Black Cats Helicopter Display Team 2025 Schedule
Black Cats Helicopter Display Team
The Royal Navy Black Cats Helicopter Display Team, originally formed in 2001 as the ‘Lynx Pair’, is the first official Royal Navy flying display team since the disbandment of the ‘Sharks’ in the mid-1990s. The team consists of volunteer aircrew and engineers from 825 Naval Air Squadron and the Lynx Wildcat Maritime Force, based at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset.
The name ‘Black Cats’ originates from the fierce cat emblem of the now-disbanded 702 Naval Air Squadron and the naval slang term ‘blackcatting’, which means one-upmanship – doing or owning something better than someone else.
For the 2025 Display Season, the Black Cats return with their thrilling performances. The team will fly a pair of Leonardo Wildcat HMA2 aircraft from 825 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. Throughout the season, they will showcase both solo and pair displays at various events. The pilots for 2025 are Lieutenant Gary McCall and Lieutenant Tom Pethick.
The Black Cats are scheduled to perform at 11 events across the UK, Channel Islands, and Belgium.
