WILTON, Conn., May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 129 years after the Statue of Liberty was officially gifted to the United States from the people of France, the France-based Breitling Jet Team, supported by Swiss watch company Breitling, took to the skies for a spectacular flight around Lady Liberty. The Team arrived stateside for the first time this year to embark on their first-ever American Tour, comprised of nearly 20 airshows across the US and Canada. Made up of seven L-39 C Albatros jets that can reach speeds of up to 565 mph, the Breitling Jet Team is the world's largest professional civilian flight team performing on jets, flying within just a few feet of each other. In addition to the Statue of Liberty, the Team took in other New York landmarks like the new Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center, Central Park and the George Washington Bridge on this meaningful flight.
The Breitling Jet Team fly in formation over Statue of Liberty in New York City. The team, who represent the independent Swiss watch company Breitling, are embarking on their first-ever American Tour, comprised of nearly 20 air shows across the US and Canada. (Andy Wolfe/Breitling)
The Breitling Jet Team fly in formation over New York City. The Team, who represent the independent Swiss watch company Breitling, are embarking on their first-ever American Tour, comprised of nearly 20 air shows across the US and Canada. (Gregory Le Moigne Productions/Breitling)
The Breitling Jet Team fly in formation over the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center in New York City. The Breitling Jet Team is the world's largest professional civilian jet flight team. (Andy Wolfe/Breitling)
The Breitling Jet Team fly in formation over Central Park in New York City. The Team, who represent the independent Swiss watch company Breitling, are embarking on their first-ever American Tour, comprised of nearly 20 air shows across the US and Canada. (Andy Wolfe/Breitling)
The Breitling Jet Team fly in formation over George Washington Bridge in New York City. Made up of seven L-39C Albatros jets that can reach speeds of up to 565 mph (909 kph), the Breitling Jet Team is the world's largest professional civilian jet flight team. (Andy Wolfe/Breitling)
"It was a privilege to experience the flight over the Manhattan skyline," said Jacques Bothelin, leader of the Breitling Jet Team. "To fly there, it was something truly breathtaking; the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan skyline, and the brand new Freedom Tower at the new World Trade Center are recognized throughout the world and it was an honor to get so close."
Widely recognized for the precision and seamless coordination displayed throughout high-speed aerobatics, the group is bringing their unmatched flying to North America for the first time, mirroring the quality and precision of a Breitling timepiece, with the goal of inspiring a future generation of pilots and fostering excitement around the field of aviation.
Following their performance at the Bethpage Airshow at Jones Beach over Memorial Day weekend, the team will continue on to the Rhode Island National Guard Open House and Airshow and the Ocean City Airshow in Maryland. For the full schedule, please visit www.breitling-jet-team.com.
The precision and skill demonstrated by the team embodies Breitling's ties to aviation. Since developing onboard chronographs for airplane cockpits, including World War II propeller-driven fighter planes, Breitling has been known as the authentic partner of aviation. This reputation was solidified in 1952, when Breitling launched its legendary Navitimer wrist chronograph featuring a circular slide rule serving to perform all navigation-related calculations. A cult object for pilots and aviation enthusiasts, it has been continuously manufactured for more than 60 years – making it the world's oldest mechanical chronograph still in production. Other favorites among pilots are the Aerospace watch, which was launched in 1985, and the innovative Emergency timepiece with a built-in transmitter that was originally introduced in 1995 and was recently updated to a new version that will launch in 2015 and is the world's first wristwatch with a dual frequency locator beacon. To celebrate the Breitling Jet Team's American Tour, Breitling has produced a Chronomat 44 in a limited 500 pieces, the dial is distinguished in eye-catching Breitling Jet Team colors, with the American Tour logo engraved on the caseback. The case houses Breitling's in-house caliber 01 movement, officially chronometer-certified by the COSC.
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