A pilot from each wing

The Belgian Air Component kept a long tradition of sending a single F-16 to air shows across Europe. An experienced F-16 pilot was chosen every two or three seasons and the post alternated between the two fighter wings at Florennes and Kleine-Brogel. The display was known for its use of flares, shown at the Rome International Air Show in 2012, and a small team of crew chiefs, armament technicians, a coach and a spare-aircraft pilot travelled with it. At AIRPOWER 2016 in Zeltweg the display jet suffered a compressor stall and landed as a precaution.

Dark Falcon and Dream Viper

Senior Captain Stefan “Vador” Darte of the 1st Squadron at Florennes flew the display from 2018 in the black and grey “Dark Falcon”, with a falcon head added in 2019 for 40 years of the F-16 in Belgian service. In October 2021 Senior Captain Steven “Vrieske” De Vries of Kleine-Brogel, the first non-US pilot to pass 5,000 hours on the F-16, was chosen for 2022–2024. His FA-87 “Dream Viper” won the Bill Hartree Trophy at Cosford and the most spectacular colour scheme award at RIAT in its first season.

Closed for the F-35

On 19 February 2024 the Air Component closed the team and cancelled the 2024 season, which had been meant to mark the F-16’s 50th anniversary and 45 years of Belgian service. It cited the transition to the F-35A, the run-down of the F-16 fleet and the resources committed to training Ukrainian pilots. The 2023 season, flown by De Vries in the Dream Viper, was therefore the display’s last; the closure came 45 years after the F-16 entered Belgian service.