The "Patrouille de France" (Patrol of France) includes a commander
(who commands but does not fly) and nine pilots. One of these nine
pilots is the airborne leader (who leads the formation in the air but is
not necessarily the pilot with the longest experience at the team.
This makes the French aerobatic team unique because, in the most of the
other aerobatic teams in the world, the leader is always the pilot with
the longest experience on the team. The team also includes two solos
(numbers "7" and "8") plus one reserve pilot (who typically has the
longest experience on the team but who flies only when it is absolutely
necessary to replace one of the existing team pilots). All pilots use
the callsign "Atos". The team is supported by 30 ground crew, who are
responsible for good working order of the aircraft.
The team has nine Alpha Jet airplanes, one of which is a
spare and carries the number "0". The aircraft of Patrouille de France
differ from standard trainers by their coloring (a white, blue and red
color scheme) and by the smoke generator on the bottom of the fuselage
between two engines which releases white, blue and red smoke. The team
does not have a dedicated cargo aircraft.
The aerobatic demonstrations of the "Patrouille de France"
typically last only 20 minutes which is less than some of the other
aerobatic teams in the world.
Patrouille de France does not have its own cargo plane.
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