Armée de l’Air Dassault Rafale

The Dassault Rafale is an Omnirole forth generation combat aircraft fully developed by the French Airforce and Navy. Designed on a delta wing concept, it has canards for better maneuverability and fly-by-wire flight controls. It is powered by two SNECMA M88-2 engines, each providing 17,000 lb of thrust at full afterburners. Its vast array of avionics suite and multiple hardpoints gives it the capabilities to perform a wide range of short and long-range missions, including air superiority, ground and sea attacks, reconnaissance, high-accuracy strikes and nuclear strike deterrence.

The Singapore Airshow 2016 aerial display segment was performed by the one and only Rafale Solo Display Team of the French Air Force. This was also the last performance for Captain Benoit Planche “Tao” who will be moving on to the coach role for the 2016/2017 season. CPT Tao entered the show centre from the left with afterburners blazing before pulling up on a vertical climb after passing the crowd, followed by plenty of hard G and a –4G turn showing off the superb manuverability and climb rate of the aircraft.

Throughout the demonstration, we were not only entertained by the superb flying skills of  CPT Tao and beautiful shape of the Rafale but also the fantastic bass produced by the twin M88-2 engines in afterburners. These has to be the best sounding engines in the Singapore Airshow  2016 flying displays. This is the most impressive single aircraft aerial demonstration in the airshow.

Rafale Solo Dispay Pilot – Captain Benoit “Tao” Planche

Captain Cedric “Rût” Ruet who was the first official Rafale Solo display pilot since 2009

CPT Tao checks out the crowd while zoom pass the show centre

CPT Tao checks out the crowd while zoom pass the show centrePulling up for vertical climb

Vapors on the wingtips and canards as the Rafale pulls up in afterburners

Showing off the beautiful shape of the Rafale

CPT Tao pulls a high G turn

Heading directly at the crowd before pulling up aggressively

Dassault Rafale

Bottom view of the Rafale

Making a high G turn

Afterburners on passing the spectators

Pulling up in full afterburners

Massive vapor generated by the humid air on a raining 1st Public Day Display

Condensation generated by the humid air as the Rafale cuts through it

CPT Tao shows off the high climb rate of the Rafale

Sun glint off the top of the Rafale

A shot of the Rafale as it comes by on a low speed pass

Gears down on finals to Changi Airbase East after the Demonstration

Landing at Changi Airbase East

Below is a youtube video of the whole performance filmed by wittmann51