2024 will be the Red Arrows 60th anniversary. They will display with nine Hawk T1 aircraft this year and will unveil special artwork on the side and tailfin of each jet which acknowledges the Diamond Season and includes outlines of two Red Arrows Hawk jets, trailing patriotic colours.
The Red Arrows will go on a five-week overseas tour to Canada, named Maple Hawk, from the second-half of August 2024, to help mark the centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Red Arrows Events/Flypasts in 2024:
07 February 2024 - The Red Arrows flew their first nine-ship flight this year at RAF Waddington.
19-22 February 2024 - Red Arrows Practice at Tain Air Weapons Range, Scotland.
11 April 2024 - Red Arrows transit to Croatia for pre-season training (Exercise Springhawk).
May 2024
• 21 May -
Battle of Crete, Souda Bay, Greece Display
• 25 May -
Meeting Aerien International Du Grand Est, Chambley, France Display
• 31 May -
Midlands Air Festival Display
June 2024
• 01 June -
Midlands Air Festival Display
• 01 June -
English Riviera Airshow, Torbay Display
• 02 June -
Midlands Air Festival Display
• 02 June -
IWM Duxford D-Day 80 Display
• 05 June -
D-Day 80th National Commemorative Event Flypast Portsmouth
• 06 June -
D-Day 80th National Commemorative Event Flypast Normandy, France
• 07 June -
Isle of Man TT Display
• 08 June - Daedalus D-Day 80 Flypast
• 09 June -
RAF Cosford Air Show Display
• 13 June -
Guernsey Air Display
• 15 June - HM The King's Birthday Flypast, London (flypast-only)
• 16 June -
Sola Airshow, Norway Display
• 22 June -
Northern Ireland Armed Forces Day Display
• 22 June -
The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Portsoy Display
• 23 June -
Sywell Airshow Display
• 29 June -
Cleethorpes Armed Forces' Weekend Display
• 29 June -
Shuttleworth Festival of Flight Display
• 30 June -
Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day Display
• 30 June -
Folkestone Armed Forces' Day Display
July 2024
• 05 July -
Headcorn Battle of Britain Airshow Display
• 06 July -
The Wales Airshow, Swansea Display
• 06 July -
Teignmouth Airshow Display
• 07 July -
F1 British Grand Prix, Silverstone Display
• 11 July -
Goodwood Festival of Speed Display
• 12 July -
Goodwood Festival of Speed Display
• 13 July - * RAF Waddington Families Day Display
• 13 July -
Southport Airshow Display
• 14 July -
Southport Airshow Display
• 18 July - Defence Academy, Shrivenham Station, Oxfordshire Display
• 19 July -
Royal International Air Tattoo Display
• 20 July -
Royal International Air Tattoo Display
• 21 July -
Royal International Air Tattoo Display
• 22 July -
Farnborough International Airshow (flypast-only)
• 25 July - * RAF Leeming Families Day Display
August 2024
• 08 August - * RAF Valley Families Day Display
• 09 August - * RAF Odiham Families Day Display
• 10 August -
Blackpool Airshow Display
• 10 August -
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (flypast-only)
• 11 August -
Blackpool Airshow Display
• 15 August -
Eastbourne International Airshow Display
Canada Tour:
• 24 August - Air Show Atlantic - Greenwood, Nova Scotia Display
• 25 August - Air Show Atlantic - Greenwood, Nova Scotia Display
• 28 August - Niagara Falls, Ontario Flypast
• 31 August - Canadian International Air Show - Toronto, Ontario Display
September 2024
• 01 September - Canadian International Air Show - Toronto, Ontario Display
• 02 September - Canadian International Air Show - Toronto, Ontario Display
• 04 September - Ottawa, Ontario Flypast
• 06 September - Aero Gatineau-Ottawa - Quebec Display
• 07 September - Aero Gatineau-Ottawa - Quebec Display
• 08 September - Aero Gatineau-Ottawa - Quebec Display
• 13 September - Airshow London - London, Ontario Display
• 14 September - Airshow London - London, Ontario Display
• 15 September - Airshow London - London, Ontario Display
• 18 September - Montreal, Quebec Flypast
• unknown date - St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Flypast
October 2024
• 05 October -
Duxford End of Season Finale Display
* Note that RAF Families Days are NOT open to the public.
Red Arrows Flypasts and RAF Families Days Displays are in italics.
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 2024 season:
• Red 1 - Sqn Ldr Jon Bond (Team Leader)
• Red 2 - Sqn Ldr Chris McCann
• Red 3 - Flt Lt Dustin Wales
• Red 4 - Flt Lt Ollie Suckling
• Red 5 - Fl Lt George Hobday
• Red 6 - Fl Lt Stuart Roberts (Synchro Leader)
• Red 7 - Sqn Ldr Tom Hansford (Synchro 2)
• Red 8 - Fl Lt Richard Walker
• Red 9 - Fl Lt Patrick Kershaw
• Red 10 - Sqn Ldr Graeme Muscat (Safety Supervisor & Commentator)
• Officer Commanding - Wing Commander Adam Collins.
There is actually a 10th Red Arrow (Safety Supervisor) who provides commentary during the display as well as flying the Red Arrows photographers and spare jet.
Red Arrows Press Releases:
• Red Arrows (Feb 2024)
Red Arrows launch 60th Diamond Season plans.
• Red Arrows (Oct 2023)
New Red 1 prepares Diamond Nine for 60th season.
