A training-school team

For half a century the August 1st team was the PLAAF’s only display team. In 2011 two flying-school teams were added: Sky Wing at the PLA Air Force Aviation University and Red Falcon, which Chinese Wikipedia attributes to the Air Force’s Third Flight College. Chinese sources date its formation to August 2011. Red Falcon flies the Hongdu JL-8 (K-8), a jet trainer developed jointly by China and Pakistan, which the PLAAF uses for intermediate jet training.

Over Tiananmen

By 2019 the team came under the Aviation University in Changchun, which in 2012 absorbed the 1st Training Regiment of the Third Flight College. At the military parade for the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic on 1 October 2019, the trainer formation included twelve JL-8s. Five came from the Xi’an Flight Academy and seven came from Red Falcon, flying a seven-aircraft wedge trailing seven coloured smoke trails. JL-8s from the team also flew at the Changchun air show in July 2023.