“The show compares highly positively with other air shows and we are pleased with its high standards,” the team said at a press conference on the sidelines of the BIAS 2014.
“We participated with four Sukhois in 2012 and we have increased the number to five this year. We are so pleased with the air show in Bahrain that we are planning to have six planes in our participation in 2016,” they said.
The “Russian Pilots” team is made up of Andrey Alekseev, the leader, Alexander Bogdan, Erofeev Oleg, Plaksin Denis and Shcheglov Sergey.
“We have noted with great satisfaction the stability in the organisation over the year, which is a great sign that encourages participation,” they said.
Formed on April 5, 1991 at the Kubinka Air Base as a team of six Sukhoi Su-27s, the team was the first to perform outside the Soviet Union in September 1991 when they toured the United Kingdom. The team now performs with four Su-27Ps and two Su-27UBs.
The Kubinka air force base located 60 km west of Moscow has been known as the Air Force installation used for demonstrating advanced combat aircraft to national and foreign leaders.
Today, Kubinka AFB is known as the best aerobatics school where the Russian Knights and Swifts aerobatic teams are stationed. Kubinka is a major base of the Russian Air Force in the Moscow region.
Wearing the insignia of Russian pride, the Knights (Russkiye Vityazi) comprising blue Sukhoi combat aircraft are expected to encourage the Bahraini public into an arena that offers unending enthusiasm with their breathtaking aerobatic skills.
The presence of the team, the third consecutive time at the BIAS, reflects the warmth and cordiality of friendly ties between Bahrain and Russia, the team said at the press conference.
The team said that they had never let down the enthusiasts – be it in terms of their acrobatic performances or by way of granting them an opportunity to see these aircraft from a close range.
The way they perform high above flying at one metre distance between the wings, is something exceptional.
The pilots, who are highly skilled in aerobatics and are supported on the ground by around 60 technicians, are also experts in their own fields.