User:Eaglelead/sandbox

SILVER EAGLES

Between 1972 and 1976 the United States Army Aviation Precision Demonstration Team (USAAPDT), the SILVER EAGLES, performed in several hundred civilian and military airshows. The first performance was at TRANSPO 72, at Dulles International Airport. The final performance was at Knox Field, Fort Rucker, Alabama. The SILVER EAGLES performed alongside the Air Force Thunderbirds, the Navy Blue Angles, The Army Golden Knights (parachute team) and the Canadian Red Arrows.

Thr first team consisted of flight instructors at the U. S. Army Aviation School (USAAVNS)at Fort Rucker, flying OH-6A helicopters built by Hughes Helicopters in Culver City, CA and OH-58A helicopters built by Bell Helicopter Company in Dallas, TX. The performances at TRANSPO 72 were so impressive that the Army brass decided to activate the team under the Recruiting Command.

From 1973 through 1976 the SILVER EAGLES

Shows were scheduled through two different routes. In December of each year the commanders and operations officers of the SILVER EAGLES, the Golden Knights, the Thunderbirds, and the Blue Angels met with Department of Defense (DOD) Staff in Washington, DC, to accept invitations to perform at military bases during the following year. Then the team representatives participated in the annual meeting of the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) to fill out their schedules.

Normally the SILVER EAGLES scheduled between 40 and 50 performance each year. However, in 1976, because of the Bicentennial celebratioins throughout the United States, the team scheduled more than 75 performances.