RSAF Black Knights

The Black Knights aerobatic team is the official aerobatic team of the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the city-state Singapore. The team currently flies with aircraft from the F-16 Fighting Falcon and consists of six aircraft.

History

Five years after the founding of the Republic of Singapore Air Force, the squadron was established in 1973, named after the chess piece the black riders. This aggressive, flexible and versatile chess piece should be reflected in the flying style of the pilot.

At the beginning of the season was erected during the seventies with four Hawker Hunter, in the eighties was then placed on modern jets of the type F- 5E Tiger II. With the new jets also began to fly in a five - formation. Beginning of the nineties we then moved on six A- 4SU Super Skyhawk, a version of the A-4 Skyhawk.

With the beginning of the new millennium, two F -16 Fighting Falcon came to this season and then took off along with four A-4 Skyhawk in a formation of six aircraft. So far, this was the only aerobatic formation that flew in a squadron with two different aircraft types.

Since 2008, flying the Black Knights reformed only to six F -16 Fighting Falcon.

The first major gig with the new lineup took place at the Singapore Airshow 2008.

The squadron is stationed at Tengah Air Base.

Season line-up

At first appearances fly all six jets away in a delta formation over the audience.

A short time later, separate the aircraft five and six, the two soloists, and then turns to show off with the other planes, which form the so-called Fourship lineup various aerobatic maneuvers.