The main purpose of the Silver Falcons is to enhance the image of the South African Air Force, encourage recruitment and instill national pride through public display.

The Silver Falcons ("Die Silwer Valke" in Afrikaans) team was founded and gave their first display in November 1967 at the opening of the Atlas Aircraft Corporation.

The Silver Falcons operated from Langebaanweg until the early 1990s, when all the Impala training was moved to Air Force Base Hoedspruit, in the Lowveld region of South Africa, and formed part of 85 Combat Flying School.

The decision was partly made due to the shortage of flying instructors at 85 CFS and also to display the new turbo-prop trainer to the nation.

The Pilatus PC-7 Mk II is a high performance single-engine turboprop aircraft, used by the South African Air Force for ab-initio training.

Like the PC-9, the PC-7 Mk II features a larger cockpit, upgraded airframe and instruments and is fitted with a ventral airbrake, but it retains the smaller engine of the original PC-7.