Breitling's Aerial Acrobatic Team

While many watch brands today focus on pilot watches, no brand is as intimately connected to aviation as Breitling. From the original "Navitimer" introduced in 1952, which incorporated the world's first slide rule bezel and earned unwavering support from pilots worldwide, to the "Emergency II" with its distress beacon, Breitling offers a diverse range of pilot watches. Concurrently, they have actively promoted the allure of flight to the public through initiatives such as the restoration of legendary aircraft, the Constellation, and their record-breaking circumnavigation of the globe by balloon.

The Breitling Jet Team stands as a flagship of these endeavors. Primarily performing across Europe, their home base, they have captivated audiences with their world-class displays. In 2013, the team embarked on their first-ever Asian tour, which included a visit to Japan.

A Special Connection to Fukushima

They had declared that the highlight of their tour would beGreat East Japan Earthquakean airshow in Fukushima, a region devastated by the earthquake and the subsequent nuclear accident. The Japan tour commenced on May 6th over the Seto Inland Sea, east of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, off Suma Seaside Park, marking the team's first-ever performance over water.

However, fate intervened. Team leader Jacques Bottex and his seven pilots were unable to fully convey their sentiments and performance to the Japanese people. The planned display over Yokohama Port on May 7th was canceled due to rain.

They proceeded to their next destination, Fukushima Airport. There, the Breitling Jet Team received a fervent welcome from the people of Fukushima. Yet, once again, the weather proved an obstacle. While a fly-by over Fukushima Prefecture was managed, the airshow planned off the coast of Onahama, intended as the tour's climax, had to be canceled due to a sudden, dense fog.

With heavy hearts, they left Japan, promising to return someday, and headed back to their home base in France. At the time, a return visit seemed highly improbable...

Answering the Call of Children

But the letters, drawings, and video messages of gratitude sent by the children and people of Fukushima, whom they had met in May, reignited the passion within the team members and organizers. Three months later, they returned to Fukushima.

Blessed with favorable weather on August 7th and 8th, their performance above Fukushima Sky Park became a reality. Fukushima Sky Park is the home base of Japan's premier aerobatic pilot, Yoshihide Muroya, and was instrumental in making this Japan tour possible. On both days, Muroya first took to the skies in his beloved Extra 300S, delivering a spectacular performance for Breitling fans gathered from Fukushima and across Japan.



Then, the seven Breitling Jet Team aircraft took off from Fukushima Airport and soared into the skies above the verdant Sky Park. Flying at speeds up to 750 km/h and experiencing G-forces up to 8G, they painted beautiful lines with smoke trails, executing breathtaking aerobatic maneuvers. Spectators gazed upwards, their spirits renewed with hope for the future by the beautiful and dynamic flight.

At the conclusion of their performance, the team executed a special maneuver, the "Missing Man Formation," in tribute to a fallen pilot,Great East Japan Earthquakea poignant tribute to those lost in the disaster, before flying away.

Moving Encounters, Again

The courage delivered by the Breitling Jet Team, and this message of solidarity and support they left behind upon their departure from Fukushima, will undoubtedly remain etched in the hearts of the people of Fukushima, carried through the children.

Breitling Japan
Tel. 03-3436-0011
http://www.breitling.co.jp