Flying was Ratan Tata’s one passion everyone knew of. He held licences to fly both jet aircraft and helicopters and seized the chance when offered the opportunity to fly the lethal F-16 fighter jet by Lockheed Martin. Ratan Tata was 69 years old in 2007 when he took hold of the control stick in the fighter’s cockpit. He fulfilled a dream as he flew a half-hour sortie with a seasoned Lockheed pilot in the skies of Bengaluru. The American defence giant was in the fray for a multi-billion dollar contract in India and presented Ratan Tata with a replica of the multi-role aircraft. That wasn’t all for Ratan Tata. The very next day, he got to fly a Boeing F-18 Super Hornet aircraft.