Wildcat Demo Team

The Wildcat Demo Team (also known as the Black Cats) are the Royal Navy's helicopter aerobatics display team. The team is composed of two AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface (ASuW) helicopters, with the aircraft and crews drawn from 825 Naval Air Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), in Somerset.

The team performs at airshows and other public events around the UK and Europe. They perform an air display which mixes close formation, opposition and synchronised manoeuvres.

The Black Cats helicopter display team were formed in 2001 and performed using the navalised version of the Westland Lynx, a multi-purpose military helicopter. For their first three display seasons, the team was known as the "Lynx Pair", however, the "Black Cats" title was applied to the team instead in 2004. The team's predecessors as the Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team were "The Sharks", who used four red Westland Gazelle helicopters and disbanded in 1992 and some of their routines were incorporated into the "Black Cats" display.

The aircrew and engineers were all volunteers from 702 Naval Air Squadron and the Lynx Helicopter Force which were both based at the RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), in Somerset.

The "Lynx Pair" won 'The Steedman Display Sword' for the best United Kingdom participant at the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2003 and as "Les Chats Noirs" performed at the French Navy's 30th Anniversary of operating the Lynx helicopter at Lanvéoc in Brittany. This success brought about both the Royal Navy and AgustaWestland to increase their support to the team and the Black Cats came into being.

Lieutenant Dave Lilly, RN, was chosen for the 2008 display season as ‘Black 2’, with the team leader, ‘Black 1’, Lieutenant Commander Alun ‘Lucky Al’ Read, RN, who went on to receive an MBE. The following year was the Royal Navy’s Fly Navy 100 (FN100) celebration for 100 years of innovation in naval aviation from 1909 when an airship was ordered by the Admiralty. Lieutenant Dave Lilly, RN, had a second season with the team, but this time as ‘Black 1’, with Lieutenant AJ Thompson, RN, as ‘Black 2’, for 2009.

The 2010 Black Cats display team were led by Lieutenant Becky Frater, RN, piloting ‘Black 1’, with Lieutenant Chris Chambers, RN, in charge of ‘Black 2’. Lieutenant Frater was the only female helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy and the first female pilot to fly in and lead the Royal Navy Black Cats. Rear Admiral Tom Cunningham, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Aviation & Carriers), provided sign-off for the 2010 Black Cats team to display.

The 2011 display programme was announced in March, with fifteen airshows in the schedule between May and October and the team prepared by practising both the Pairs and Solo display routines. Once again it was Rear Admiral Tom Cunningham, RN, who authorised the display on 12 May, with the previous year’s ‘Black 2’, Lieutenant Chris Chambers, RN, now team leader and flying ‘Black 1’ along with Lieutenant Dave Fleming, RN, in ‘Black 2’.