RNZAF Black Falcons aerobatic team begin display flying season

The first display will be for the start of the Air Training Corps National Aviation Course, on Wednesday.

The season will then incorporate flights at events such as Whanganui’s Vintage weekend, the Coast-to-Coast race finish at Christchurch, the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival, and many others around the country.

It will conclude with a display at the Warbirds over Wanaka International Airshow in April.

For three of the pilots, Lieutenant Commander Stephen Knowles from Wellington, Squadron Leader Matt Stapp, from Timaru/Christchurch, and Squadron Leader Richard O’Flaherty from Upper Hutt, this will be their first season of flying with the aerobatic team.

Lieutenant Commander Knowles is the first pilot from the Royal New Zealand Navy to be part of the Black Falcons. 

The other members are team leader Squadron Leader Paul Stockley from Lower Hutt, Squadron Leader Paul Harrison from Yorkshire, England (now living in the Manawatū), Flight Lieutenant James Erskine from Christchurch, team manager Warrant Officer Darren Smith, from Gore, and Flying Officer Matt Biggar, the team support officer.

The team recently gained the official approval needed to kick off its display season.

“This was a huge achievement by the team, who can now crack into display flying at numerous events across the country,” said Squadron Leader Stapp, who is the Officer Commanding Central Flying School, as well as being one of the team this year. 

As a high point in their intensive flying careers, RNZAF Qualified Flying Instructors are eligible to become display pilots – work they undertake on top of their fulltime RNZAF roles at Central Flying School and No. 14 Squadron, based at RNZAF Base Ohakea.

Squadron Leader Stapp said the Black Falcons display routines aim to “inspire and educate” and demonstrate “professionalism rather than stardom”.

“Because of the RNZAF’s size and resources, display flying will never be the primary role for any of our pilots, so our approach is simple but professional, rather than complex,” he said. 

The Black Falcons team was formed in 2015 when the RNZAF took delivery of the new Texan II T-6C trainer aircraft, with the five-aircraft aerobatic team created shortly after that.

The team was created to engage with the public and showcase the New Zealand Defence Force and its personnel.

View the season flying schedule.