David Holmes. Wing Commander DICK STORER Red Arrows Team Manager 1965 - 1966 Squadron Leader ROY BOOTH Red Arrows 1966 - 1968 Wing Commander JACK RUST Red Arrows 1969 - 1970 Squadron Leader IAN SMITH Red Arrows 1997 - 1999 Squadron Leader DOM RILEY Red Arrows 1988 - 1989 Squadron Leader JEFF GLOVER Red Arrows 1988 - 1989 Group Captain BRIAN HOSKINS Leader of The Red Arrows … 120 W Morehead St # 400 Charlotte NC 28202 United States Enquiries Line: +1 646 350 0449 56 Squadron, the Firebirds, with nine red and silver Lightnings. In July 2018 the RAF announced that RAF Scampton[16] would close by 2022,[17] and in May 2020 it was announced that the Red Arrows would be relocated to nearby RAF Waddington. Replenishing the coloured dye/diesel mix is supervised particularly carefully to ensure the right colour mix is fed into the correct section of the pod. Their backgrounds hint at the wide range of tasks the Royal Air Force performs today and is … Education and life before the RAF. They also ensure that the team’s transport, whether it is an RAF Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft or an articulated lorry, are correctly loaded. In 2011 the team manager quoted the charge as £9,000.[35]. The first display in the UK was on 6 May 1965, at Little Rissington for a press day. In 1966, the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their Diamond Nine formation. The tour took the Red Arrows to 17 countries – including visiting China for the first time in the Squadron’s history. Hawker Hunter aircraft were first used for aerobatics teams in 1955, when No. [25] The Hawks are modified with an uprated engine and a modification to enable smoke to be generated; diesel is mixed with a coloured dye and ejected into the jet exhaust to produce either red, white or blue smoke. Squadron Leader Tom Bould takes over as Red 1 for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team… Initially The Red Arrows were based at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire which was operated by CFS. This Union flag-inspired design features flowing red, white and blue lines and emphasises the Red Arrows’ role as national ambassadors for the United Kingdom. This reaches temperatures of over 400 degrees Celsius and vaporises immediately. Pilots must have completed one or more operational tours on a fast jet such as the Tornado, Harrier, or Typhoon, have accumulated at least 1,500 flying hours, and have been assessed as above average in their operational role to be eligible. The Red Arrows debrief after every performance, even though they might be doing 15 performances each week. She joined the RAF in 1998 and was a qualified flying instructor on the Hawk aircraft at RAF Valley. Tuition House 27-37 St George's Road Wimbledon SW19 4EU London United Kingdom Enquiries Line: +44 (0)207 806 9817 Switchboard Number: +44 (0)207 042 8666 Leaders US. The Arrows were not disbanded and their expense has been justified through their public relations benefit of helping to devel… As a consequence of this, Red 8 also dropped out of the display team to enable an odd number of aircraft to perform and thus maintain formation symmetry. The team permanently increased to nine display aircraft in 1968 and the Diamond Nine became the Red Arrows’ trademark formation. "Red Arrow Rookies" documentary broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 19 January 2011. Initially, they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers inherited from the RAF Yellowjacks display team. Red 8: Flight Lieutenant Olly Parr; Red 9 and Executive Officer: Flight Lieutenant Joe Hourston; Red 10 and Supervisor: Squadron Leader Mike Ling; Having flown as a team pilot between 2009 and 2011, this will be Sqn Ldr Montenegro’s second term with the Red Arrows. Be assessed as being above average in their flying role. The only way to tell how full the pod is to press your ear up against the back of the pod to hear when the valve begins to quietly ‘chatter’ - quite difficult on a noisy airfield! Flt Lt Kirsty Moore (née Stewart) joined for the 2010 season. The Blues represent nine out of the Royal Air Force’s broad range of more than 65 technical and non-technical trades. Red Arrows: What You Need To Know About The RAF Aerobatic Team. He replaces Squadron Leader Martin Pert in the role. Promoted to Squadron Leader, Tom became a Flight Commander on IV(AC) Squadron at RAF Valley teaching the next generation of fast-jet pilots in the Hawk T2. Sqn Ldr Miller was Leader 1988-1990. Re-joining the Red Arrows, the 2021 season will be his first year as Red 1 and Team Leader. Red Arrows' North American Display list revealed - GOV.UK Excellence – The Red Arrows aim is not just to be better than the competition but so much better that they are irrelevant. In their first season, they flew at 65 shows across Europe. Up to three new pilots are chosen each year to replace the three that have finished their tour. Ray Hanna served as Red Leader for three consecutive years until 1968 and was recalled to supersede Squadron Leader Timothy Nelson for the 1969 display season, a record four seasons as Leader, which still stands. For the 2015 season, instead of returning to the traditional three-stripe tailfin livery used since the 1960s, a fresh new paint scheme was revealed on the jets during a live television broadcast from RAF Scampton. The 'Boss', as he is known to the rest of the team, is always a pilot who has previously completed a three-year tour with the Red Arrows, often (although not always) including a season as the leader of the Synchro Pair. The Red Arrows have a dedicated Dye team who ensure the aircraft are replenished with the correct amount of diesel and dye. The team leader also spends three years with the team. The Gnat, which had flown 1,292 displays, was replaced by the BAE Systems Hawk, a modified version of the RAF’s fast jet and weapons trainer, for the 1980 season. Each pilot always flies the same position in the formation during a season. The first public display in the UK was on 15 May 1965 at the Biggin Hill International Air Fair. The Red Arrows returned to a full aerobatic formation of nine aircraft in 2013.[31]. Every display uses one barrel of red dye and one of blue dye, which are then topped up with diesel. In late 1979, they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The team work on the aircraft’s ejection seats, explosive canopies and fire suppression and emergency systems. [13] However, in December 2011, those plans were put under review. Roles MD and director of consulting, Mission Excellence, helping clients to accelerate team and organisational effectiveness. Whilst having personal views and opinions, all the team must get on with each other. The latter are known as ‘The Blues’ because they wear distinctive royal blue flying suits during the display season. In 2014, The Red Arrows celebrated 50 years of Aerobatic history as a display team returning to RAF Fairford for the Royal International Air Tattoo. This was reiterated by Prime Minister David Cameron on 20 February 2013,[12] when he guaranteed the estimated £9m per annum costs while visiting India to discuss a possible sale of Hawk aircraft to be used by India's military aerobatics team, the Surya Kiran. The smallest number of displays in one year was in 1975, after the 1973 oil crisis limited their appearances. [7], The first team, led by Squadron Leader Lee Jones, had seven display pilots and flew the Folland Gnat T1 jet trainer. The exception to this are Reds 6 and 7 (the Synchro Pair), who fly in the 'stem' of the formation - the two positions behind the team leader. If one of the pilots is not able to fly, the team flies an eight-plane formation. Vampires were replaced by Gloster Meteors, No. All 11 Red Arrows display pilots are fast jet pilots from front line Royal Air Force squadrons. Are there any other other books by any of the Arrows from the Gnat years (or later years)? Once the display season is over, they return to their normal team duties. [25], The first display by the Red Arrows was at RAF Little Rissington on 6 May 1965. The dye is not easily removed if it stains skin and clothing. 54 Squadron became the first RAF jet formation team to use smoke trails. Since flying the first time in 1965, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team has performed almost 4,900 times across the globe. Circus members fly in the back seats of the jets during transit flights. Again, there is no dial or gauge to show when the pod is full, and so the technicians have developed their own method of ensuring that the coloured liquid does not overflow. During this season, the 'Diamond Nine' pattern was formed and it has remained the team's trademark pattern ever since. The summer 2019 display season took the team on a tour of North America, known as Western Hawk 19. [30], Following the accidents during the 2011 season, the Red Arrows retained Red 8 and moved the original Red 10 to the Red 5 position to enable them to continue displaying with nine aircraft. The following year Jones formed the official RAF display team with a seven ship of red Gnats and called them The Red Arrows. They sometimes gave co-ordinated displays with the Blue Diamonds. A special, one-off, tailfin was revealed on the team to recognise the anniversary season, with the design incorporating both a Gnat and Hawk jet outline to reflect the two types of aircraft flown by the team in its history. In that first year The Red Arrows … The Red Arrows perform to the British public for the first time at Biggin Hill Air Fair. Re: Red Arrows New Leader 2020? In the simulator, stunts have to be performed while flying in formation. Jets are more efficient at higher altitude, so longer flights are made at 35,000 to 42,000 feet (11,000 to 13,000 m). Red 8 and Executive Officer: Flight Lieutenant Matt Masters. Les Red Arrows (en français : « Flèches rouges ») ... De 1965 à 1969, les Red Arrows eurent comme leader Ray Hanna, qui créa la plupart de leurs figures emblématiques (notamment le fameux « Diamond 9 ») et qui détient le record de longévité en tant que leader de la formation. II. As well as performing at US and Canadian air shows, they promoted the UK through school visits and meetings with business leaders. They are responsible for engineering standards and safety, and the welfare of the Red Arrows' engineering team. In the past he has held high-level appointments with the Ministry of Defence and has been deployed to Afghanistan as a Senior Air Adviser. They performed flypasts or displays in Karachi in Pakistan; Hindon and Hyderabad in India; Dhaka in Bangladesh; Singapore; Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; Danang in Vietnam; Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Zhuhai in China; Muscat in Oman; Manama in Bahrain; Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. Justin Hughes: Red Arrows, Mission Excellence and more. Red 9: Flight Lieutenant … It is estimated the team’s activities were seen by a global audience, in person or through media channels, of up to one billion people. The first display with nine aircraft was on 8 July 1966 at RAF Little Rissington.[26]. In the first season of 1965, the team – flying seven aircraft in a display and based at RAF Fairford – performed 65 shows. They are a crucial element of the team's displays, primarily for flight safety. These engineers travel all over the country, working within tight timescales to ensure that when Red 1 makes the call it is "Smoke on, Go!". Please switch to using Chrome if you can. At the subsequent National Air Day display, three days later, at Clermont Ferrand in France, one French journalist described the team as "Les Fleches Rouges", confirming the name "The Red Arrows". This aircraft was chosen because it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighters. In March 2012, the MOD announced that the Red Arrows would fly aerobatic displays with seven aircraft during the 2012 display season as Flt Lt Kirsty Stewart had moved into a ground-based role with the team. The Red Arrows are part of the wider Royal Air Force and the team is a great reminder of the dedication and talented people found across the Service. “Confirming this initial group of display locations where we will perform in North America is not just exciting for those people hoping to attend these events–but also for the whole Red Arrows team as well,” said Martin Pert, squadron leader and team leader of the RAF aerobatic team. 92 Squadron) continued their role, flying 16 blue Hunters. Then, diesel is fed into the correct valve at the front of the centreline pod from a diesel bowser. Their standards are not set by the competition but themselves. The first display in Germany was at RAF Laarbruch on 6 August 1965. Flight Lieutenant Michael Bowden, 33, who raised in Newport, south Wales, and is a graduate of Cardiff University, joined the Royal Air Force in 2002. Sometimes a C-130 Hercules accompanies them, carrying spare parts. [32] The programme was the first time the team had displayed in China, and the first time a British military aircraft had deployed to Vietnam. If the cloud base is less than 2,500-foot (760 m) the Team will fly the Flat Display, which consists of a series of fly-pasts and steep turns. Prior to joining the team, she flew the Tornado GR4 at RAF Marham.[24]. [18] The Red Arrows will continue to use airspace above RAF Scampton for their training. In 1958, the Black Arrows performed a loop and barrel roll of 22 Hunters, a world record for the greatest number of aircraft looped in formation. The Red Arrows move to RAF Kemble (now Cotswold Airport). Red 1 and Team Leader – Squadron Leader Tom Bould; Red 2 – Flight Lieutenant Will Cambridge; Red 3 – Flight Lieutenant Nick Critchell; Red 4 – Flight Lieutenant James Turner; Red 5 – Flight Lieutenant David Simmonds; Red 6 – Flight Lieutenant Jon Bond; Red 7 – Squadron Leader Gregor Ogston; Red 8 – Flight Lieutenant Damo Green; Red 9 – Squadron Leader Steve Morris The Team Leader must have completed a three-year tour as a team pilot earlier in his career, and is appointed in a separate selection process. Well known manoeuvres such as the heart, rollbacks and carousel would just not be the same without it. In 2002, the Red Arrows flew with a British Airways Concorde over London to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. The support team’s success results from their Royal Air Force training, the pride they take in their work, and their determination, motivation, and, very often, sheer hard work. During the team’s world tour of October 1995 to February 1996, the Red Arrows performed to nearly a million people in Sydney on Australia Day. 32 Squadron RAF flew an air display six nights a week entitled "London Defended" at the British Empire Exhibition. RAF pilots must meet these criteria to apply for selection to the Red Arrows: A shortlist of nine applicants are examined during a thorough selection week, and are put through a gruelling flying test, formal interview and peer assessments. Similar to the display they had done the previous year, when the aircraft were painted black, it consisted of a night-time air display over the Wembley Exhibition flying RAF Sopwith Snipes which were painted red for the display and fitted with white lights on the wings, tail, and fuselage. The display involved firing blank ammunition into the stadium crowds and dropping pyrotechnics from the aeroplanes to simulate shrapnel from guns on the ground. [14] The Ministry of Defence confirmed in June 2012 that the Red Arrows would remain at RAF Scampton until at least the end of the decade. The late Arthur Gibson, who sadly died in 1992, was an outstanding aviation photographer who had a close association with the Red Arrows for over three decades (and an equally … Similarly, the position of Circus leader (Red 6 or 7) is occupied by a technician of sergeant rank; the other slots being filled by technicians holding corporal or senior aircraftsman/woman (SAC(W)) rank. No. Their role is crucial for safety and training purposes and one of the three-strong section videos every manoeuvre of the display from the ground – both during winter training and the summer season. The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton. [9] For his considerable achievements of airmanship with the team, Ray Hanna was awarded a bar to his existing Air Force Cross.[10]. On 20 May 2008, months of speculation were ended when it was revealed that the Ministry of Defence were moving the Red Arrows to nearby RAF Waddington. [6] When RAF Scampton became the CFS headquarters in 1983, the Red Arrows moved there. The importance of setting the tone and the right environment right from day can’t be overstated.The red arrows … Squadron Leader Tom Bould will hold the role of Red 1, organising the training programme while designing and leading displays for the next three years. Because of their protective qualities, the suits get extremely warm! UK Crown Copyright. If the cloud base is less than 5,500-foot (1,700 m) but more than 2,500-foot (760 m) the Team will perform the Rolling Display, substituting wing-overs and rolls for the loops. After a tough selection process, the Red Arrows have selected a new Team Leader for 2021. Leader of the Red Arrows, Red 1 talks to Mission Excellence about leadership and what it means from his perspective. [23] Flt Lt Moore was not the first female to apply to become a Red Arrow, but was the first to be taken forward to the intense final selection process. Red 1 and Team Leader: Squadron Leader Martin Pert. The smallest of the Red Arrows’ three engineering trades, the weapons technicians are responsible for the maintenance and control of the explosive components and survival equipment fitted to the Hawk aircraft. It was in 1964 when the Royal Air Force amalgamated its display teams into one, premier unit – the Red Arrows. An RAF pageant was held at Hendon in 1920 with teams from front-line biplane squadrons. [1] The badge of the Red Arrows shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the motto Éclat, a French word meaning "brilliance" or "excellence". Conflict and tension is not something that they can accommodate and entertain in the Red Arrows. Flight Lieutenant Thomas Bould was born and raised in Bradford, West Yorkshire. On this page you will find information and a link on how to request a display or flypast for a public event. I recommend '25 Years of the Red Arrows' by Ray Hanna, Tim Miller and Arthur Gibson. [29] The 4,000th display was at RAF Leuchars during the Battle of Britain Airshow in September 2006. 72 Squadron was flying a team of seven. Each member of the Circus works with the same pilot for the duration of the season and is responsible for servicing their aircraft and preparing their flying kit prior to each display. I think he also said that he had plans for the future that he needed to get on with? As the fuel capacity of the Hawk sets a limit to nonstop flight distance, and the Hawk is incapable of air-to-air refuelling, very long flights between display sites may need landings on the way to refuel. Even then, more than ten pilots apply for each place on the team. By the end of their first season, the Red Arrows had displayed 65 times in Britain, France, Italy, Holland, Germany, and Belgium and were awarded the Britannia Trophy by the Royal Aero Club for their contribution to aviation. 1968. Using Internet Explorer 8? Circus members are each allocated to a specific pilot for the duration of the summer display season. 5) Recruitment and selection. 66 Squadron developing a formation team of six aircraft. [5], The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the formal name of the Red Arrows, began life at RAF Little Rissington in Gloucestershire, then the Central Flying School. In 1960, the Tigers (No. [37], Data from:Ejection History - Red Arrows[38], In 1985, Database Software released a flight simulator called Red Arrows, made in cooperation with the flight team. 54 Squadron flew a formation of four. For the same reason, Red Arrows displays in New Zealand are unlikely because there is no land near enough for a Hawk to land and refuel to reach New Zealand on the most fuel that it can carry. The diesel is stored in the pod on the underside of the plane; it houses three tanks: one 50-imperial-gallon (230 L) tank of pure diesel and two 10-imperial-gallon (45 L) tanks of blue and red dyed diesel. List of Leaders. For 2018, the Red Arrows spearheaded celebrations marking the Royal Air Force's centenary - including providing the colourful finale to a flypast of more than 100 aircraft over central London in July of that year. The Reds have no reserve pilots, as spare pilots would not perform often enough to fly to the standard required, nor would they be able to learn the intricacies of each position in the formation. [68], Aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force. Apart from a period at RAF College Cranwell between 1995 and 2000, the Lincolnshire station has been the Red Arrows’ permanent home ever since. This team is made up of a Team Manager, a Public Relations Manager, Aircrew Planning Officer, Operations Officer, Engineering Officers, an Adjutant and approximately 85 engineering technicians and other support staff. According to the BBC, disbanding the Red Arrows will be highly unlikely, as they are a considerable attraction throughout the world. Ten aircraft engineering technicians and one photographer are chosen to form a team known as the Circus. The position of "Circus 1" (the engineer who accompanies the "Boss", Red 1) is normally occupied by the Junior Engineering Officer. Since 1966, the team has had nine display pilots each year, all volunteers. Red 4: Flight Lieutenant Chris Lyndon-Smith. After displaying 1,292 times in the Folland Gnat, the Red Arrows took delivery of the BAE Hawk in 1979. Since being introduced into service with the Red Arrows, the Hawk has performed with the Red Arrows in 50 countries. SGT Served from 1968 - 1990 Served in Red Arrows. The new team name took the word "red" from the fact that the Red Pelicans' planes had been painted red (for safety reasons, as it was a far clearer and more visible colour in the sky) and "arrows" after the Black Arrows. Red 2: Flight Lieutenant Jon Bond. Explosions on the ground also produced the effect of bombs being dropped into the stadium by the aeroplanes. The pilot releases the liquid by pushing One of three buttons on the control column. With the planned closure of RAF Scampton, the future home of the Red Arrows became uncertain. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands. However, the team carried out official flypasts with nine aircraft by utilising Red 8 as well as ex-Red Arrow display pilot and current Red 10 Mike Ling. A media event at RAF Little Rissington on May 6 was the team’s first official display, with the first public performance in the UK on May 15 at Biggin Hill Air Fair. Enid continue to perform close-formation aerobatics, while Gypo perform more dynamic manoeuvres. Without one of the team’s photographers, the Red Arrows would not be able to display. During an aerobatics display, Red Arrows pilots experience forces up to five times that of gravity (1g), and when performing the aerobatic manoeuvre 'Vixen Break', forces up to 7g can be reached, close to the 8g structural limit of the aircraft. [28], By the end of the 2009 season, the Red Arrows had performed a total of 4,269 displays in 53 countries. One technician operates the flow buttons on the dye rig, one connects the pipe to the valve at the front of the pod and one checks for the level at the rear of the pod. In July 2004, speculation surfaced in the British media that the Red Arrows would be disbanded, after a defence spending review, due to running costs between £5 million and £6 million. They fly in the passenger seat of the Hawk to and from display airfields and service the aircraft before and after every display.