US Pilot Withdraws from Dubai Air Show in Protest After Fatal Tejas Jet Crash

Captain Taylor "Fema" Hiester from the US Air Force has expressed strong criticism regarding the Dubai Air Show 2025 organizers' decision to continue scheduled performances following the tragic crash of an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet that claimed the life of Wing Commander Namansh Syal.

Hiester, a member of the US F-16 demonstration team, described the organizers' choice to proceed with the show as both "shocking" and "uncomfortable." In response, his team immediately withdrew from their scheduled performance out of respect for the fallen pilot.

"After two years of doing this job, that was a first for our team, and it came just before our final performance of the season," Hiester wrote in a detailed Instagram post documenting the incident.

The US pilot explained that his team was preparing for their final seasonal performance when the crash occurred. They promptly cancelled their participation and departed from the venue as a sign of respect for the deceased Indian Air Force pilot.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Taylor "FEMA" Hiester (@femahiester)

"Though the show made the shocking decision to continue with the flying schedule, our team, along with a few others, made the decision to cancel our final performance out of respect to the pilot, his colleagues, and family," Hiester stated in his post.

He vividly described the somber aftermath: "Together and individually, we all quietly watched the aftermath unfold from a distance, the maintenance crew standing on the ramp next to an empty parking spot, the aircraft ladder laid on the ground, and the pilot's belongings still in his rental car."

Hiester expressed his expectation that the airshow would halt operations following such a fatal accident. Instead, he observed the announcer continuing "enthusiastically" while spectators watched subsequent aerial performances with apparent excitement.

"The announcer was still enthusiastic, the crowd still watched the next several routines with excitement and when the show was over, it ended 'Congratulations to all of our sponsors, performers and we'll see you in 2027,'" he noted.

In his reflective post, Hiester described feeling deeply uncomfortable for numerous reasons, including the disturbing thought of his own team potentially dealing with his absence after a crash while the event simply continued with music and subsequent performances.

This profound experience led Hiester to realize that what truly mattered was his team – the people who had become his family during his service.

"Whatever guise, whatever 'rockstar treatment', the fancy dinners and sponsor chalets, my team, who became my family, is all I ever had in the first place," he remarked, adding that this lesson would remain with him long after his demonstration-flying career ends.

He philosophically observed: "The people you invest in, the people that love and the people that love you back, whether they have your blood or not, will be the only way you live past your own individual end."

"Once the black smoke is gone and out of sight, the company you work for, the dollars you stressed about making, the people you didn't know but worked so hard to please will still stand there listening to rock and roll and film the very next act that follows," Hiester wrote, highlighting the stark contrast between human loss and continuing entertainment.

He concluded with a poignant reminder: "The show must go on, that they say always. And they're right. But just remember, someone will say that after you're gone too. Thanks."

Wing Commander Namansh Syal, aged 34, lost his life after failing to recover from a negative-G maneuver at low altitude during a flying demonstration at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, resulting in his plane crashing. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has established a court of inquiry to determine the cause of this fatal accident.

"A dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional, he served the nation with unwavering commitment, exceptional skill, and an unyielding sense of duty. His dignified persona earned him immense respect through a life devoted to service, and was visible in the send-off attended by UAE officials, colleagues, friends, and the officials of the Indian Embassy," stated an official IAF release.