The P3 Flyers are a civil aviation team flying
Pilatus P-3
The Pilatus P-3 was a military training aircraft built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.
Design and development
The Pilatus P-3 was designed for primary and advanced training (including night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying). The ...
demonstrations in Europe.
History
The team has Pilatus P-3 aircraft used earlier by the
Swiss Air Force
The Swiss Air Force (german: Schweizer Luftwaffe; french: Forces aériennes suisses; it, Forze aeree svizzere; rm, Aviatica militara svizra) is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as a part of the army and ...
. The first Pilatus P-3 was purchased in 1992, the team's debut was in 1996 with two aircraft. In 2001 was the first official show with three aircraft. In the first years, simple flights were shown at airshows with 2 -3 aircraft. However, soon came the desire to show a program with different flight figures. Thus, in 2004, a fourth aircraft was added and the team got a license from the
Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) for aerobatic demonstrations. This entitlement is granted each year by the FOCA, after a 3-day training in spring. In 2006, the 5th aircraft was added, making more complex choreographies and additional elements possible. Since 2007, all five aircraft have been equipped with a smoke system .
[Luca G. Polidori: ''In volo con i „P3 Flyers“.'' Rivista Aeronautica, S. 46–51.] The P3 flyers fly during the summer months in Switzerland and the rest of Europe.
References
{{Modern aerobatic teams
Aerobatic teams