Breitling Jet Team
| Breitling Jet Team | |
|---|---|
|
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| Country: |
 France
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| Currently used aircraft type: | Aero L-39 Albatross |
| Sponsor: | Breitling SA |
| Founding: | 2002 |
| Colours: | Blue, yellow, gray |
| Weblink: | Breitling-jet-team.com/ |
The Breitling Jet Team is the largest civil aerobatic team in Europe . It is based in Dijon , France and flies Aero L-39 Albatros.
history
Prehistory on propeller planes
In 1980, Jacques Bothelin, the current team manager, started taking part in air shows in France with a Mudry CAP 10 . In 1982 he became a member of a team with three SIAI Marchetti SF260s , which was sponsored by Martini and called "Patrouille Martini". At the same time, Bothelin founded the company Apache Aviation at what was then the base airfield in Darois , which offered services for a full-time aerobatic team. In 1988 the team switched to the Pilatus PC-7 .
After Martini resigned from sponsoring the team due to legal advertising bans on alcohol manufacturers in France, it was taken over by Ecco , a temporary employment agency, which changed the name to "Patrouille Ecco". At that time the radius of air shows was extended to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East . At that time the fleet consisted of four PC-7s.
In 1997, Ecco merged with a Swiss company to form Adecco , so that the name of the team also changed to "Patrouille Adecco". In 1998 Adecco canceled its sponsorship, whereupon Jacques Bothelin and Philippe Laloix founded the team "Les Apaches" with two PC-7s.
Jet team
In 2001 the Algerian company Khalifa offered itself as a new sponsor. As a result, the PC-7s were replaced by Aero L-39 Albatros Jets and the name was changed to "Khalifa Jet Team". The team made its debut in May 2002 and flew as a team of four in six European countries this season.
Despite the success, Khalifa ended his engagement in 2003. After a brief uncertain future, the Swiss watch manufacturer Breitling took over the sponsorship and made it possible to expand the fleet to today's size of seven jets.
Accidents
On September 15, 2012, the number two jet of the Breitling Jet Team crashed, both crew members were able to save themselves with the ejection seat. The jet crashed into a field near Kleine Brogel Air Force Base . Nobody was injured.
