The Attack Helicopter Display Team (AHDT) are helicopter aerobatic team of the British Army Air Corps. The Attack Helicopter Display Team is made up of pilots, engineers and ground crew from the Army Air Corps Attack Helicopter Force based in Wattisham, Suffolk. The AHDT comes from 3 Regiment AAC, which is part of the Attack Helicopter Force within 16 Air Assault Brigade. The team display every year throughout the season at a number of national airshows using commentary and pyrotechnics to give the general public a flavour of what it’s like to operate as part of the Attack Helicopter Force on operation.
In 2013, Prince Harry (known as Captain Wales in the Army) made a surprise appearance at RAF Cosford Airshow where he joined members of the Army Air Corps Apache Attack Helicopter display team to entertain the crowds. The 28-year-old, who serves with 662 Squadron of the Army Air Corps, was selected to take part because of his experience in the deadly Apache helicopter. He was front seat co-pilot gunner for the demonstration at the show in Shropshire.
The Apache team performs manoeuvres in the helicopter, including high hovers, twists, pedal turns, wingovers and flypasts. Drawn from a pool of suitably qualified and experienced, operationally ready, Apache aircrew and ground crew, the team is not on permanent assignment like other display teams and uses aircraft drawn from the operational Apache Squadrons. These videos give a unique insight into the team, the personalities and the training – and aim to answer a few of the frequently asked questions.
