The Royal Jordanian Falcons ascending in formation. The Royal International Air Tattoo, 2011. |
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| Country: | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan |
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| Aircraft Currently Flown: | Walter Extra EA300 |
| Sponsor: | Royal Jordanian Airlines, Royal Jordanian Air Force |
| Base Airport: | Aqaba Airport |
| Colours: | Red and Blue |
| Date Formed: | November 7,1978 |
| Website: | http://www.rjfalcons.com |
The Royal Jordanian Falcons are the national aerobatic demonstration team of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The team was formed on the orders of King Hussein of Jordan on November 7, 1978. The team used two and subsequently three Pitts S-2A Specials before changing to Walter Extra EA300s in 1992. Later, in 2007, the team's fleet was upgraded, the older Extra 300s were replaced by Extra 300Ls. Although the number of aircraft is five, the team have displays in formations of four, the fifth plane being for backup only.
The team used to call Amman Civil Airport its home base, but has since moved to Aqaba Airport, also known as King Hussein International Airport.
The Falcons are unusual in that the team is a joint military-civil venture. The pilots are all Royal Jordanian Air Force personnel and are selected from the cream of the crop of the RJAF on a competitive basis to join the team for a 3-4 year posting (throughout the majority of the team's existence it has had five pilots and three to four engineers for each given season). The aircraft, however, are owned and maintained by Royal Jordanian Airlines.
The Royal Jordanian Falcons aim to promote interest in Jordan and its culture and to advance international goodwill. The Falcons have displayed at air shows and events in Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa. At a number of air shows they achieved various accolades, including three times Best Display for Overseas at the Royal International Air Tattoo.
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