An air display, including various flights of aircraft in formation, first took place in France in 1931. The aircraft were piloted by a group of instructors from the training school at Stampedes airbase.
The first real French aerobatic team was later established in Etampes. (N. B. - in France, aerobatic teams are known as "patrouille" (patrols), but, in this article, we will continue to use the terminology "aerobatic team"). This team consisted of three Morane-Saulnier 230 aircraft and they were known as "Patrouille Etampes". The first demonstration by this team was on May 10, 1931 and their first display abroad was that August in Belgium.
In 1934, the team transitioned to Morane-Saulnier 225 aircraft. This team achieved very good results and became very popular with the public, by participating in numerous national and international air displays. In 1935, the team suffered its first tragedy when one of its pilots died in a crash. From 1936 until 1939, the team employed Spad 510 aircraft.
In 1937, the "Patrouille Etampes" was relocated to Salon de Provence and co-located with a Flight School. The "Patrouille Etampes" then became the official aerobatic team of that Flight School.
