Seven A-29 Super Tucano aircraft fly at high speed, close to the public and only a few meters apart during Esquadrilha da Fumaça demonstrations. Safety in these displays depends on intense training, constant communication among pilots and precise coordination that begins well before takeoff and continues throughout the demonstration. The displays are set to be a highlight of Domingo Aéreo at the Brazilian Air Force Academy in Pirassununga, São Paulo state, on Sunday (1st). g1 São Carlos and Araraquara, in partnership with EPTV, a TV Globo affiliate, broadcast the acrobatics live for the first time.
The A-29 is used in more than 50 annual Esquadrilha da Fumaça demonstrations in Brazil and abroad. Captain André Nery Lima Bezerra, 35, said not every aircraft is designed to fly upside down. The wing must be designed to generate lift while inverted, and the fuel system must be adapted so the tank can collect fuel when the aircraft is upside down. The aircraft manual sets a limit of 60 seconds for inverted flight, a restriction tied to cooling and lubrication rather than aerodynamics or engine operation, he said.
Close formation adds to the demands. The captain said the aircraft sometimes fly less than two meters from the aircraft beside them and less than three meters from the one ahead, leaving almost no margin for error. Each pilot occupies one of seven fixed positions and does not rotate during a stint with the squadron. Staying in the same position allows the pilot to build muscle memory and perform the same movements with as little variation as possible, he said.
The pilots do not use electronic systems to hold their positions relative to one another, according to Bezerra. They rely on their eyes and visual references on the aircraft, such as aligning part of a wing with a specific painted stripe. The squadron's paint scheme therefore has a technical role as well as an identity function, he said. Paint application follows strict criteria because it affects aerodynamics and weight. The lightning symbol has appeared on the aircraft since 1960, representing strength, aggressiveness and air power; the aircraft have used Brazilian flag colors since 2001, and the A-29 carries the flag on its tail. The operational FAB version is camouflaged, while the demonstration colors make the aircraft easier to see for both the public and the pilots.
The A-29s are equipped with ejection seats that allow a pilot to leave the aircraft in a serious emergency when landing is unsafe or impossible and return to the ground by parachute. Bezerra said the seat is zero-zero, meaning it can be activated at zero speed and zero altitude, essentially with the aircraft stopped on the ground. The T-27 Tucano previously used by the squadron also had an ejection seat, but with an older system that lacked the zero-zero capability, he said. Ejection remains extremely aggressive: the force applied to the pilot exceeds 15 to 20 times the force of gravity.
Pilots joining the Esquadrilha da Fumaça undergo six months to one year of preparation, including more than 90 training flights. Part of the challenge is that controls reverse when the aircraft is inverted: to make the plane go left, the pilot must move the stick to the right. Bezerra said this is difficult at first but becomes intuitive over time. Each maneuver requires different visual references, sometimes the lead aircraft, sometimes the horizon or onboard instruments. The A-29's systems also help pilots maintain precision in unfamiliar areas or complex terrain, keeping them aligned with the planned axis and altitude, he said.
Compared with the T-27 Tucano, the A-29 brought gains in precision, comfort and safety, according to Bezerra. It has a larger, more comfortable cockpit and an anti-G system that helps pilots withstand higher gravitational loads during maneuvers. G force is a measure of acceleration that compares the force felt by a person with Earth's gravity. The anti-G suit is connected to the aircraft and has inflatable bladders around the abdomen and legs. During maneuvers, the aircraft's pneumatic system inflates the bladders to compress parts of the body and help blood return to the brain, reducing the risk that the pilot will lose consciousness.
Sources: G1.