Ali İsmet Öztürk

In 2011, he performed in the International Festival of Aviation held in Izmir/Turkey, combining the "Air Show Türkiye 2011" (the leading event of the Centennial celebrations of the Turkish Air Force (TuAF)) with the European Air Chiefs (EurAC) and the Global Air Chiefs Conferences. During the organisation he soloed among the most accomplished aerobatic teams of the world, as the only civilian professional aerobatic pilot from Turkey.

In 2007, he was honored by EAC (European Airshow Council) as the best professional airshow pilot to promote sponsors with best value.

In 2006, he displayed in "ILA Berlin Air Show" organized by the German Aerospace Industries Association (Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft – und Raumfahrtindustrie e.V. – BDLI) and he became the first Turkish pilot to be invited to this "world’s oldest aerospace trade show".

In 2005, he performed during the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) held in the United Kingdom and known as the world's largest military air show. Not only was he the first civilian Turkish pilot to join the show but he was awarded "the best aerobatic pilot" in the civilian category, as well.

Between 2004 and 2008, Ali İsmet Öztürk performed in more than 80 international air shows, performing more than 559 displays in 19 different countries. He has performed before nearly 15 million spectators.

By 2003, in a quest for perfection to bring the highest performance in the sky over world's best air shows Öztürk has custom built the "Mor Menekşe" (Purple Violet), an awesome, single-seat aerobatic biplane of his own design. With its extensively modified airframe and engine (407 hp), Purple Violet is entirely in a class of its own.

In the early 2000s, after 16 years of remarkable aviation history and a well known entrepreneurial success in the international aviation arena, he finally decided to go after his dream and opened a new colorful chapter in his career. His ultimate goal was to be recognized worldwide in the field of air show aerobatics. To that end, from 2000 on he has just flown aerobatics and he committed all of his time and energy solely to aerobatics.

At the end of 1989, he established his own Aviation Company, Mach Air Ltd. Headquartered in Istanbul Atatürk International Airport, the company offered FBO (fixed-base operator) services such as aircraft repair and maintenance, air taxi operations and aerial photography & filming.

Ali İsmet Öztürk flew an aerobatic aircraft for the first time in a small side-by-side seated airplane with one of his friends in 1988. He was so impressed that his aviation interests expanded to include acrobatics and performing in air shows became an ambition for him. Besides commercial piloting, he started out practicing aerobatics as well and as he developed aerobatics skills and he eventually purchased his first aerobatic biplane in 1992.

Ali İsmet Öztürk acquired his pilot license for fixed-wing aircraft in 1985 and right after that in between 1987 and 1988 he took his passion further to CPL License (for helicopter & airplane). He obtained both IR (Instrument Rating) and ME (Multi-Engine) ratings for both airplanes and helicopters as well. He became a flight instructor subsequently, by getting his FI (Flight Instructor) License.

His aviation career began in 1984, when he was just 20 years old. That year he soloed for the first time an aircraft – an ultra-light. Since then he has had a long flying history with diverse aviation experiences.

In 1983, he completed his education in Lycée Français Saint Benoît (Saint Benoit French High School of Istanbul) where he had been trained in French literature and studied English as well. Then he attended Istanbul University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration.

Ali İsmet Öztürk (born 23 May 1964) is a Turkish professional display pilot, an aerobatic aircraft designer and an aviation businessman. He is the first civilian to be recognised as a professional aerobatic pilot in the country. He flies in international air shows in his custom designed and manufactured world-class performance aerobatic aircraft called "Turkish: Mor Menekşe" (Purple Violet).

Ali İsmet Öztürk was born in Istanbul, Turkey on 23 May 1964. During his childhood Ali İsmet Öztürk has shown great affection on aviation.