Indonesian Jupiter Aerobatic team flies with Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Roulette aerobatic display team will visit Jakarta and Yogyakarta from 8 to 15 November to showcase Australia’s military flying skills to the public and conduct practice displays with Indonesia’s Jupiter Aerobatic team.

“We are very excited to have the RAAF Roulettes in Indonesia and conduct practice displays with the Indonesian Air Force’s Jupiter Aerobatic Team. The on-going cooperation between the Australian and Indonesian Air Force compliments the strong relationship between our two countries,” said Australian Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, Paul Robilliard.

In September 2010, two members of the Indonesian Air Force’s Jupiter Aerobatic Team visited the Roulettes at their home base, RAAF Base East Sale in Victoria, Australia. Throughout the two week visit, the two Jupiter pilots were able to observe and practice flying manoeuvres used throughout the Roulette displays.

“The sharing of display techniques between the Australian and Indonesian Air Force is essential in enhancing the quality and safety of displays for both our countries. We will continue this exercise in the future,” said the RAAF Roulettes Squadron Leader Glenn Canfield.

During the Roulettes’ visit to Indonesia, six members of the Jupiter Aerobatic Team will fly with the Roulettes as they conduct a practice display at Halim Air Force Base in Jakarta on 8 November and demonstration display at Adisucipto Air Force Base in Yogyakarta on 14 November.

The RAAF Roulettes will be conducting daily low level formation aerobatic displays of between 10 to 12 minutes at the JIExpo complex in Kemayoran during the Indonesian Defence Expo held from 10 to 13 November.

The Roulettes are the Royal Australian Air Force’s aerobatic display team based at RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria, Australia. They will be performing their ‘special venue’ display which will consist of manoeuvres including loops, barrel rolls, mirror, corkscrew and rollbacks. Throughout the displays each pilot will maintain their aircraft at a distance of only three metres from each other, using only hand eye coordination and flying at speeds of up to 590km/hour. The display will be conducted in six Pilatus PC-9A aircraft, a two-seat single-engine turboprop aircraft that is the advanced training aircraft of the Australian Defence Force.

Further information on the Roulettes including photos and information on team members can be found at the website: www.defence.gov.au/raaf/roulettes

Media Enquiries:
Jenny Dee, Counsellor (Public Affairs) tel. (021) 2550 5290 mob. 0811 187 3175