Midnight Hawks
The Midnight Hawks air display team is the official aerobatic team of the Finnish Air Force. Flying four Hawk fast jets, the team has proudly presented the expertise and capabilities of the Finnish Air Force in air shows in Finland and abroad since 1997.
The Midnight Hawks has three display sequences for different weather conditions. The good weather sequence is divided into three sections. The first section features various manoeuvres flown mainly in a tight diamond formation. The second section focuses on vertical manoeuvres and the third breaking and forming up above the pole of the display. In the medium weather sequence, the vertical manoeuvres and splits have been replaced with manoeuvres that can be performed at a lower altitude. The sequence for the lowest cloud ceiling includes horizontal manoeuvres and formation changes.
All the pilots on the display team serve as qualified flight instructors at the Air Force Academy, Fighter Squadron 41. Serving as flight instructors is the pilots’ main job. They rehearse formation aerobatics on top of their teaching responsibilities. Flying in the Midnight Hawks requires commitment, gruelling training and constantly challenging oneself. Belonging to the team is an honour. The team members are already looking forward to the flight displays in the summer and wish all viewers welcome to watch the team’s performances in air shows at home and abroad.
Midnight Hawks Team for the 2025 Season
The composition of the Midnight Hawks team for the season 2025 has had several changes. Captain Ville Kirijatshenko is the new team leader with Captain Arttu Majuri flying on the left wing and Captain Lauri Lappalainen on the right wing. Captain Petteri Wahlgren continues to fly the slot position. Captain Juho Tervahartiala has transitioned to the role of the team supervisor. The 2025 season’s seven, aka rookie, is Captain Ville Mattila. He is responsible for flight displays’ commentary and their music as well as the team’s social media production.
Any of the flight activities of the Finnish Air Force, including the Midnight Hawks aerobatics displays, would not be possible without the tireless, meticulous work and support of the aircraft maintenance personnel. The Midnight Hawks number ten, senior engineering officer, Sergeant Major Lasse Ahlgren, is in charge of the pre-flight inspections and maintenance of the four display and one backup aircraft. In these duties he will be assisted by a maintenance crew of six from the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
Team members
#1 Team Leader Captain Ville Kirijatshenko
The team leader, or #1, is Captain Ville Kirijatshenko, 34. Ville hails from the heart of Central Finland, Saarijärvi. He graduated from the Saarijärvi high school in 2009 and the same year, he embarked on Pilot Reserve Officer Course 84 in Tikkakoski. He also worked as a part-time fire fighter at the Central Finland Rescue Services’ Saarijärvi Fire Department. From the Pilot Reserve Officer Course, Ville was admitted to Cadet Course 97, Officer Pilot Programme at the National Defence University. He was assigned to the post of officer pilot in 2013, after which his pilot training continued on the Hawk at the Training Air Wing in Kauhava.
In 2015, Ville moved on to F/A-18 training to Karelia Air Wing to serve at Fighter Squadron 31 in Rissala. Ville returned back home to Central Finland in 2020 when he was assigned as an air combat instructor to the ranks of Fighter Squadron 41 in Tikkakoski. After completing his bachelor’s studies at the Military Academy, Ville began his master’s studies in the framework of collaboration with the University of Jyväskylä on the special physical education and sport pedagogy programme. He graduated with a Master of Military Sciences degree in 2019.
Currently, Ville works as an air combat instructor and chief of the Tactics Office at Fighter Squadron 41. Ville has thus far accumulated over 1000 flight hours on the Hornet and the Hawk and 200 on the Vinka. Motor sports, including snowmobiling, karting, crosskart, and motorcycling take the bulk of Ville’s free time. Ville’s hobbies also include skiing, swimming and ice hockey. You might also spot Ville performing with the Ilontilaajat, a highly popular party band in which Ville plays the keyboards.
Flying in the Midnight Hawks is a dream come true for Ville. He thinks the best thing about the Midnight Hawks is the fantastic team. The aircraft maintenance crew, supervisor and flying team members form a solid group working together for a common goal, and being a part of this is a big honour.
#2 Left Wing Captain Arttu Majuri
The left wing position in season 2025 is flown by Captain Arttu Majuri, 30. From Marttila in Southwest Finland, Arttu graduated from Koski High School in 2013 and started his military service the same year on Pilot Reserve Officer Course 88 in Tikkakoski. He continued his studies on Cadet Course 101 at the National Defence University and graduated as an officer pilot in the summer of 2017.
After finishing Hawk training in 2019, Arttu’s career went on as an instructor pilot at Fighter Squadron 41 where he currently works as an air combat instructor for the 3rd Flight. Despite his young age, Arttu has gained over 1000 hours of flight experience with the Air Force fleet, most of which on the Hawk.
When not at work, Arttu keeps busy with his family but he can still manage to carve out time for sports. The hilly terrain of Central Finland offers the perfect setting for biking, his favourite hobby, and in winter he often hops on his skis instead of the bike.
Having flown the Hawk for most of his career, Arttu considers the Midnight Hawks a long-term goal he has worked toward for years. Formation flying is a matter of honour for Arttu, and for him as a former student pilot at Fighter Squadron 41, it must be done with a lot of heart. The best thing about the Midnight Hawks are the team mates that you can trust completely both at work and leisure, Arttu says.
#3 Right Wing Captain Lauri Lappalainen
On the right wing with the #3 ship is Captain Lauri Lappalainen, 33, flying his first display season. Lauri is a native of Naantali and he graduated from the high school of his home town in spring 2010. Lauri reported for military service that summer on Pilot Reserve Officer Course 85 at the Air Force Academy. After his service, he was admitted to Tampere University of Technology but his love of flying, the famous Air Force community spirit and the desire to challenge himself at the controls of a fighter made Lauri choose Cadet Course 98 and the officer pilot programme instead of the university.
A career path typical of Air Force pilots took Lauri to Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi after Hawk training. He spent five years at the Air Wing amassing 500 flight hours in the cockpit of the F/A-18 Hornet. Lauri currently works at Fighter Squadron 41 as deputy chief of the 4th Flight, which is in charge of primary flight training with the Grob fleet. The deputy chief’s duties include planning and oversight of primary flight training as well as flight instruction and check flights with the Grob fleet. Lauri also works as an air combat instructor on the Hawk. With Air Force aircraft, he has racked up over 1200 flight hours, of which more than 1000 on jets.
Various sports are close to Lauri’s heart. Orienteering taken up as a young boy, and various endurance sports such as jogging, skiing and cycling fill a big part of Lauri’s free time. Lauri picked up aeronautical pentathlon when he was a cadet. Having pursued it for ten years, in addition to fantastic memories, he walked away with a few medals. Freeriding is his most recent hobby, and travelling to the Norwegian mountains at least once a year is an absolute must.
Flying in the Midnight Hawks is a great honour and long-time dream for Lauri. The team members trust each other 100 % and work well together. Executing challenging aerobatic manoeuvres in a tight formation demands precise cooperation and this is the spice of flying in the Midnight Hawks - the successes that you get to share with the incredible team.
#4 Slot Captain Petteri Wahlgren
In display season 2025, Captain Petteri Wahlgren, 35, flies the #4 ship. Petteri was born and bred in Jyväskylä. He graduated from Cygnaeus High School in spring 2008. That same summer, Petteri signed up for conscript service on Pilot Reserve Officer Course 83 at the Air Force Academy.
After conscript service, Petteri continued studies on Cadet Course 96, Air Force’s Officer Pilot Programme, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Military Sciences degree in August 2012. This was followed by advanced Hawk training at the former Training Air Wing in Kauhava, from where he moved on to F/A-18 Hornet training at Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi in 2014.
Petteri completed his Master of Military Sciences degree in the summer of 2018 and served in Rovaniemi altogether for six years until the summer of 2020 when he transferred back to the home ground to take up flight instructor duties at the Air Force Academy Fighter Squadron 41. Petteri currently serves as the commander of the 3rd Flight at Fighter Squadron 41.
Thus far, Petteri has amassed slightly less than 1600 flight hours, of which over 750 on the Hornet.
In his free time Petteri enjoys hobbies such as golf, padel, the gym and poodles.
#7 Rookie Captain Ville Mattila
In season 2025, Captain Ville Mattila, 32, is responsible for the Midnight Hawks’ air display commentary and music. Ville hails from Kuortane in Southern Ostrobothnia. He lived there until 2013 when he graduated from high school and began military service on Pilot Reserve Officer Course 88 in Tikkakoski. After the Pilot Reserve Officer Course, Ville was given the opportunity to start on the career path of an Air Force pilot. Ville jumped at the chance and never looked back.
After conscript service Ville headed to the National Defence University in Santahamina, Helsinki and from there back to Tikkakoski for Hawk training. On completion of Hawk training in summer 2019, Ville transitioned to Lapland Air Wing for Hornet training. In spring 2024 Ville was assigned back to Tikkakoski to Fighter Squadron 41 where he currently serves as an air combat instructor at the 2nd Flight.
Ville has always had a sporty lifestyle, for which the Kuortane Olympic Training Center created excellent possibilities even in his childhood. Exercise and an active lifestyle form a lifeline for the alumnus of the Kuortane Kunto club. In his free time Ville likes to do various sports and keep busy with his family. Ville played ice hockey until 2013 but lately he has devoted less time for hockey and replaced it with activities such as orienteering and skiing. In fact, orienteering has become a new favourite hobby of his.
Ville sees the chance to be one of the Midnight Hawks as a recognition of trust and the fact that he has done the right things in the work community and outside of it. For this reason, he values his work as a member of the Midnight Hawks very much and is indescribably grateful for it. In his heart Ville has always been a team player and that’s exactly what formation flying is - teamwork. What he likes best about the Midnight Hawks is the tight-knit team that has a collaborative mindset and the opportunity to become familiar with a completely new type of flight. In addition, Ville looks forward to great encounters with people at air shows.
#0 Juho Tervahartiala - Midnight Hawks supervisor and mentor
Juho, born in Raisio in 1988, has consolidated his position as a vital part of the Midnight Hawks display team. He joined the team in 2016 and started as No. 7, and held the role between 2016 and 2018. After this he moved to the right wing and flew the position from 2019 to 2021. In 2022, Juho took an even greater responsibility becoming the Team Leader, and continued in the role until 2024.
In season 2025, Juho is the team supervisor. He trains the new pilots by sharing know-how he has gained over the years. The Hawk jet trainer has become very familiar to Juho - he has amassed already over 1400 flight hours with the aircraft type. The Midnight Hawks is a dream that has become a reality for Juho and his passion for display flying is evident in everything he does. He is especially happy about the fact that the display team activities continue strong for now and in the years to come, although the line-up changes as the years go by. He thinks it’s an honour to be able to pass his knowledge and the traditions on to the next air crew.
#10 Senior Engineering Officer Sergeant Major Lasse Ahlgren
The team’s senior engineering officer, or #10, is Sergeant Major Lasse Ahlgren from Pylkönmäki, Central Finland. After high school, Ahlgren left for Halli in Jämsä to do his military service on the Aircraft Maintenance Non-Commissioned Officer Course. Then he spent the rest of his service at the Supporting Air Operations Squadron in Tikkakoski with transport and utility aircraft. After conscript service, he stayed on at the Supporting Air Operations Squadron for another year to continue the line of work he already knew. After this, he was recruited for a year by a civilian company which provides maintenance services for the Air Force’s aircraft.
On completion of the Enlisted Personnel Basic Course in 2004, he was assigned to serve at Utti Jaeger Regiment’s Helicopter Battalion where he worked on helicopters for roughly five years.
In the end of 2008, he transferred to Tikkakoski to what was then known as the Air Force Academy’s Supporting Air Operations Squadron to work once more with transport and utility aircraft. In 2014 as the Supporting Air Operations Squadron moved to Pirkkala, Ahlgren transitioned to the new site. Since 2017 he has been serving at the Air Force Academy in Tikkakoski. Besides working with the Hawks, his current duties also include planning the technical aspects of Pilatus operations and flight safety mechanics’ duties. He has been a member of the Midnight Hawks display team earlier for five years. Ahlgren has worked in military aviation for nearly 20 years, for example in aircraft maintenance duties of the Vinka, Redigo, MD500, Piper, Fokker, C295, Pilatus and Hawk fleet.
He spends his free time snowmobiling, motorcycling and doing various kinds of sports.
