Solo Türk
Encyclopedia
The Solo Türk is the solo aerobatics
Aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight. Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment and sport...

 display team of the Turkish Air Force
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. It ranks 3rd in NATO in terms of fleet size behind the USAF and Royal Air Force with a current inventory of 798 aircraft .-Initial stages:...

 using the fighter jet F-16. Like the main aerobatic demonstration team, the Turkish Stars
Turkish Stars
The Turkish Stars are the aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force and the national aerobatics team of Turkey.The team was formed on November 7, 1992 and was named the Turkish Stars on January 11, 1993....

, it presents the maneuver capability and training level of the Turkish pilots.

The team was established for performings within the activities of the Turkish Air Force's 100th anniversary in 2011. Its first public display was held on April 15, 2011 over the Akıncı Air Base
Akinci Air Base
Akıncı Air Base is an airbase of the Turkish Air Force located northwest of Ankara, Turkey.Eskişehir is the 4th Air Wing of the 1st Air Force Command of the Turkish Air Force...

 in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....

 in presence of President Abdullah Gül
Abdullah Gül
Dr. Abdullah Gül, GCB is the 11th and current President of the Republic of Turkey, serving in that office since 28 August 2007. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002-03, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003-07....

, high officials and officers.

The livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...

's color scheme consists of bright black, silver and golden representing the dance of power and technology with clouds. A graphic design on the bottom of the aircraft depicts the Turkish flag while on the vertical stabilizer
Vertical stabilizer
The vertical stabilizers, vertical stabilisers, or fins, of aircraft, missiles or bombs are typically found on the aft end of the fuselage or body, and are intended to reduce aerodynamic side slip. It is analogical to a skeg on boats and ships.On aircraft, vertical stabilizers generally point upwards...

 a large eagle head is painted.

Pilot Murat Keleş was honoured at the Royal International Air Tattoo
Royal International Air Tattoo
The Royal International Air Tattoo is the world's largest military air show, held annually over the third weekend in July, usually at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom in support of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust...

2011 with the highest award, the King Hussein Memorial Sword for the Best Overall Flying Demonstration.

Pilots

Currently, following pilots fly the F-16 for the Solo Türk:
  • Hava Pilot Binbaşı (Flight Major) Murat Keleş
  • Hava Pilot Yüzbaşı (Flight Captain) Yalın Ahbab
  • Hava Pilot Yüzbaşı (Flight Captain) Fatih Batmaz
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