19 Pilatus PC-9/A aircraft of 2 Flying Training School (2FTS), RAAF, based at Pearce, WA, in Thunderbird formation over the northern suburbs of Perth – Wed 2 September 2015. Aircraft in the formation are A23-002, A23-003, A23-005, A23-010, A23-011, A23-014, A23-015, A23-016, A23-019, A23-021, A23-026, A23-033, A23-034, A23-038, A23-044, A23-047, A23-048, A23-054, A23-065, plus another unidentified PC-9 as chase plane. The ‘Thunderbird’ formation was a salute to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) students of number 240 Pilots’ Course who graduated as military aviators in a ceremony held the next day, on Thursday 3 September 2015 at RAAF Base Pearce, after their 38-week course with 2 Flying Training School (2FTS). The Thunderbird formation is also treated as a training activity for the student pilots. After taking off from RAAF Pearce, the aircraft gathered into their formation to the west of Gingin, before heading south west to pass over Rottnest Island at approximately 3.54pm, heading east over Fremantle at approximately 3.57pm, the follow the Swan River to pass in front of Perth city at approximately 4.00pm. They are seen here over the north eastern suburbs at 4.09pm before passing over RAAF Pearce for a flypast at 4:10pm. Photo © David Eyre