Below are the 2021 display dates, venues & timings for the Red Arrows:
May
• To be announced
June
• To be announced
July
• To be announced
August
• To be announced
September
• To be announced
October
• To be announced
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows fly nine BAE SYSTEMS Hawk T.1 advanced trainer aircraft and are currently based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.
Red Arrows Training:
The Red Arrows begin training for the forthcoming season almost as soon as the previous year has ended.
Typically, winter training starts in October, with small groups of three or four aircraft formations.
Each pilot flies three sorties a day, five days a week, and the formations grow in aircraft number as training progresses.
These flights involve a thorough brief, debrief and discussion to ensure safety is paramount and the formations are precise.
One complete cycle consisting of these elements lasts about two hours, usually with a 30-minute flight.
Winter training lasts until mid-March, when the team usually moves overseas to a location with more predictable, settled weather to maximise flying hours and perfect the display. This is known as Exercise Springhawk.
During Springhawk the team is assessed by senior Royal Air Force officers, with the aim of gaining Public Display Authority.
If this is awarded, the Squadron's pilots change from green coveralls into their famous red flying suits and the ground crew are allowed to wear their royal blue display coveralls.
The season then officially begins and public performances by the Red Arrows are permitted.
Types of Display:
There are three types of display the Team Leader can elect to fly - full, rolling or flat. To carry out a full, looping, display the base of the cloud must be above 5,500ft to avoid the aircraft entering the cloud at the top of the loop. If the cloud base is less than 5,500ft, but more than 2,500ft, the team will perform the rolling display - substituting wing-overs and rolls for the loops. And when the cloud base is below 2,500ft, the Team will fly the flat display, consisting of a series of flypasts and steep turns.
Red Arrows Team Pilots for the 2021 season:
• Red 1 - Sqn Ldr Tom Bould (Team Leader)
• Red 2 - Fl Lt Will Cambridge
• Red 3 - Fl Lt Nick Critchell
• Red 4 - Fl Lt James Turner
• Red 5 - Fl Lt David Simmonds
• Red 6 - Fl Lt Jon Bond (Synchro Leader)
• Red 7 - Sqn Ldr Gregor Ogston (Synchro 2)
• Red 8 - Fl Lt Damo Green
• Red 9 - Sqn Ldr Steve Morris (Executive Officer)
• Red 10 - Sqn Ldr Adam Collins (Supervisor)
• Officer Commanding - Wing Commander David Montenegro
Sqn Ldr Tom Bould replaces Sqn Ldr Martin Pert as Red 1 but the rest of the team is the same as last year (2020).
There is actually a 10th Red Arrow which is flown by the Team Manager who provides commentary during the display.
Red Arrows Press Releases:
•
New Red Arrows Team Leader aims to inspire with dynamic air display.
•
Red Arrows will relocate to RAF Waddington.