Silver Falcon Team 71 announced
Date: 15 February 2011
By Dean Wingrin
The new members of the Silver Falcons Team 71 have finally been announced, which includes its first female member.
Team 71 for the 2011 air show season is as follows:
- Falcon 1 - Capt Roy Sproul
- Falcon 2 - Capt Heybrech van Niekerk
- Falcon 3 - Capt Buti Tsebe
- Falcon 4 - Capt Gerhard Lourens
- Falcon 5 - Maj Beau Skarda
The Silver Falcons is the official aerobatic display team of the South African Air Force. Based at Air Force Base Langebaanweg near Cape Town, the Silver Falcons fly the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II. The team consists of five display pilots, of which Falcon 5 is the soloist.
Heybrech van Niekerk is the first female member of the Silver Falcons, who gave their first display in November 1967. van Niekerk was previously the Ground Liaison Officer for Team 70. Roy Sproul takes over as Leader from Scott Ternent, while the other new member is Beau Skarda, who replaces Nico Frylinck. Both Ternent and Frylinck have been transferred to other posts within the SAAF.
The first official display of Team 71 will be on the 24th of March 2011 at AFB Langebaanweg for the Pilots Wings Course 114 Wings Parade.
The Unofficial SAAF Website congratulates the new members and wishes Team 71 a successful 2011.
