Breitling Watch Dragon Tour 2012 Begins
Wednesday - 17 October 2012
The Breitling Jet Team, Breitling Wingwalkers and Yves 'Jetman' Rossy are taking part in 'The Breitling Dragon Tour' - a tour of Asia designed to bring the brand's passion for aviation to a new audience.
The three teams will participate in Airshow China 2012, held in Zhuhai, before embarking on a tour of the region.
The Breitling Jet Team is the world's only professional civilian flight team performing on jets. The planes fly within less than three metres of each other at speeds of almost 700 km/h and with up to 8G accelerations. The seven L-39C Albatros Czech-made twin-seater military training jets perform at around 50 demonstrations each year.
The Breitling Wingwalkers perform two types of aerobatics: one with planes flying in formation, and the other with two acrobats performing choreography on the centre of the upper wing. The planes are 1940s open-cockpit Boeing Stearman biplanes.
Yves 'Jetman' Rossy was the first person to achieve sustained human flight with a jet-powered fixed 'wing' strapped to his back. The wing is made of rigid carbon Kevlar and is equipped with four jet engines.
The three teams will participate in Airshow China 2012, held in Zhuhai, before embarking on a tour of the region.
Breitling Jet Team leader Jacques Bothelin said: "While we are there we want to make the most of our opportunities. We will miss the European 2013 season, but it will be exciting to explore new countries and display to new crowds. We'll be back in Europe early 2014 with some great experiences to relay."
The 1940s Stearmans of the wing walking team and Yves Rossy's Jetwings were shipped to China in containers, but the Breitling Jet Team are flying to their destination. They left Dijon on October 9th, flew through Eastern Europe and into Russia, passing through Siberia and Mongolia, before reaching their destination in mid-October.
"There is such an incredible fascination and enthusiasm for aviation in China," said Breitling Aviation Director Nigel Lamb, who flew the first civilian aerobatic team in China in 1996. "The team is well remembered even to this day. I'm looking forward to going back with all three teams and entirely different spectacles from Europe. Hopefully, this is just the start of the adventure. We're looking into keeping the Breitling Jet Team in Asia for 2013 and organising a series of tours in the region."
The Breitling Jet Team is the world's only professional civilian flight team performing on jets. The planes fly within less than three metres of each other at speeds of almost 700 km/h and with up to 8G accelerations. The seven L-39C Albatros Czech-made twin-seater military training jets perform at around 50 demonstrations each year.
The Breitling Wingwalkers perform two types of aerobatics: one with planes flying in formation, and the other with two acrobats performing choreography on the centre of the upper wing. The planes are 1940s open-cockpit Boeing Stearman biplanes.
Yves 'Jetman' Rossy was the first person to achieve sustained human flight with a jet-powered fixed 'wing' strapped to his back. The wing is made of rigid carbon Kevlar and is equipped with four jet engines.
