Report on September 2009 Quarterly Meeting
THE RED ARROWS
It wasn’t surprising that we had more men than usual at our September Open Meeting to hear Colin van Geffen’s excellent talk and slide presentation on the Red Arrows Display Team. Colin’s interest has spanned many years although he isn’t a pilot, but a member of the Bournemouth Red Arrows Association. Combined with his innate sense of humour, it certainly made for a very interesting afternoon.
Formation display flying was a natural follow-on to the training pilots received for formation flying in wartime. The Red Arrows eventually replaced the various RAF display teams as it was more cost effective, and are organised by the Central Flying School, the first ever display taking place in 1965 over Clermont-Ferrand in France.
The average age of the pilots is 29 years and each July 60 RAF Flying Instructors can apply, from which 3 are chosen for a 3-year stint. They need to have the following criteria – 1500 flying hours in fast jets, to have done one long tour (ie Afghanistan) and rated as being “above average” with excellent all round social skills as they communicate a lot with the general public at Receptions, talking to school children etc. Showmen and mavericks need not apply! The planes are British Aerospace Hawk jets, now 30 years old, and are flown solo except for any training exercises.
Training takes 8 months with 3 briefings/day, 5days/week with 6 sorties per day. The exacting standards are exemplified in the Briefing Room. At the 8.30am briefing for example, assembling no later than 8.20am and by 8.29 there is count down to 8.30 when the door is locked. The discipline is such that no one ever arrives late! By tradition, the final briefing of the day takes place on the wing of Red 5. Interestingly, three of the present crew are Kiwis, but New Zealand is the only country where the Red Arrows cannot perform as their range is 1,000 miles, and the nearest refuelling point is in excess of that distance.
It takes a 100 people to get the jets off the ground for a display, the cost of which is £15,000 per performance. Using the familiar 9 plane diamond shape formation, the rows are at different heights – not noticeable from the ground. Only the Leader (known as “Boss”) knows the routine/route and the rest follow keeping their measured distance by lining up a
fixed mark on the cockpit window with a fixed mark on their neighbour’s plane. Wing tips are 8ft (sometimes only 6ft) apart. The 3 new recruits fly in the front row. The stuff of nightmares! Training flights are filmed and discussed. Displays take place at 6,000ft and two-word commands are given to change formation. If displays take place over water, boats are forbidden in that territory. In the event of illness the Arrows will fly with one plane less. Having spare pilots isn’t an option as they would have to know the detailed manoeuvres of the other 8 planes! Concorde has flown with the Red Arrows, and plane enthusiasts will be delighted to know that the French are going to bring one of their Concordes back into service.
Colin is a member of The Guild of Aviation Artists and to this end the cards which he produces help with the charities which the Bournemouth RA Association help to support.
A most memorable afternoon in a man’s world… but not for long as 2010 will see the Red Arrows Display Team with their first woman pilot!
Ann Robinson
