THE ALPINE A450 & THE PATROUILLE DE FRANCE
On Thursday, April 3, Signatech-Alpine and its drivers took time to visit the Salon de Provence airbase in the south of France on their way home from the pre-2014 ELMS test (European Le Mans Series) at the nearby Le Castellet circuit on April 1-2.
They had an appointment with the Patrouille de France aerobatic display team and with the World Aerobatic Champion Captain François Le Vot. Alpine’s 2014 trio – Nelson Panciatici, Paul-Loup Chatin and Oliver Webb – were given an opportunity to not only discover the world of the French Air Force but also follow the Patrouille de France’s everyday practice routines in the famous tricolor Alpha Jets.
Meanwhile, the Patrouille’s pilots and mechanics were able to examine the 2013 ELMS-winning Alpine A450 at close quarters and chat with the car’s three drivers who described the occasion as a memorable day in red, white and blue.
The Patrouille Acrobatique de France (French Acrobatic Patrol), also known as the Patrouille de France or PAF, is the precision aerobatic demonstration team of the French Air Force. Originating in 1931, it is the world's oldest and one of the most skilled demonstration teams. Pilots currently fly the Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet.
Patrouille de France in the USA and Canada, in French / great video ! They came in 1986.