A civilian aerobatic team based in Byron, California, flying the Czech-built Aero L-39 Albatros — a jet trainer built for the Warsaw Pact and now a mainstay of the North American airshow circuit. The Patriots bought their first jets in 1999 and started performing in 2003 as a two-ship, growing steadily each season.
By 2010 the team had expanded to a full six-ship formation, one of the largest civilian jet teams flying in the western United States. Their L-39s are modified for airshow work with upgraded avionics and a 30-gallon smoke-oil system for the trademark contrail passes.