Esquadrilha da Fumaca History
The history of the aerobatic team of the Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasiliera - FAB), begins in 1952 when four instructors from the Air Academy establish an aerobatic team from four North American T-6 Texan training airplanes. The team's first official demonstration is on May 14, 1952, at the Campo dos Alfonsos airbase (near Rio de Janeiro) when the Air Academy is located. Initially the team flies on three airplanes which soon become four. At those times Esquadrilha da Fumaca does not have an official statute and because of that the pilots train during their time off. The team also has no name to present itself with. Very soon as a joke they receive the name Esquadrilha da Fumaca (Smoke Squadron) because of the presence of smoke generators which during the performance of some figures release white smoke.
In 1954 the Minister of the aviation makes a gift to the team - five T-6 aircrafts. This is the first official admission for the team and it receives the statute of the official aerobatic team of the Brasilian Air Forces.
In the next year is chosen the color scheme of the airplanes - white, red and blue. Later that year to the team are added two solo pilots who has the aim to capture the public's attention while the main formation re-groups for its next manoeuvre.
The team flies on those aircrafts till 1968 when they are replaced with new French-made Fouga Magister training airplanes (T-24 according to the Brasilian markup). The planes are painted in the colours of the Brasilian banner - green, yellow, blue - but white is added. But this aircraft proves itself to be very hard and fastidious to maintain because of the hot Brasilian climate. The petrol crisis in the end of 1970s forces the team to replace the plane with another. Because of all those reasons, after only 46 demonstrations with Fouga Magister, the team returns to its old plane - T-6.
In 1977 because of financial disorders the team is disbanded.
In 1982 Esquadrilha da Fumaca (Smoke Squadron) is established again.
Esquadrilha da Fumaca is re-established on October 21, 1982, but now it is named The Official Aerobatic Squadron of the Brasilian Air Forces. It now flies on new, Brasil-made Embraer EMB-312 (T-27 Tucano according to the Brasilian markup) training airplanes painted in red-and-white colour scheme.
On February 25, 2002, the aircrafts of the squadron receive new colour scheme in the colours of the Brasilian banner - green, yellow and blue.
On 18th May 2002 the team have set a new World Record by flying a formation of 11 aircraft inverted for 30 seconds.
Who are Esquadrilha da Fumaca
The aerobatic sqadron of the Brasilian Air Forces consists of eleven aircraft Embraer EMB-312 - seven of them participate in air demonstrations and the rest are reserve.
The candidates for pilots must have at least 1500 flight hours experience from which 800 flight hours as instructors. Every year three new pilots are added to the squadron. The groud staff of Esquadrilha da Fumaca is from the crew of the Air Academy.
The aircrafts of Esquadrilha da Fumaca are equipped with smoke generators releasing white smoke.
