Display Teams - Red Arrows

International Display Teams
• Red Arrows
• Frecce Tricolori
• Patrouille de France
• Patrouille Suisse
• Thunderbirds
• Blue Angels
• Patrulla Aguila
• Royal Jordanian Falcons
• Turkish Stars
• Midnight Hawks
• PC-7 Team
• Team Orlik
• Team Iskry
• Esquadrilha da Fumaca
• Halcones
• Snowbirds
• Black Eagles
• Al Fursan
• Saudi Hawks

Display Teams
• Royal Air Force
• BBMF
• Black Cats
• RNHF
• AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers
• Yakovlevs
• Aerostars
• Breitling Jet Team
• The Blades
• Great War Display Team
• Turbulent Team
• Team Raven
• Twister Aerobatics Team
• Fireflies Aerobatics Display Team
• Trig Aerobatic Team
• Wildcat Aerobatics Team

Red Arrows Video Clip:

Links:
• Official Red Arrows website
• Red Arrows Public Visit in 2012
• 2007 Red Arrows Article & photos

Scanner Frequencies:
• 243.450, 242.200

Red Arrows Team Pilots for the 2023 season:
• Red 1 - Sqn Ldr Tom Bould (Team Leader)
• Red 2 - Flt Lt Richard Walker
• Red 3 - Flt Lt Tom Hansford
• Red 4 - Flt Lt Ollie Suckling
• Red 5 - Fl Lt Patrick Kershaw
• Red 6 - Sqn Ldr James Turner (Synchro Leader)
• Red 7 - Fl Lt Stuart Roberts (Synchro 2)
• Red 8 - Flt Lt David Simmonds
• Red 10 - Sqn Ldr Graeme Muscat (Supervisor)
• Officer Commanding - Wing Commander Adam Collins.

There will be just eight Red Arrows aircraft for displays in the 2023 season.

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Red Arrows Schedule 2023:
• Red Arrows Schedule Page 2023.

Red Arrows Route Maps for the 2023 season can also be found on the Red Arrows Schedule Page.

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The Red Arrows carried out their largest ever tour of North America, over nine weeks, in August & September 2019. More info here...

• Red Arrows News:
Red Arrows will relocate to RAF Waddington...

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows fly nine BAE SYSTEMS Hawk T. Mk.1 advanced trainer aircraft. They were based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire but with the closure of Scampton they have now deployed to RAF Waddington at the end of 2022.

There is actually a 10th Red Arrow which is flown by the Team Manager who provides commentry during the display. The 10th Hawk is also used for air to air photography of the rest of the team. During international tours, the Red Arrows have been used to market the BAE Systems Hawk to overseas customers with considerable success.

History
The Red Arrows display team was formed in 1965 using the Folland Gnat. Previously the team was called the Yellow Jacks because of the colour of the Gnat. However in 1965 the Gnat was painted red and the team changed their name to the Red Arrows. The very first display by the Red Arrows was on the 6th May 1965 at RAF Little Rissington, near Cirencester where they were introduced to the media. The first public display was at Clermont Ferrand in France on 9th May 1965 and the first UK public display was at Biggin Hill on 15th May 1965. The Red Arrows were initially based at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, and had only seven display pilots. By 1968 the team flew with nine aircraft and the Diamond Nine formation became their trademark.

In 1979/80 the Red Arrows converted to the BAe Hawk advanced trainer aircraft which they use today. Until early 1976 the Red Arrows operated from RAF Kemble as a detachment of the Central Flying School (CFS) based at RAF Little Rissington. CFS moved to Cranwell in April 1976 and, thereafter, the Red Arrows were parented by RAF Brize Norton although they continued to fly from Kemble. They were based here up until the Spring of 1983 when they re-located to RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. In 1995 they had to temporarily move to RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire because RAF Scampton was closed in 1995 as part of the Defence Costs Study. The Red Arrows returned home to RAF Scampton in December of 2000. RAF Scampton will continue to be a satellite airfield administered by RAF Cranwell.

The team's first leader was Lee Jones who passed the leadership to Ray Hanna in 1966. Ray led the Red Arrows for four seasons and went on to become the best known UK warbird display pilot.

The Red Arrows do not fly directly over the crowd below 1000 feet. Manoeuvres in front of and parallel to the crowd can be flown down to 200 feet. The Synchro Pair are allowed down to 100 feet in straight and level flight in front of and parallel to the crowd line. Inverted flight by the Synchro pilots is not below 150 feet above the ground. These and other restrictions virtually eliminate the possibility of an accident similar to the one at Ramstein some years ago.

In 2010, Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore became the first female Red Arrows pilot. Flt Lt Moore joined the RAF in 1998, becoming a Hawk instructor and then Tornado pilot. She is not the first woman to apply for the Red Arrows, but she was the first to be shortlisted and then selected.

Red Arrows Relocation
In May 2020 it was announced that the Red Arrows would be based at RAF Waddington and relocation will take place before RAF Scampton closes in late 2022. The airspace over RAF Scampton will be retained for the team's training and display practice.

Hawk T1 Retirement
The Royal Air Force retired the Hawk T1 from 100 (aggressor) Squadron along with the Royal Navy's Hawk T1 (736 Naval Air Squadron) at the end of March 2022. However, the Ministry of Defence said they are 'committed to supporting the Red Arrows' and they are expected to operate their Hawk T1s until at least 2030.