Carlos Filipe Operti joined the Brazilian Air Force’s demonstration team during a 30-day tour around South America.
NEWS Special
The Força Aérea Brasileira’s (FAB’s) Esquadrão de Demonstração Aérea (EDA), better known as the Esquadrilha da Fumaça (Smoke Squadron), was established in 1952 but only became the service’s official demonstration team in 1963. Disbanded in 1976, after 1,318 demonstration flights with the T-6 Texan and Magister, it was revived four years later with the Neiva T-25 and designated as the EDA in 1982. In September the following year the first six T-27 Tucanos were delivered and the type made its debut in Fumaça colours in December.
With a new requirement to market the Tucano to potential customers, the EDA made a debut appearance at Chile’s biennial Feria Internacional del Aire (FIDA, now Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio, FIDAE) show in 1984. It was the beginning of a lasting relationship with the event and the Fuerza Aérea de Chile’s (Chilean Air Force’s) own demonstration team, Los Halcones. Since then, Fumaça has flown 93 displays at 15 FIDAE shows.
Preparations
Taking the team abroad is a huge undertaking. It requires selection of maintenance tools, spare parts, oil d…
