Aerobatic Teams' News - 2010

Thunderbirds and Snowbirds 2011 Schedules

Thunderbirds and Snowbirds 2011 Schedules announced today.

RNZAF Red Checkers are ready for 2011 demonstrations

Royal New Zealand Air Force aerobatic display team Red Checkers is ready for a new show season, after they were grounded for all 2010. The new display season for the team will starts in January 2011. Last season beginning was unfortunate during two incidents, one fatal.

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Snowbirds introduced new pilots for 2011

Five new pilots will join for the 2011 season to the 431st Demonstration Squadron of the Canadian Air Force – the Snowbirds. The new demo pilots are: Captain Padruig MacIntosh, Captain Brett Parker, Captain Denis Bandet, Major Ryan Stich and Captain Robert Chagnon, who were introduced today at special ceremony at Moose Jaw.

August 1st debut with six J-10s in formation

August 1st Aerobatic Team finally performed in six-ship formation with the new J-10 fighters in front of the public during second day Nov 17 of the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Zhuhai) 2010. The team's pilots demonstrated high aerobatic performance with their six J-10 jets.

Patriots Jet Team will became six-ship

USA based civilian aerobatic team "Patriots Jet Team" will add two more L-39 planes from 2011 show season and became a six-ship formation demonstration team. The new team's pilots are: Other Left Wing and former RCAF Snowbird, Rob "Scratch" Mitchell, Outer Right Wing and former Blue Angel, Scott “Banker” Ind.

This new pilots completed the Patriots Jet Team and make it one of the high skilled civil demonstration teams in the world as the team's pilots are former Thunderbirds, Blue Angels and Snowbirds pilots.

August 1st and Sherdils at Zhuhai China Air Show 2010

The People's Liberation Army Air Force (Chinese Air Force) aerobatic team August 1st performed first public demonstration with J-10 fighters on Nov 16, the first day of China Air Show 2010 exhibition. Because of the fog weather the team flew in four-ship formation. J-10 is the new China manufactured multirole fighter and the team use six of them painted in dark blue, red and white colors. All planes are equipped with wingtip smoke pods releasing red, orange and blue smokes. The leader's planes is the two-seat modification of J-10.

The Pakistan Air Force aerobatic team Sherdils flying K-8 jet training aircrafts, performed in full size composition of six jets. Both teams performed a flat shows without formation loops and barrel rolls.

Blue Angels ends 2010 season this weekend

Blue Angels will close the 2010 show season with demonstrations on Nov 12,13 and 14 at NAS Pensacola. In addition to the scheduled shows, there will be a night show beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday November 12 only. Aircrafts will light up the sky with full afterburner and pyrotechnics.

This airshows will be the last for three Blue Angels pilots: Leader Captain Greg McWherter, Slot Major Christopher Collins and Lead solo Lieutenant Commander Frank Weisser. They finished their tour with US NAVY Flight Demonstration Squadron. The new demo pilots are: Cmdr. David E. Koss who became the new Leader of the Blue Angels, Maj. Brent Stevens and Lt. David Tickle.

A new civilian jet aerobatic team is formed

Heavy Metal Jet Team will be a five-ship aerobatic civilian jet team and will be fully sponsored by United Bank Card, Inc (UBC) for its first year. The team use four L-39 Albatross and one T-33 all in the arctic camouflage paint scheme. The Heavy Metal Jet Team is based in Lancaster, and will be available to air shows, private events and flyovers from March 2011.

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China's August 1st Display Team fly J-10

Chinese Air Force aerobatic display team August 1st prepares for the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (also known like Airshow China 2010), flying the new China's advanced J-10 fighter. The team flies six J-10 fighters painted in white, blue and red colors and equipped with red smoke pods fitted on the wingtips. This will be the first demonstration of the August 1st using J-10 fighters.

The airshow will take place from Nov 16 to 21, 2010 in Zhuhai. The Pakistan Air Force aerobatic team Sherdils will also participate in the show.

Snowbirds celebrating 40 years

40 years ago in 1970, a new demonstration team was born at The Second Air Training School of the Canadian Air Force based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. With the efforts of Captain O. B. Philip, who create unofficial aerobatic team of instructors, they begin to fly in their spare time using ex-Golden Centennaires Tutors aircrafts. A year later this team received its name the Snowbirds.

The anniversary was marked with an airshow, Friday Oct 22 at Moose Jaw airbase with reunion of former squadron pilots even from the original first team.

Black Eagles new paint scheme

Republic of Korea Air Force aerobatic team Black Eagles performed the first demonstration with new painted T-50B aircrafts on Oct 9 at Osan Air Base, Korea. Only four of the team's planes are painted in this new livery in black, white and golden eagle figure painted at the bottom of the fuselage.

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Esquadrilha da Fumaca announced 2011 leader

Colonel Wagner de Almeida Esteves will be the new leader of Brazilian demonstration squadron Esquadrilha da Fumaca (Smoke Squadron) from 2011 show season. He joins the squadron on Sept 27 to complete the three months training course. Col. Esteves will replace the present leader Col. Jose Aguinaldo de MOURA.

Esquadrilha da Fumaca 2010 Schedule update

The Brazilian Air Force demonstration team Smoke Squadron announced updated 2010 show calendar including September, October and November display dates.

Esquadrilha da Fumaca 2010 schedule

Snowbirds #7 bird strike

During Nova Scotia International Air Show on Sept 12, Snowbird #7 Capt Marco Rusconi hit a bird. The plane left the team performance and land even it no had any damages. The safety rules require that the plane land while hit a bird. After few minutes Capt Marco Rusconi seat at the spare aircraft and took off to rejoin in the Snowbirds formation, finishing the airshow.

Ready for the biggest aerobatic teams event

If you are the aerobatic team's fan or just an aviation enthusiast, you will be pleased to visit the Rivolto airbase near Udine, Italy at Sept 11 and 12. This airshow will celebrate 50th anniversary of the Italian Air Force aerobatic team Frecce Tricolori. Many other aerobatic teams will participate at the airshow like: Isky, Patrouille de France, Patrulla Aguila, Patrouille Suisse, Royal Jordanian Falcons, Red Arrows and Krila Oluje. This will be the biggest aerobatic team's airshow of the year.

Mexican Air Force Display Team

The Mexican Air Force have, for the first time, an Display Team. Named "Escuadrilla Acrobatica del Colegio del Aire", the team use five PC- 7 in a particular colour recalling the same camouflage of P-47 of Fuerza Aerea Mexicana that flew in Philippines during WWII. Based at Base Aerea No5 at Zapopan , the team have planned their first display during Mexican Bicentennial celebration at Mexico City the 16th of September.

Red Arrows are ready to fly

Royal Air Force display team Red Arrows is ready to fly again, after ejection malfunction discovered on Hawks airplanes a week ago. The engineer's inspection guarantees that all Red Arrows Hawks are capable to fly with no risk to the pilots and the public. So the team is ready to their next airshow on Aug 6 at Cowes Week, Isle of Wight.

Red Arrows grounded due to ejection seat malfunction

Engineers found the problem during team's Hawks planes inspections at RAF Valley at Anglesey. For now is unknown how long will Red Arrows stay on the ground, but we hope that ground crew will succeed to fix the problem before RAF display team next airshow on Aug 6 at Cowes Week, Isle of Wight.

UAE Aerobatic Team

The UAE Air Force purchased another four Alenia Aermacchi MB-339 in addition to previous supplied six. All ten aircrafts will be ungraded to be used from the new aerobatic display teams of the UAE Air Force. In fact is not confirmed that all ten airplanes will be applied to this display team.

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Blue Angels emergency landing at Dayton

On July 15, one of the Blue Angels F-18 probably #4, makes an emergency landing during practice flight in preparation of Dayton Airshow. The pilot was reporting that he lost his right engine and was declaring an emergency. Minutes later the plane landed safely. After two days another malfunction strikes Blue Angels at Dayton Airshow, while #6 declared engine stall during taxi. The plane cranked left, pilot did some checks, and when maintenance crew make sure everything was working, after about a 10 min delay, the show started with all 6 planes.

Blue Angels Announce 2011 Team Members

PENSACOLA, Fla. - (Blue Angels official site release)

The Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, announce the officers selected for the 2011 team. The squadron selected two F/A-18 Hornet pilots, a C-130 pilot, events coordinator, and a flight surgeon to join the team in September. The commanding officer and the public affairs officer were previously selected for the 2011 team, and a maintenance officer has been selected to join the team in 2012.

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Thunderbirds announced 2011 show season officers

Thunderbirds announced the new officers for 2011 airshow season.

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Blue Angels will honor ex-team leader

The Blue Angels will visit Bowling Green, KY in honor of Lt. Cmdr. Johnny Magda. They won't do aerial display, but will participate in the party in dedication of Aviation Heritage Park's restoration of a Magda's F-9F Panther.

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Esquadrilha da Fumaca North America Tour

Esquadrilha da Fumaca will perform on August, 25 in Atlantic City and on 28,29 in Boston.

Breitling Jet Team in new colors

The Breitling Jet Team receives a new color scheme for 2010 show season. The yellow tail is removed and now entire fuselage is painted in monochrome black and gray. A big position numbers in grey are painted on the tail and wings. Also they changed the team's logo.

Patrouille de France and Krila Oluje 2010 Schedules

Patrouille de France and Krila Oluje 2010 Schedules are ready and published. Patrouille de France 2010 Schedule, Krila Oluje 2010 Schedule.

Female Commanding Officer for Snowbirds

Lt.-Col. Maryse Carmichael became the first Snowbirds female pilot ever, when she was selected to fly in #3 position in November 2000. On the next year she became the Snowbirds Executive Officer. Now she returns to Snowbirds, but this time like Commanding Officer. In difference to many of the other military demonstration teams, Snowbirds Commanding Officer is NOT the team leader.