The Army's helicopter display team, the Blue Eagles, have a unique job demonstrating the capability of the helicopters used in Afghanistan against the Taliban to hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts across the country.

Spinning, flipping, somersaulting and flying upside down, the Blue Eagles Helicopter display team uses some of the Army's most advanced technology at the very limits of its capability to put together a truly stunning display.

Performing at air shows across the country throughout the summer the Blue Eagles, who are based at the Middle Wallop home of the Army Air Corps, allow the public to see the capability and skill required to become a pilot in the Army Air Corps. After the air display the pilots in their distinctive blue flying suits get the opportunity to meet the public and talk to them about the aircraft and what its like to fly them.

The team are flying the Lynx helicopter, capable of fulfilling several roles from troop carrying and reconnaissance to tank hunting, and the awesome Apache helicopter, quiet simply the best attack helicopter in the world.  Both these helicopters are being used in Helmand province in support of troops against the Taliban.

At times during the display the helicopters pass within a rotor's length of each other, in machines capable of flying at hundreds of kilometres an hour, this requires real courage and skill.

The training for both of these helicopters takes place at Middle Wallop.

Each helicopter is crewed by two pilots, and hours of training and practice have to be gone through before the crew's display is signed off by the Director of Army Aviation as being up to the high standards demanded.

The Team

Major (Maj) Andy Smith from Middle Wallop - Team Manager
Day job - Officer Commanding (OC) 671 Squadron (Sqn) Army Air Corps
Instructing on Gazelle and Lynx helicopters
Joined the Army in 1981 and has amassed over 5000 fly hours in different helicopters

Warrant Officer 2 (WO2) Mark Howard from Middle Wallop - Team Leader
Day job - Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM) 671 Squadron Army Air Corps
Lynx Display Pilot
Joined the Army in 1988

Captain (Capt) Chloe Madden from the New Forest
Day job - Training to be an Instructor in 671 Squadron
Lynx Display Pilot
Joined the Army 2003.  Along with her flying duties she has enjoyed a brief ground tour as Second in Command (2IC) of, and the first female Officer to be part of, the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Captain (Capt) Tony Thompson from Sunderland
Day job - Second in Command (2IC) 673 Squadron AAC, Apache Instructor
Apache Display Pilot
Joined the Army 1985, has amassed 1200 hours flying the Apache and 4200 flying hours in total.

Warrant Officer 2 (WO2) Clive Richardson from London
Day Job - Apache Instructor
Apache Display Pilot
Joined the Army 1990

Now in its 41st year, the Blue Eagles helicopter display team is made up of enthusiastic volunteers from the Army Air Corps (AAC) who work as helicopter instructors at Middle Wallop Army Camp, the home of the Army Air Corp, training future pilots for operations in Afghanistan. The helicopters themselves are used by Army trainees during the day and then handed over to the staff in the evening for practicing their routines rolling through the sky.

Team members train potential pilots during the day and practice the intricate manoeuvres required for the display in the evenings, then the spend the summer weekends taking their display to air shows around the country, including Biggin Hill International Air Show, Yeovilton Air Day and The Royal Air Show at RAF Fairford.