Red Arrows Develop New Routines During Winter Training

The Red Arrows are preparing to leave 2020 trailing behind them, working on new manoeuvres ahead of next year’s display season.

The RAF aerobatic team, like many involved in aviation, has faced numerous cancellations since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.

Looking ahead to 2021, the team is undergoing winter training at RAF Scampton, hoping to dazzle the crowds which social distancing measures have prevented for months.

Back in the cockpit, Squadron Leader Jon Bond, Red 6, told Forces News his teams are “in the depths” of preparation.

“Obviously this year just gone wasn’t quite as expected, unfortunately,” he said.

“We had around 65 shows planned this summer which sadly had to be cancelled, obviously for important reasons.”

“We’re really looking forward to 2021 and an action-packed summer,” he added.

Despite receiving a new Team Leader, or Red 1, in October, the team currently undergoing winter training has been frozen.

“Some of the events that we did take part in, things like the VE Day flypast and the Armed Forces Day flypast were still really big, momentous occasions,” he added.

The group is currently ahead of its training plan, having already drilled a seven-ship formation, and Sqn Ldr Critchell says they enjoy “being as busy as ever”.

Tours are normally limited to three years, but each pilot will get an extra year, in light of the pandemic, remaining in their formation positions rather than rotating.

They are looking to avoid complacency during routines, some of which have now been drilled for more than a year.

“We try and mix where we fly at Scampton,” said Sqn Ldr Bond, adding that new or returning manoeuvres are keeping the team sharp.

The team was due to temporarily operate at RAF Waddington this week ahead of a permanent move to the base, but this was postponed until next year due to poor weather forecasts and a lack of schedule time for the trial.

Despite cancelled events the Red Arrows managed flypasts this year over Edinburgh, Belfast, London and Paris and performed displays in Finland and Guernsey.

Squadron Leader Nick Critchell, Red 3, said he was disappointed not to meet the public “who hold us in search high regard”.