FOUNDATION
On
28 March 2004, Manu, Frankie and Luc returned from an individual navigation
flight back to the field. By coincidence, they simultaneously called “Ursel
Radio”. As common, they requested the runway in use and eventual recommendations
of the acting airfield major. However, when hearing each other on the radio,
they agreed on first trying to do a join up and a small formation flight.
Actually, they were flying so far from each other that you could hardly speak of
a formation. However, upon landing they realised that this actually could be fun
and agreed to continu that more in the future. They verified the Belgian Air Law
to confirm what was legally allowed in formation flying. They realised that they
also had to learn some techniques to do this better in the future. Initially
they found this as a perfect occasion to improve their individual flying skill,
because formation flying requires a lot of co-ordination.
They continued looking for information through the Air Force, internet as well as other aviation sources. So, they continued finding some techniques.
On a regular bases, they tried to fly this more until they were invited to fly some formation passes on 27 August 2004 for an open door of the fire brigade at Gavere.
A new challenge was born.
Afterwards,
they started flying, on a regular bases displays at the home airfield of Ursel,
such as the baptism ceremony of a new airplane, marriage of a flight instructor,
Wings and Wheels, etc. Until finally they were, for the first time, invited to
participate at the Belgian Air Force airshow at Koksijde AFB. Additionally that
year, they also participated at the Fly-in in Zoersel. They had enjoyed these
airshows so much that they decided to continue the formation flying under a more
formal and structured organisation and created officially “Formationteam The
Victors,VZW”. This resulted in creating standardisation procedures, creation of
a Public Relation and off course more rehearsals. Additionally they added two
pilots to the team, so that the displays could always be performed with 4
aircraft.
They also participate in the European Airshow Council, where organisers and display pilots and teams are gathered to exchange information with other teams.
On special occasions, they sometimes fly a formation with other aircraft. On the pictures below, they flew a formation with a Stinson Reliant in 2009 and with the Flying Legends in 2006.
During the airshow at Sanicole in September 2010, The Victors performed their 100th Display. They received congratulations from the Breitling Jet Team, The Turkish Stars and of course from the organiser of the Sanicole airshow.
DE NAME “THE VICTORS”
When they first started formation flying, they always flew with the same three aircraft, registered respectively OO-VMC, OO-VMX and OO-VCU. Since you can find in all three registrations the letter V, radiotelephony pronounced as VICTOR, the name was born.
GODFATHER OF THE FORMATIONTEAM
Our godfather is a famous Flemish Actor, Lucas Vanden Eynde, who is also a private pilot. He regularly acts as commentator during the airshows.
