101 Squadron "''Roncos''" (''Esquadra 101'') is a

flight training Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills. Flight training can be conducted under a str ...

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

of the

Portuguese Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 1 July , equipment = , equipment_label ...

(PoAF), based at

Sintra Air Base Sintra Air Base ( pt, Base Aérea de Sintra) , officially designated as Air Base No. 1 ( pt, Base Aérea Nº 1, BA1), is a Portuguese Air Force base located in the Sintra Municipality, Portugal. The base is home to a flight training squadron an ...

(''BA1''), with the mission of providing elementary and basic flight training.

History

Created in April 1978 as result of a reorganization of the PoAF, the squadron took command of all material and human resources of the then-disbanded 21 Squadron (former pt, Esquadra de Instrução Elementar de Pilotagem, E.I.E.P.), based at Ota Air Base (''BA2'') and equipped with the de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk. As such, the squadron also inherited all flight training traditions and history of the Portuguese military aviation that was developed since 1916. In October 1989, the squadron is equipped with newly acquired Aérospatiale Epsilon TB-30 and is transferred to Sintra Air Base (''BA1'') until June 15, 1993, when it is transferred to

Beja Air Base Beja Air Base ( pt, Base Aérea de Beja; ), officially designated as Air Base No. 11 ( pt, Base Aérea Nº 11, BA11) is one of the most important military airbases in Portugal, northwest of Beja (Portugal), Beja, north of Algarve. It is used by ...

(''BA11''). It's that same year, in 1989, that the squadron receives the additional mission of providing basic flight instruction, thus effectively replacing the former E.I.B.P. ( pt, Esquadra de Instrução Básica de Pilotagem) and starting to also take over some of the missions of 102 Squadron. In 2009, the squadron is transferred back to Sintra Air Base (''BA1'') The squadron currently is equipped with and operates an Epsilon TB-30

flight simulator A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and the environment in which it flies, for pilot training, design, or other purposes. It includes replicating the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they rea ...

. As part of an agreement between the PoAF and

Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy ( pt, Marinha Portuguesa, also known as ''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'' or as ''Armada Portuguesa'') is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Port ...

, pilots of the

Naval Aviation Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...

also undergo flight training with 101 Squadron.

Aircraft

* de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk (1978–1989) * Aérospatiale Epsilon TB-30 (1989–present)

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/comandante-101, title=Biografia do Comandante da Esquadra 101 - "Roncos", trans-title=Biography of the Commander of Squadron 101 - "Roncos", publisher=Portuguese Air Force, accessdate=July 21, 2013, language=Portuguese, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107154654/http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/comandante-101#, archive-date=2013-11-07, url-status=dead {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/esquadra-48-esquadra-101-roncos, title=Esquadra 101 - "Roncos", trans-title=101 Squadron - "Roncos", date=, publisher=Portuguese Air Force, accessdate=July 21, 2013, language=Portuguese {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/sobre-101, title=Sobre a Esquadra 101 - "Roncos", trans-title=About 101 Squadron - "Roncos", publisher=Portuguese Air Force, accessdate=July 21, 2013, language=Portuguese, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225060508/http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/sobre-101, archive-date=2014-02-25, url-status=dead {{cite web, url=http://www.operacional.pt/as-asas-da-marinha-portuguesa/, title=As "Asas" da Marinha Portuguesa, trans-title=The "Wings" of the Portuguese Navy, year=2006, publisher=Operacional, accessdate=July 16, 2013, language=Portuguese Portuguese Air Force aircraft squadrons Military units and formations established in 1978 Military of Portugal

History

Aircraft

See also

References