Initially posted by SilentEagle via ED Forums.
In 2011, the Patriots Jet Demonstration Team, based out of Discovery Bay, California, added two more L-39 jets to their airshow performance and debuted their 6-ship show. In an effort to meet their goals with limited resources, the team reached out to their online virtual counterparts, the Virtual Patriots. Already breaking barriers in the aerobatic community with the integration of the Virtual Patriots as a part of the actual team, the Patriots continued to fly into the unknown. The virtual pilots were integral in molding the 2011 Patriots Jet Team performance by flying the new routine in an online flight simulator, LockOn Flaming Cliffs 2. At each show iteration, the performance was recorded, reviewed, corrected, and tweaked by the actual pilots, before a single drop of fuel was consumed by the L39’s. By sowing a unique partnership with their virtual counterparts, the Patriots Jet Team was able to enhance the quality and safety of their 6-ship show, all while reducing maintenance and fuel costs, a first for any aerobatic team in the world!
On September 18, 2011 all six Virtual Patriots took to the skies in the backseat of their respective L-39’s for a truly historic flight. Climbing through 16,000 ft above the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Virtual Patriots were put through the ultimate test, maintaining delta formation, just as they have done virtually. With zero room for error, you will witness the truest example of the unique bond that exists between the pilots…one that is separated by only a few feet in what many have called "Rare Air!" The following video showcases this memorable flight.
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