PC-7 Team
{{More footnotes|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name = PC-7 Team
Swiss Air Force Aerobatic team
|image = File:PC-7 Team insignia.png
|image_size = 200px
|caption = PC-7 Team insignia
|dates = 1989 – present
|country = {{SUI}}
|branch = Swiss Air Force
|role = Aerobatic team
|size = 9 aircraft
|garrison =
|garrison_label =
|nickname =
|motto =
|colors = Red, white
|colors_label =
|equipment =
|equipment_label =
|anniversaries =
|decorations =
|commander1 =
|commander1_label =
|identification_symbol =
|identification_symbol_label =
|aircraft_attack =
|aircraft_bomber =
|aircraft_electronic =
|aircraft_fighter =
|aircraft_helicopter =
|aircraft_helicopter_attack=
|aircraft_helicopter_cargo=
|aircraft_helicopter_multirole=
|aircraft_helicopter_observation=
|aircraft_helicopter_transport=
|aircraft_helicopter_utility=
|aircraft_interceptor=
|aircraft_patrol=
|aircraft_recon=
|aircraft_trainer=9 Pilatus PC-7
|aircraft_transport=
}}
The PC-7 Team is an aerobatics team of the Swiss Air Force. It derives its name from the Pilatus PC-7 trainer, the team's primary aircraft.
History
File:Swiss Aerobatics Team Pilatus PC-7 four plane formation 2010-06-26.jpg
Soon after the PC-7 was introduced in 1982,{{cite web |url=http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/en/home/dokumentation/assets/aircraft/pc7.html |title=Pilatus PC-7 Turbo-Trainer |publisher=Swiss Air Force |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410060943/http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/en/home/dokumentation/assets/aircraft/pc7.html |archive-date=2016-04-10 |access-date=2016-11-29}} the Swiss Air Force started to present the new airplane in solo displays. The first public team display was in 1987, performed by an ad-hoc team of nine volunteer pilots. When the Swiss Air Force celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1989, the PC-7 Team was officially established. Since then, it has been performing in Switzerland several times a year, and since 1992 also occasionally abroad.{{cite web |url=http://www.pc7-team.ch/en/team/about.html |title=History of the PC-7 TEAM |publisher=PC-7 Team |access-date=2016-11-29}}
Since its establishment the team has flown the Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer. In October 2006, it was replaced by the NCPC-7, which is a PC-7 equipped with a new cockpit. The PC-7 Team currently flies nine Pilatus PC-7 in the standard configuration of the Swiss Air Force's PC-7. The PC-7 Team still uses the unique Swiss Air Force Bambini-Code for its radio communication.{{cn|date=August 2021}}
The PC-7 Team's homebase is Dübendorf Air Base, but they often operate from Militärflugplatz Emmen or Locarno Airport. All pilots of the PC-7 Team are full-time military pilots and usually fly the F/A-18. The show program is made from 23 different elements. In 2014 the nine aircraft were fitted with smoke generators, it was publicly used for the first time on 1 August 2014 at Buochs Airport at the roll-out of the Pilatus PC-24. The smoke system was built and financed by the company Pilatus Aircraft. Currently seven smoking systems are available which can be mounted in the luggage compartment of the PC-7. The diesel-oil mixture is injected into the right exhaust of the PC-7.Insider (Patrouille Suisse fan club newspaper) 2014 page 21
Award
- Royal International Air Tattoo UK "King Hussein Memorial Sword"Insider (Patrouille Suisse fan club newspaper) 2014 page 13
See also
- Patrouille Suisse – the Swiss Air Force's jet aerobatic team
- List of Swiss Air Force display teams
References
{{Reflist}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160120180403/http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/de/home/verbaende/einsatz_lw/kunstflugteam/pc_7_team.html Swiss Air Force Page about the PC-7 Team] (in German){{unreliable source?|date=August 2014}}
- [http://www.pc7-team.ch/index.php?id=111/&lang=en PC-7 Team homepage]{{unreliable source?|date=August 2014}}
- Book PC-7 TEAM – Backstage SBN: 978-3-906055-07-7
External links
{{Commons and category}}
- {{Official website}}
- [http://appmedia.zem.ch/pc7team/360movie3/ 360° panoramic cockpit video] (7:41 minutes; HTML5 / Adobe Flash)
{{Modern aerobatic teams}}
{{Swiss Air Force Squadrons & Units}}
{{Authority control}}