The "Silver Falcons" (Silwer Valke in Afrikaans) are the aerobatic display team of the South African Air Force (SAAF) and are part of the Central Flying School based at Langebaanweg Air Base, near Cape Town.
The team flies with five Pilatus PC-7 Mk II Astra trainers originally painted in a blue and white livery and equipped with white smoke generators.
From 2012, the team’s cargo plane C-47TP Dakota was paint in the Silver Falcons colors nicknamed “Gooney Bird”. Until then the plane flew in standard 35 Squadron livery.
Unfortunately, on Dec 5 same year, the "Gooney Bird" crashed in Drakensberg Mountains near Ladysmith killing 11 team members onboard. The plane took off from Waterkloof Air Base, Pretoria in the morning en route to Mthatha.
