Blue Eagles

Associated sites:
Army Historic Aircraft Flight | The Museum of Army Flying | Army Air Corps Recruiting

Blue Eagles Team Displays – End of season report for 2001

All good things must come to an end, and the sadly this is true of this most fantastic of seasons for the World’s premier Helicopter Display Team.

When the team formed on the 1st March this year at Middle Wallop, I had no idea that we would enjoy such a wonderfully successful season. The omens for the coming year became apparent on 26th April at the team’s first showing to the media at the Press day. Within a week we had been published in The Times, The Sun, The Express and The Mail and had been featured in a Meridian TV and a BBC news report. That week the name of the Army Air Corps and The Blue Eagles was shown to over 6 million of the UK population.

One of my stated aims this year was to quantify just how much exposure the team was achieving in the media. I did this for two main reasons; to ensure that our sponsors were getting good value for their investment in the team and also to ensure that the Army was properly represented to the British public.

I am delighted to be able to report that during the period from March to October over 50 million people had the name of the Army Air Corps and The Blue Eagles brought to their attention thanks to a very co-operative media. The team were featured in local and national newspapers on many occasions, far too many to list here. We enjoyed coverage in regional and national TV, both commercial and the BBC, not only in news reports but also in documentaries. We have had the pleasure of entertaining more than half a dozen film crews, both broadcast TV and independent film companies. Two of these companies have made full length documentaries of the team that will be shown on both national and international TV channels, terrestrial, satellite and cable. I would like to say a special thank you to Adrenalin TV, who in co-operation with Foretell Media, very kindly made a promotional DVD for the team for use in our exhibition vehicle next year.

Throughout the season we performed over 40 shows up and down the country and suffered not a single un-serviceability to our aircraft, thanks in no small measure to the sterling service provided by our technicians led by Mr Andy Rowlandson, all of whom are employees of BHL.

The ground-crew travelled well in excess of 10,000 road miles ensuring that our new exhibition trailer was in the right place at the right time and immaculately presented, serving to further enhance the name of the Army Air Corps.

And to our Sponsors, without whom we would be unable to present the team in such a professional manner:

Breitling (TWG Distribution Ltd)
Vauxhall
Cotswold Essential Outdoors
Mobex
Ensign signs

and of course our webmasters who bring you this excellent website – DeltaWeb.

Many grateful thanks…………

Penultimately a word of thanks to the aircrew who gave unstintingly of their time and energies to produce a perfectly choreographed and flawlessly executed display at venue after venue, irrespective of their mid-week workload or other professional pressures. As the team has now dispersed to their respective units I can now say that it was an honour to have commanded such an outstanding group of aviators.

When thanking the team it would be remiss of me not to also pay tribute to their ever patient and understanding families who endured many lonely weekends throughout the season. Your forbearance and sufferance is much appreciated.

And finally, on behalf of the team a huge thank you to all of the team’s supporters, particularly those of you who have followed our progress through the reports here on the website. It may interest you all to know that this year we have broken all records in notching up over 11 million hits on the site during the season.

C J Dunscombe

Maj Team Manager and OC Blue Eagles

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