The team, who are based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, will get three new pilots, one of whom will replace Flt Lt Jon Egging, who tragically died in a crash following a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival.
The three new pilots are: Flt Lt Martin Pert from RAF Leeming, Flt Lt Michael Child from RAF Coningsby and Flt Lt James McMillan from RAF Cottesmore.
To become a Red Arrows pilot the RAF require candidates have a minimum of 1,500 flying hours and have been assessed as being above average ability. They must also have completed at least one fast jet frontline tour of duty.
The new team members will begin an intensive training schedule at Scampton as soon as the 2011 season is completed. Initially, training will consist of flying three and four aircraft formations with additional aircraft being added to the mix as training progresses through the winter. The complete team of nine aircraft will be routinely flying the full display in early March. They will then deploy to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus for operation “Springhawk” where they fly a number of full display practices in the ideal Mediterranean climate. Normally, towards the end of the deployment in Cyprus a display is flown in front of senior RAF officers, who, if satisfied with all aspects of the team grants PDA - Public Display Authorization. This mean the team will be presented with their famous red flying suits and are approved to fly in public airshows throughout the forthcoming year.
It is normal for three pilots to leave the team every year meaning that just one third of the team are in their first year at any time. This means that a normal tour with the team lasts three years. The two pilots leaving the team this year will return to operation flying with either a fast-jet training or combat squadron.
Sqn Ldr Jim Turner returns to the Red Arrows to take over from Sqn Ldr Ben Murphy as team leader.
Since the team's creation in 1965 the Red Arrows have flown two types of aircraft at more more than 4,000 displays in 52 countries.
The three new pilots are: Flt Lt Martin Pert from RAF Leeming, Flt Lt Michael Child from RAF Coningsby and Flt Lt James McMillan from RAF Cottesmore.
To become a Red Arrows pilot the RAF require candidates have a minimum of 1,500 flying hours and have been assessed as being above average ability. They must also have completed at least one fast jet frontline tour of duty.
The new team members will begin an intensive training schedule at Scampton as soon as the 2011 season is completed. Initially, training will consist of flying three and four aircraft formations with additional aircraft being added to the mix as training progresses through the winter. The complete team of nine aircraft will be routinely flying the full display in early March. They will then deploy to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus for operation “Springhawk” where they fly a number of full display practices in the ideal Mediterranean climate. Normally, towards the end of the deployment in Cyprus a display is flown in front of senior RAF officers, who, if satisfied with all aspects of the team grants PDA - Public Display Authorization. This mean the team will be presented with their famous red flying suits and are approved to fly in public airshows throughout the forthcoming year.
It is normal for three pilots to leave the team every year meaning that just one third of the team are in their first year at any time. This means that a normal tour with the team lasts three years. The two pilots leaving the team this year will return to operation flying with either a fast-jet training or combat squadron.
Sqn Ldr Jim Turner returns to the Red Arrows to take over from Sqn Ldr Ben Murphy as team leader.
Since the team's creation in 1965 the Red Arrows have flown two types of aircraft at more more than 4,000 displays in 52 countries.
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