air Force.[4] At the final Waddington International Air Show in 2014, SoloTürk ducked under the glide slope on final approach and made an extremely low-pass above the audience watching the aircraft land.[5]

The Akıncı Air Base, which was the base of SoloTürk since its forming, was closed following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt as it is alleged that the base was used as the command center of pro-coup military.[6] An internal investigation concluded that none of the members of SoloTürk were a part of the Gülen movement.[7] The base of the team was moved to the Konya Air Base in October 2016, where the aerobatic demonstration team Turkish Stars are also based at.[3][8]

On 25 January 2017, pilots Erhan Günar and Serdar Doğan flew the SoloTürk F-16, which has a takeoff speed of 300 kilometres per hour (160 kn), at a speed of 180 kilometres per hour (97 kn) during a training flight in preparation of the coming year and broke the "slowest flight" record.[9][10]

At the inaugural Teknofest on 20 September 2018, a drag race was held between SoloTürk, Red Bull RB8, Kawasaki Ninja H2, Tesla Model S P100D, Aston Martin Vantage, Lotus Evora GT410 and Bombardier Challenger 600.[11] The 9-second race was won by Kenan Sofuoğlu who was driving the Kawasaki Ninja H2.[12] SoloTürk came third behind the Red Bull RB8 driven by Jake Dennis.[13] Before the start of the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix at the Istanbul Park circuit, SoloTürk made a fly-by on the main straight.[14] A footage captured by a track-side cameraman showed that the unexpected and sudden sound of the aircraft scared several drivers without headphones.[15]

On 21 May 2022, pilot Emre Mert performed the cobra maneuver with the demonstration aircraft. With this, SoloTürk became the first team to perform this maneuver with a General Dynamics F-16.[16]

Demonstrations

A typical SoloTürk demonstration flight takes about 20 minutes, where the pilot makes 20 maneuvers. According to Erhan Günar, one of the former pilots of the team, most of these are only performed by SoloTürk.[17] After retracting the landing gear following takeoff, the aircraft starts flying in inverse at an altitude of 10 metres (33 ft) and proceeds to climb in that position. The aircraft performs a aileron roll while climbing and turning. The move is performed across three axes and is nicknamed SoloTürk roll because it is only performed by SoloTürk.[17][18] In 2022, the cobra maneuver was also added to the demonstration package of the team.[16] The aircraft stays in between a speed of 100–1,200 knots (190–2,220 km/h) and above an altitude of 100 feet (30 m).[18] Per demonstration flight, 3.5 tonnes of fuel is used. Pilots experience a maximum g-force of 9 during flights.[17]

Aircraft

Demonstration aircraft
Bottom part of SoloTürk with the star and crescent

SoloTürk uses a General Dynamics F-16C Block 40 aircraft in its demonstration flights.[19] The type was chosen because it is a highly maneuverable aircraft and because the F-16 uses a side-stick, which aids pilots in keeping the aircraft under control during high g-force maneuvers.[17][18] Despite being painted in a special livery, the aircraft still has combat capabilities and is sometimes used in training and minor operations carried out by the Turkish Air Force.[20][21][22]

The livery was designed by Murat Dorkip.[23] The star and crescent on the aircraft represents the value of the Turkish Air Force to the Republic of Turkey.[24] The silver star on the plane symbolizes the goal of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Air Force to be the star of the 21st century, while the golden hawk on the tail symbolizes the freedom and determination in the spirit of the aviators.[24] According to former SoloTürk pilot Erhan Günar, the black stripes found on the aircraft symbolize "how accurate and fast the Turkish Air Force and Turkish Armed Forces make their decisions".[17]

Transport aircraft

Initially, the team used a CASA CN-235M-100 as its transport aircraft. In 2016, this aircraft was replaced by a Lockheed C-130 Hercules with serial number 63-13187.[25] In October 2020, the team returned to using a CASA CN-235.[26]

Organization

Selection and training
A CASA CN-235M-100 similar to this one provides support for SoloTürk

On 25 November 2009, the Turkish Air Force Command started the Flight with a Single F-16 Aircraft program to find pilots.[2] Three pilots were selected on 14 January 2010: Murat Keleş, Fatih Batmaz and Sedat Yalın Ahbab. On 18 May 2010, Keleş became the first of the three to start his training.[1] During training sessions, two additional pilots were present in the cockpit as observers. Keleş finished his training on 20 August 2010.[2]

In an early 2021 interview with TRT Haber, pilot Emre Mert said that to become a SoloTürk pilot, "you must have flown an F-16 for over 500 hours, have no record of incidents and know a good level of English." Pilots can only start their training of three months which they will have to pass, after they meet these criteria and get selected.[22] Later that year, pilot Murat Bakıcı told that there were specific "books and guidelines" on who could become a pilot, and said that the minimum required flight hours was one thousand.[27]

Personnel

As of November 2019, the team consists of two pilots, two support personnel and nine maintenance personnel.[1] The person talking during the demonstration flights is SoloTürk's press and public relations officer, Mustafa Bircan Biçer.[22] The three initially selected pilots are no longer a part of SoloTürk. Murat Keleş left in 2012, Fatih Batmaz in 2013, while Sedat Yalın Ahbab left in 2014.[28] As of January 2022, the two incumbent pilots flying the aircraft are Emre Mert and Murat Bakıcı.[27] Apart from demonstration flights, the pilots also participate in regular military missions of the Turkish Air Force.[29]

Awards

SoloTürk received its first award on 18 July 2011 at the Royal International Air Tattoo for having the "Best Demonstration Flight" of the airshow.[30] In August 2017, the team received the same award at the Slovak International Air Fest, where the demonstration flight was watched by 300,000 people.[31] At the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2018, the team received an award for having the "Best Solo Jet Demonstration Flight" of the airshow.[32]

References
  1. "SoloTurk – Tarihçe". SoloTürk. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  2. "Teknofest Solo Türk gösterisi hangi günler var?". Akşam. 25 September 2020. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  3. "SOLOTÜRK'ün yeni yuvası belli oldu". Milliyet. 18 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  4. "100th Anniversary Activities of Turkish Air Force F-16 Solo Display Team". Turkish Air Force. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011.
  5. "Turkish F-16's ultra low landing at Waddington Airshow". Theaviationist. July 6, 2014. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  6. "194 killed in quashed Gülenist coup attempt: Military". Hürriyet Daily News. July 15, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  7. "Bu bayram onları gökyüzünde görmeyeceksiniz çünkü..." Odatv4. 29 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  8. "SOLOTÜRK'e yeni yuva". A Haber. Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  9. "SOLOTÜRK'ten "yavaş uçuş" rekoru". NTV. Archived from the original on 2017-01-26. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  10. "SOLOTÜRK'ten yavaş uçuş rekoru". CNN Türk. Archived from the original on 2021-01-16. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  11. "İnanılmaz görüntüler". Habertürk. September 20, 2018. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  12. Enver ALAS-İbrahim MAŞE. "İşte F-16 ile Kenan Sofuoğlu yarışının galibi..." Hürriyet. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  13. "Kenan Sofuoğlu F-16 uçağıyla yarıştı". TRT Haber. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  14. "SOLOTÜRK'ten Formula 1 pilotlarına selam". TRT Haber. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  15. "Formula 1 pilotları kaçacak yer aradı". Yeni Çağ Gazetesi. November 15, 2020. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  16. "SOLOTÜRK yeni manevrasıyla F-16 sınırlarını aştı". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  17. Zafer Akpınar, Emrah Elmas (29 September 2014). "SOLOTÜRK'ün merak edilenleri". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  18. Serap Torun (13 November 2020). "Bu manevrayı sadece SOLOTÜRK yapıyor". Hürriyet. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  19. "Antalya SOLOTÜRK gösterisi ne zaman?". Habertürk. October 29, 2021. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  20. "SoloTurk - FAQ". SoloTürk. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  21. "Gökyüzünde heyecan dolu 10 yıl (SOLOTÜRK 10 yaşında)". NTV. Archived from the original on 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  22. "SOLOTÜRK 10 yıldır göklere imza atıyor". TRT Haber. Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  23. "The graphic design of SoloTürk". SoloTürk. Archived from the original on 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  24. "Cumhurbaşkanı Gül, Türk Hava Kuvvetleri'nin 100. Yılında SOLOTÜRK Gösterisini İzledi". Presidency of the Republic of Turkey. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  25. Hans van Herk. "Solo Türk new support aircraft". Scramble. Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  26. "SOLOTÜRK Tekrar CN235'le Birlikte". C4defence. October 1, 2020. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  27. "This is how SOLOTÜRK, architect of daredevil airshows, prepares". Daily Sabah. 25 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  28. "İz Bırakanlar". SoloTürk. Archived from the original on 2016-08-06. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  29. "SOLOTÜRK 10 yaşında! Efsane ekip kapılarını CNN TÜRK'e açtı". Milliyet. Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  30. Alpaslan DÜVEN. "SoloTürk Londra'da ödül kazandı". Hürriyet. Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  31. "SOLOTÜRK'e Slovakya'dan ödül". Dünya Gazetesi. August 29, 2017. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  32. "SOLOTÜRK'e İngiltere'den ödül". Habertürk. July 18, 2018. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
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