French Air Force announces new PC21-equipped demo team as likely preview of tomorrow's Patrouille de France

New Mustang X Ray demo team of the French Air Force.

The French Air Force has announced the creation of a new aerobatic team, called Mustang X Ray, composed of two Pilatus PC-21 turboprop trainers.

The team is based at BA 709 Cognac Chateaubernard and is composed of 3 instructor pilots (including one as a coach). The Mustang X Ray is tasked with showing the public the work done at the French Air Force flight school through a program consisting of several aerial figures, the same ones that students perform during their training.

The team could show a preview of what the Patrouille de France will be like in a few years, after the Air Force has retired all the Alpha Jets.

France has chosen to introduce a turboprop aircraft, usually used for the basic and intermediate training phases, also to cover the advanced phase, where students usually fly trainer jets with performances similar to those of front-line fighters. This will leave the French Air Force without light jets after the retirement of the Alpha Jet fleet. The Patrouille de France, which currently flies the Alpha Jet, will most likely be forced to switch to the PC-21.

The choice of the French Air Force could be a source of inspiration for those air forces that do not have the funds to purchase a modern LIFT jet and revolutionize the market of the segment.

Spain also selected the Pilatus PC-21 in 2019 for the intermediate training phase and is currently evaluating how to manage the advanced phase once it has retired all the C-101 Aviojet and F-5 Freedom Fighter aircraft.

Written by Matteo Sanzani

Source, Image: BA 709