BANGALORE: Big names like Ratan Tata, Naveen Jindal, Shahid Kapoor were fortunate enough to be part of an elite list who have flown the most advanced fighter jets in the world, thanks to their celebrity status. But 22-year-old Shashank H R, an eighth semester mechanical engineering student of BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore, became a celebrity, as he rose to the skies in one of the most advanced aircraft on display, Saab Gripen. Shashank was the chosen winner of the Top Gun contest contest. He copiloted the aircraft with Gripen Chief Test Pilot Robin Norlander on Sunday.
"I could not remember anything when the flight was gearing up for takeoff and was in full acceleration," he said.
But his new mentor and Pliot Norlander said that his first customer in India was quick to acclimitise with his surrounding and situation. He said that Shashank was given temporary control of the aircraft for 35 minutes.
"I had to write my GATE exams but could not as I had this opportunity," he said and was more than happy to give the exam a miss.