The Alap-Alap Formation (Kestrel Formation) is the official military formation aerobatic display team of Brunei Darussalam, operated by the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF; – TUDB), part of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF / ABDB). The Alap-Alap Formation display team was formed on .
Aircraft The Alap-Alap Formation display team uses three of their four RBAirF / TUDB Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II turboprop trainer aircraft, purchased from Switzerland in 1997, a low-wing tandem-seat full-dual control aircraft powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6A-25C turboprop engine driving a four-blade variable-pitch propeller. All four PC-7 aircraft of the RBAirF are liveried in a white, blue, red, and yellow colour-scheme. The three aircraft used by the Alap-Alap Formation display team (registration numbers and tail codes: , , and ) are fitted with two under-wing smoke pods, mounted on external hard-points, which are able to generate white smoke during displays and flypasts.
Operation Currently the Royal Brunei Air Force have a total of four PC-7 Mk.II aircraft. The aircraft are under the management of No 73 Squadron TUDB (originally known as 63 Squadron ATUDB), a flying squadron of No. 7 Wing RBAirF, part of the Flying Training School (FTS) of the training wing located at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba.
Pilots Identified by their respective 'Eagle' call signs, the display team consists of three pilots. One pilot is local, from the Royal Brunei Air Force, and two remaining pilots are from the British Royal Air Force (RAF), one on loan from the RAF and the other directly contracted to the RBAF. All are Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) pilots, whilst its team leader achieved the Formation Aerobatic Leader qualification from the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) in the UK.
Displays Alap-Alap Formation have displayed during the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) 50th Anniversary. They are the first team in Brunei Darussalam to carry out formation aerobatics at low level altitudes of .
References
External links Pilatus PC-7 Mk2 - Brunei - Air Force - Aviation Photo #0077782 — photo of a Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II of the RBAirF (c/n: 602, registration: ATUDB 302), the type used by Alap-Alap Formation, at Airliners.net, April 2000