The Red Arrows will display with nine Hawk T1 aircraft during the 2026 season.
They will display or perform flypasts at many air shows and events in 2026.
Red Arrows News for 2026:
04 February 2026 - The Synchro-pair are at RAF Valley training over RAF Mona for a few days.
Red Arrows Flying Displays & Transit Maps 2026:
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
October 2026
* Note that Red Arrows displays at RAF Families Days will not be published on this page.
Red Arrows Flypasts 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 Waddington 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 2026 season:
• Red 1 - Wing Commander Jon Bond (Team Leader)
• Red 2 - Flt Lt Matt Brighty
• Red 3 - Flt Lt Christopher Deen
• Red 4 - Flt Lt Rob Thomas
• Red 5 - Flt Lt Andrew McEwen
• Red 6 - Flt Lt George Hobday (Synchro Leader)
• Red 7 - Flt Lt Ollie Suckling (Synchro 2)
• Red 8 - Sqn Ldr Chris McCann
• Red 9 - Flt Lt Dustin Wales
• Red 10 - Sqn Ldr Stuart Roberts (Safety Supervisor & Commentator)
• Officer Commanding - Wing Commander Sasha Nash.
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.
