| Rotors of Portugal | |
|---|---|
| Rotores de Portugal | |
 Rotores de Portugal insignia | |
| Active | April, 1976 to 2010 |
| Disbanded | 2010 |
| Country |  Portugal |
| Branch |  Portuguese Air Force |
| Type | Aerobatic team |
| Role | Helicopter flight demonstration |
| Size | 5 Officers 6 Enlisted |
| Part of | Squadron 552 |
| Base | No 11 Air Base,Beja, Portugal |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Helicopter | Aérospatiale Alouette III |
TheRotores de Portugal (Portuguese for "Rotors of Portugal") is ahelicopterflight demonstration team created in 1976, operated by Squadron 552 (Esquadra 552) of thePortuguese Air Force, based inNo 11 Air Base,Beja. They are the national helicopter display team ofPortugal and use threeSud Aviation Alouette III.
In 1976, the aerobatic team Rotores de Portugal was created by order of the Air Force Chief of Staff (CEMFA) to represent the Portuguese Air Force in severalfestivals all over the country. The team operated for 18 years while integrated with the102 Squadron, and flew a total of 41 demonstrations.
On the fifty-third anniversary of the Air Force, in 2005, theRotores de Portugal were reactivated as part of the 552 Squadron, based at Beja Air Base.
By that time, a special colourful livery was applied to the helicopters operated by the , which included the national colours and the name of the team. As these helicopters were not exclusively used by the team, it started to be a common sight to see Alouette III sporting the special livery while performing the most varied missions, from search and rescue to airmobile assaults exercises. Even after the suspension of theRotores de Portugal activity, these helicopters continued to sport their respective livery.
The last performing of theRotores de Portugal occurred in 2010, with the team being currently inactive. Meanwhile, the Portuguese Air Force initiated the deactivation of their remaining Alouette III helicopters, which are being replaced by a smaller number ofAgustaWestland AW119 Koala.[1]
| Aircraft type | Base | Squadron | Display aircraft | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sud Aviation Alouette III | Air Base No 3,Tancos | Squadron 33 | 4 | 1976–1980 |
| Air Base No 3, Tancos | Squadron 102 | 2 | 1982–1992 | |
| Air Base No 3, Tancos | Squadron 111 | 4 | 1993–1994 | |
| Air Base No 11, Beja | Squadron 552 | 2 | 2004–2005 | |
| Air Base No 11, Beja | Squadron 552 | 3 | 2006—2010 |
