We cancelled performance, says US aviator after Tejas crash, slams Dubai show organisers

Major Taylor ‘Fema’ Hiester, commander of the USAF F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, voiced his deep shock over the decision by Dubai Airshow 2025 organisers to continue the event after the tragic crash of an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jet that claimed the life of Wing Commander Namansh Syal.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Hiester revealed that his team chose to cancel their final performance, along with several other acts, “out of respect to the IAF pilot, his colleagues and family.”

He recounted his reaction upon learning that the flying displays were still scheduled to continue. “I walked through the show site maybe an hour or two later expecting it to be empty, down, or off. It wasn’t,” he wrote, highlighting the surreal and uncomfortable atmosphere following the incident.