On 13 March 2011, Ali Atiyya, a colonel of the Libyan Air Force at the Mitiga military airport, near Tripoli defected and joined the revolution.

The Free Libyan Air Force showed itself for the first time on 15 March, launching an attack with a MiG-23 and a helicopter, sinking two pro-Gaddafi warships off the eastern coast near the front line of land battles at Adjabiya.

[5] Finally, BBC News reported on 20 March that the rebel aircraft was shot down by friendly fire, and the pilot, Colonel Mohammed Mbarak al-Okaili,[6] was killed after ejecting too late.

[8] On 22 March, a pilot of the Free Libyan Air Force, Colonel Fakhri Alsalabi, flew his jet into Bab Al Azizia in an apparent suicide mission, causing extensive damage and leading to rumors of Khamis Gaddafi's death, who later was proven to have survived unharmed.

It was revealed at the airshow that the BAE-146 had been used for 32 covert flights during the conflict in spite of the no-fly zone, landing on desert roads to supply ammunition and transport injured rebels to hospital.

The Libyan Ambassador, Saadun Suayeh, was present, and described the replacement of the roundels as a moment of "pride, joy and honour", and expressed his hope that the aircraft would soon return to Libya.

[13] On 23 October, three FLAF Mi-14's conducted a flypast at the declaration of national liberation ceremony in Benghazi overseen by Mustafa Abdul Jalil.

On April 12, 2012, a Free Libyan Air Force Mirage F1ED(cn502) crashed near Kasr El Hamrouniya Ben Gashir.