| Unit Name: | Wildcat Demo Team The Black Cats |
| Dates: | –present |
| Type: | Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team |
| Role: | Wildcat helicopter flying display |
| Size: | 6 aircrew and several support crew |
| Command Structure: | Fleet Air Arm |
| Garrison: | RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) |
| Garrison Label: | Naval Air Station |
| Colors: | Grey and Black |
| Colors Label: | Colours |
| Website: | Black Cats Helicopter Display Team |
| Aircraft Helicopter Attack: | Westland Lynx HAS.2, HAS.3 & HMA.8 (2001 - 2014) AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 (2014 - present) |
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.[1]
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[2] 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.[3]
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 .[3] [4] 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.[5] 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.[3]
The 2010 Black Cats display team were led by Lieutenant Becky Frater, RN, piloting ‘Black 1’,[6] with Lieutenant Chris Chambers, RN, in charge of ‘Black 2’.[7] Lieutenant Frater was the only female helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy[8] and the first female pilot to fly in and lead the Royal Navy Black Cats.[9] Rear Admiral Tom Cunningham, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Aviation & Carriers), provided sign-off for the 2010 Black Cats team to display.[10]
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,[11] 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’.[12] [13]
Again it was the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Aviation & Carriers), Rear Admiral Tom Cunningham, RN, who authorised the display, this time for the 2012 display season, which initially had thirteen venues scheduled between May and October 2012.[14] The 2011 'Black 2' was now Team Leader and 'Black 1', Lieutenant Dave Fleming, RN, and the new 'Black 2' was Lieutenant Ian Brannighan, RN.[15]
The Black Cats team put out a message that the 2013 display season would consist of a solo Westland Lynx HMA.8 display. The decision was based around the age of the Westland Lynx helicopter airframes and the impending retirement of the type, versus the Royal Navy’s current front line operational needs, along with the introduction of the AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 and the training requirements on that type for the, at that time, existing Fleet Air Arm pilots, air observers and air engineering ranks.[16] The 2013 display season pilot was Lieutenant AJ Thompson, RN, who had previously been 'Black 2' during the 2009 display season.[17]
Due to the transition within the Royal Navy from the Westland Lynx HMA.8 to the AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2, one of the Lynx helicopters was replaced within the team with a Wildcat helicopter for the 2014 display season.[18]
The 2014 season was the last year with the Lynx HMA.8.
From the 2015 season onwards the team now only operates with the AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 and for the 2015 and 2016 display seasons it used two helicopters.
On 11 June 2015, the Black Cats made public that they had been granted their Public Display Authority (PDA)[19] The inaugural public display of the Black Cats using a pair of AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2, from 825 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), was at the Biggin Hill Festival of Flight on 13 June 2015.[20]
| 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black 1 | Lt David Lilly | |
| Black 2 | Lt James Woods |
It was announced on 17 May 2016 that the Royal Navy’s Black Cats helicopter display team had been formally awarded its Public Display Authority (PDA) by the Royal Navy’s head of the Fleet Air Arm, Rear Admiral Keith Blount,, RN. 2016 season team leader and pilot of 'Black 1', Lieutenant Commander David Lilly in his fourth season, and the pilot of 'Black 2', Lieutenant Chris Rebbeck, were both Qualified Helicopter Instructors with 825 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron).[21]
The Black Cats were not active and did not display during 2017 or 2018. However, for the 2019 display season, the Black Cats operated with only one AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2.[22]
On 25 May 2019 RNAS Yeovilton announced that the Royal Navy’s Black Cats single helicopter display, piloted by Lieutenant Chris Rebbeck, RN, had been formally awarded its Public Display Authority (PDA) by the Royal Navy’s head of the Fleet Air Arm, Rear Admiral Martin John Connell,, RN,.[23]
At the beginning of 2020 the Royal Navy introduced the "Wildcat Demo Team" for the 2020 display season, as a single AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 from RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron). It stated the name Black Cats is associated with a helicopter pair display and the name change was to improve perception of a single helicopter display.[24]
See main article: British government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a national lockdown announced on 23 March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, under the Black Cats name a statement was released around pausing display training, eventually leading to no Royal Navy helicopter displays during the 2020 flying display season.[25]
For the 2021 display season the Wildcat Demo Team display was authorised on 11 June, by Rear Admiral Martin John Connell, CBE, RN, during his visit to both 815 and 825 Naval Air Squadrons at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), two years since the last RN helicopter display at a UK airshow.[26] Piloting the Wildcat helicopter was Lieutenant Ryan Wotton, RN.[27] Following granting of the Public Display Authority (PDA), the Wildcat Demo Team were scheduled to display at the 2021 British Grand Prix, Silverstone, the 825 Naval Air Squadron Wings Parade at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), the Sidmouth Airshow, the Bournemouth Air Festival and the International Sanicole Airshow in Belgium.[28]
On 24 May 2022 the display team received official approval for the year’s display season.[29] It again was a solo AugustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 from 825 Naval Air Squadron, flown by Lieutenant Jim Carver. Nine airshows were on the schedule for 2022, including one overseas in Belgium.[30] With the passing of Elizabeth II just two days before the 43rd International Sanicole Airshow the Royal Navy's Wildcat display was withdrawn from the Belgium event.[31]
825 Naval Air Squadron announced that the 2023 RN Black Cats Helicopter Display Team, display had been formally signed-off by Rear Admiral Steve Moorhouse,, RN, on 15 June to enable the Black Cats to participate in National Armed Forces Day celebration at Falmouth, Cornwall on 24 June.[32] The team returned to a two helicopter display and at certain venues historic aircraft from the NavyWings Heritage Flight flew with the Black Cats. The team was set for twelve air shows in 2023. Lieutenant Commander Jim Carver, RN, was the team leader in ‘Black 1’.[33]
On 24 April 2024 both The Black Cats and 825 Naval Air Squadron announced the display pilots for the 2024 season would be Lieutenant Scott Sunderland and Lieutenant Michael "Viv" Vivian, and that they would be conducting both Solo and Pairs displays during the 2024 display season.[34]