Roulettes
Roulettes History
In 1955 is formed Meteorites aerobatic team flying on Gloster Meteor F8, which perform its first display in Septeber 1955.
In 1961 were formed the Black Diamonds flying on 4 F-86 Sabre aircraft. This team from 75th squadron exists till 1964 when the 75th squadron begins to fly with Mirage 3. Some other team existed in 1960's, like Black Panthers, Red Diamonds and Marksmen.
In 1962 to the Central Flying School of the Royal Air Forces of Australia based in East Sale (near Melbourne) are established three aerobatic teams. One of them exists in the present days - the Roulettes. The two other teams are called respectively Red Sales and Telstars. Red Sales display team occured in a crash during diamond barrel roll (More about Red Sales here).
The Roulettes perform their first public air demonstration in December 1970 in Point Cook airbase. The demonstration itself is a prelude to the celebrations of the Golden Anniversary of the Royal Air Forces of Australia in 1971. (The first air force unit in Australia is created in 1911 under the name "Aviation Corpse". It includes two pilots and three mechanics. In 1922 the formation separates as a self-dependent kind of military forces.) By those times the team flies on four Aermacchi MB326 training jet aircrafts. The name the team receives is taken from the most spectaculars figure it performs - roulette. The demonstration of the Roulettes lasts eight minutes. In the end of 1973 to the team is added fifth aircraft. The first demonstration in public with five airplanes is performed in March 1974 in Point Cook airbase during the parade for the promotion of the new graduates in the Air Academy. The fifth airplane flies solo and joins the main four while performing some figures. The main four, itself splits onto two synchronous pairs.
In 1975 the team demonstrates for a first time its abilities in a foreign country - during the celebrations of the Papua-New Guinnea's Independence Day.
In 1981 because of the Diamond Jubilee of the Royal Air Forces of Australia the Roulettes fly on seven aircrafts. Their demonstration lasts 16 minutes. In April the same year they perform their last demonstration on seven airplanes. After that they return to the usual five planes formation.
In December 1983 during a training flight in East Sale airbase two of the team's aircrafts (carrying numbers 2 and 3) collide in the air. The two pilots die.
In 11 March 1988 during a training flight in East Sale airbase two of the team's aircrafts (carrying numbers 1 and 4) collide in the air. The pilot of Number 4 ejects successfully and the pilot of Number 1 succeeds in his attempt to land the airplane "on the belly". Because of that accident the Roulettes perform their first demonstration in public only in August. Watch video here.
The last demonstration of the team on MB 326 airplanes is in June 1989 at Lakes Entrance airbase. In July the same year the Roulettes begin training flights with their new aircraft - Pilatus PC-9. That way the team moves from jet airplanes to training propeller airplanes PC-9. The first demonstration with new aircrafts is performed in July the same year but only from two-planes formation. In their full five-planes formation they perform their first demonstration in December. In next few months to the team is added sixth aircraft.
For a first time the Roulettes participate in the north hemisphere in February and March 1992 when they perform demonstrations in some Asian airshows.
On 21 january 2005 two planes collided in mid-air during a practice. An RAAF pilot parachuted to safety today as his aerobatic aircraft spiralled out of control and crashed in flames in Victoria after a mid-air collision with another plane.
Both pilots from the Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes aerobatic display team escaped serious injury when their planes collided in mid-air during a practice session near the RAAF East Sale base in Gippsland shortly after 10am (AEDT).
One of the Roulettes' Pilatus PC-9-A planes, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Mark Ellis, 33, landed safely
What are the Roulettes
The Roulettes have seven PC-9/A aircrafts. The seventh plane is a reserve and with it flies the public relations (PR) officer. In the demonstrations fly only six aircrafts on which fly six demonstrative pilots. The public relations officer is also responsible for team's administration and for videotaping each one demonstration for analysis afterwards.
The planes carrying numbers 5 and 6 are called synchronous pair. Every one pilot from the team is an instructor in the Central Flying School. Every new pilot first is trained for flights on high altitude in pair while doing loopings and tonos in positions one by another and one next to other and slightly back, i. e., in echelon. After the new pilot learns those figures he begins to fly in position one by another because that configuration is harder to maintain while doing some aerobatics figures. Then he begins to fly in bigger formation. During this on the back seat of the plane flies the pilot who quits to advise and amend him. After that begin the flights on low altitude. Every new pilot takes number 2, 3 or 4. To take position at number 5 and 6 the pilot must have at least one season at the team. After 70 flight at full six-planes formation the new pilot is ready for his first demonstration in public.
The team's ground staff is from the crew of the Central Flying School.
The Roulettes perform two different kinds of demonstration depending of the atmosphere and weather conditions. If weather is bad they perform a demonstration which lasts 12 minutes and includes limited number of figures. If weather is good and clear they perform their full demonstration which lasts 15 minutes and includes 18 figures performed at the distance less than 3 meters from plane to plane. The maximum overload during a demonstration is 4,5 g but during some individual figures the plane number 6 reaches up to 6 g.
The aircrafts of the Roulettes are different from the usual ones by their colouring (in white and red; on the vertical stabilizer is painted the letter "R") and by the presence of a smoke generator which releases white smoke. Unlike the smoke generators attached to jet airplanes, here the fuel used to generate smoke is injected in the end of the engine's exhaust pipe.
