Less than 2 meters seperate the canopies as they perform this graceful and beautiful maneuver. All the p ilots for the Halcones are active duty combat pilots in the Chilean Air Force. They have a wide background of experience and all have over 1500 hours in the air. The trip to Topeka was the final stop on a month long tour of the United States and Canada. A fter the show Sunday, the Halcones flew to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, KS to disassemble their Extras, pack them into their C-130 support plane and fly home.
Tight formation is the name of the game for the diamond pilots.
This photo, taken on the press hop Friday before the show, demonstrates just how close the formation's planes are to one ano ther. While the Extra is an inherently unstable aircraft, as most championship aerobatic aircraft are, it is rock steady in the hands of a seasoned pilot. This hop was the first aerobatic experience for the photographer. Otto - The Helicopter Clown Bob Hoskings was on hand with his comedy helicopter act. Otto delights children and adults alike with his aviating antics.