Breitling jet team

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Breitling jet team at the Imperial War Museum Duxford

Breitling jet team flying in formation

Breitling jet landing

Breitling jet at Air 04, Payerne, Switzerland

Breitling jet team at Air 04, Payerne, Switzerland

The Breitling Jet Team are a civilian aerobatic display team based in Dijon, France. They fly six L-39 Albatros jets in the colours of their sponsor, Breitling. They are the world's only civilian formation team flying jet-engined aircraft. The team currently comprises Jacques Bothelin (team founder and leader), Bernard Charbonnel, Christophe Deketelaere, Phillipe Laloix, Patrick Marchand and Francois Ponsont.

The team flies a display lasting 18-20 minutes and includes close formation flying, opposition passes, solo routines and synchronised manoeuvres. The team display across Europe and the Middle East and each year undertake a busy schedule of engagements, including major international airshows and Breitling corporate events.

[edit] History & Origins

The Breitling Jet Team were established in early 2003 and initially flew four L-39s, before progressing up to their current strength of six aircraft in 2004. Although the Breitling Team is recently-established, however, the team's origins go back much further.

Jacques Bothelin, the team's leader, originally began performing in airshows in 1980 with French-designed Cap 10 aircraft. In 1982 he progressed onto flying a team of three SIAI-Marchetti SF260s, which were sponsored by Martini. The team were called 'Patrouille Martini' (Patrouille meaning 'Patrol' or 'Team' in English). Also at this time, Jacques Bothelin established Apache Aviation at the team's Darois home base to handle the operational aspects of running a full-time aerobatic team. The Martini Team flew for five years with the SF260s, before the team took delivery of the Swiss-manufactured Pilatus PC-7 Turbotrainer in 1988.

In 1990 new regulations were introduced in France banning the advertising of alcohol, meaning Martini had to withdraw from the sponsorship. Ecco, a temporary employment agency, stepped into the breach and the team were renamed 'Patrouille Ecco' in time for the 1991 season, with the team's colours changing from the Martini white to Ecco green and white. At this time, a fourth PC-7 was added to the team. During the 1990s Team Ecco displayed at numerous airshows around Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, becoming favourites wherever they appeared. In 1997 Ecco merged with a Swiss firm, Adia, forming Adecco - and with this the team's name changed again to 'Patrouille Adecco', with the team's colours shifting to the corporate Adecco red-and-white. In 1998 the team suffered a setback when Adecco pulled out of its sponsorship. Consequently, Jacques Bothelin and Philippe Laloix flew during 1999-2001 with two PC-7s as "Les Apaches", the name being derived from the Apache Aviation firm.

In late 2001 the Algerian company, Khalifa, offered to sponsor Apache Aviation. The result was that the PC-7s were sold and the L-39 jets arrived as their replacement. The new team were known as the "Khalifa Jet Team", and the team were launched in March 2002 prior to making their debut displays in May 2002. Over the summer of 2002 the team worked up from an initial two-ship formation to a full four-aircraft team. Over the course of 2002 the team appeared at no fewer than 43 events in six European countries.

Despite this success, however, in early 2003 Khalifa pulled out of the sponsorship. There were concerns about the team's future, but fortunately Breitling stepped into the breach and invested further in the team to allow the outfit to expand from a 4-ship to the 6-ship formation they now fly.