A Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show on November 21, 2025, resulting in the tragic death of the pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal.

Professional Hazard in Military Aviation

• Former experts and retired IAF officials emphasize that risks like these are part of the profession of fighter pilots. Maneuvers that push aircraft close to or beyond flight envelopes during public displays or combat exercises inherently involve high risk.
• The incident with Tejas reflects these professional hazards rather than a systemic failure of the aircraft, which itself maintains one of the best safety records globally.

Difference Between Commercial vs. Military Aviation
 

Feature	Commercial Aviation	Military Aviation
Primary Objective	Transport passengers/cargo safely and profitably.	National defense, combat, surveillance, and logistical support for armed forces.
Regulation	Highly regulated by national/international authorities like the FAA or EASA, with universal standards (e.g., ICAO).	Governed by national military regulations; standards can differ for sovereignty/security reasons.
Safety Philosophy	Safety is paramount; operations are planned to return safely always.	Safety is a cornerstone, but mission success may involve accepting higher levels of risk and operating in hazardous conditions.
Aircraft Design	Optimized for fuel efficiency, passenger comfort, and reliability; uses proven, certified technology.	Designed for specific missions (e.g., high maneuverability, speed, stealth, ruggedness); often uses cutting-edge, experimental technology.
Operations	Operates on fixed, pre-planned routes and schedules, generally avoiding extreme weather or turbulence.	Operations are dynamic, involving a wide variety of maneuvers (low-level flight, aerial refueling, high-G turns, carrier landings) and operating in potentially hostile areas.
Engines	Primarily uses quiet, high-bypass turbofan engines designed for efficiency and noise reduction.	Uses a wider variety of engines (turbofans, turbojets, ramjets), often low-bypass and with afterburners for maximum thrust and high speeds, with less concern for noise footprint.
Development Time	Generally faster development cycles as they rely on existing, proven technologies.	Longer development cycles due to the integration of novel and untested technologies for specific, demanding requirements.

 
Concept of Instability

• Modern fighter jets like the Tejas are designed with purposeful instability to enhance agility in combat, allowing instant turns unlike stable aircraft that resist changes.
• This inherent instability demands a sophisticated fly-by-wire (FBW) system—a digital flight computer—to continuously adjust control surfaces and maintain stability. Similar to the F-16, the Tejas sacrifices static stability for maneuverability, relying on advanced avionics for safe operation.

Air Show Dangers

• Airshows push aircraft performance envelopes with tight safety margins, unlike military flypasts where safety overrides spectacle. High-risk manoeuvres like negative G—causing blood rush to the head and potential "redout"—offer minimal recovery time at low altitudes (e.g., 150m height allows ~1 second reaction at 200m/s speeds).
• Common factors in such accidents include pilot physiological limits, coordination errors in formations, and low-level execution amplifying combat-relevant risks.

Way Forward: Safety and Strategic Priorities

• Strengthening safety protocols through regular audits, rigorous maintenance schedules, and flight readiness assessments.
• Enhancing pilot training on handling extreme maneuvers, particularly at low altitudes where risks magnify.
• Accelerating production and induction of the more advanced Tejas Mk 1A variant with possibly enhanced safety and performance features.
• Ensuring transparent communication of investigation outcomes to the public and global aerospace communities to maintain trust.
• Continuing domestic aerospace R&D investments to improve combat air power capacity and indigenous capabilities.
• Balancing airshow display ambitions with prudent risk management given the consequences of high-visibility accidents.

 

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