Red Arrows post 2025 Hawk retirement ?

[anonymous-user]

I genuinely think slower turboprop planes makes for better aerobatics imho. Those Extra300s operated by the Blades turn on a dime too. I once watched a pair of gliders do some formation flying and it was pretty awesome

[Seight_Returns]

If we can't afford a fast jet display team - then we shouldn't have a display team at all.

Whilst those who know about aerobatics would appreciate an Extra 300 or similar equipped display team - the vast majority of people who've come to see the Reds as a source of national pride will associate them with the aircraft you see at a local flying club. Given what's come before - it would be an embarrassment.

[Yertis]

Seight_Returns said:

If we can't afford a fast jet display team - then we shouldn't have a display team at all.

Whilst those who know about aerobatics would appreciate an Extra 300 or similar equipped display team - the vast majority of people who've come to see the Reds as a source of national pride will associate them with the aircraft you see at a local flying club. Given what's come before - it would be an embarrassment.

I completely agree. The Red Arrows set the bar very high in terms of spectacle, you couldn't get the same impact with turboprops or whatever, it would always look retrograde.

[anonymous-user]

It just needs re-selling. Rather than have 9 QFIs with 1000+ hours on Tornados, Typhoons etc, the RAF use five T6s or something like that and it could benefit less experienced pilots. Rather than being part of the reds is something a pilot does at the end of their flying career, make it something they could do in the middle of it. It’s only formation flying, they do it in the Tutors out of Cranwell to a lesser degree, just a bit slower and a bit further apart!

[Fishlegs]

I'd love to see this venture become reality: https://aeralis.com/

Basically, a Hawk replacement with modular roles. Air Forces rent the airframes configured with just the capability they need for the desired role.


Learned about it from Tim Davies' podcast/blog/website, Fast Jet Performance, which is right up this forum's street. Lots of Powerfully Built life-coaching advice from a former Hawk senior flying instructor and GR4 driver.

[aeropilot]

pablo said:

T2 fleet is MOD, you’re thinking of Ascent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Military_Flying_T...

Yes, sorry.

Ascent is just some trendy name to hide the fact that its Lockheed Martin and Babcock making a clusterfk out of MFTS (but not out of their bank account)

[Mr Whippy]

I remember the Flankers at Waddington in 96 or 97... children fleeing under their blankets when they hit reheat after take-off

And talking to my brother stood right next to me at Farnborough 2012 during the Typhoon display, completely unable to hear a word I was shouting at him.


So my 2p.

Paint two Typhoons up in the Union Jack colours, and do a two aircraft display, lots of reheat and antics to give a whole new generation a bit of shock and awe.



I’m grateful where I live I still get F15, odd F18, Tornado, Typhoon, odd Hawk, loads of Osprey, Chinook etc flying past, so get to enjoy watching them with my two young kids.

They definitely need to fly lower and faster though!

[aeropilot]

Looks like I'll actually get to see the Red Sparrows tomorrow morning as they are doing a flypast over the RAF Memorial at Runnymeade at 11am, and their route as they turn through 180 degrees to head back north will pretty much take them right over my house.

[psgcarey]

Yup just seen them over Wokingham.

9 of them.

[2xChevrons]

Fishlegs said:

I'd love to see this venture become reality: https://aeralis.com/

Basically, a Hawk replacement with modular roles. Air Forces rent the airframes configured with just the capability they need for the desired role.


Learned about it from Tim Davies' podcast/blog/website, Fast Jet Performance, which is right up this forum's street. Lots of Powerfully Built life-coaching advice from a former Hawk senior flying instructor and GR4 driver.

That's a very interesting (and sensible-seeming, to me) concept. Kinda like a 21st century version of the Folland Gnat (Red Arrows connection there...), which as well as being built as both a trainer and a light fighter was, IIRC, designed to be broken down into a series of modules which could all be fitted into a shipping container.

[HappyMidget]

aeropilot said:

Looks like I'll actually get to see the Red Sparrows tomorrow morning as they are doing a flypast over the RAF Memorial at Runnymeade at 11am, and their route as they turn through 180 degrees to head back north will pretty much take them right over my house.

I did wonder what they had been up to when I saw them over East Reading this morning

[Dashnine]

I know it’s not directly the Reds, but Big Jet TV was at Coningsby today streaming the activity there including a Typhoon Display practice.

Very impressive it was too (even at 1000ft) but if I had to take one of the two I’d take the Reds. They may not be the fastest jets but the team work and trust in such close proximity to each other (ignoring the moves that are effectively optical illusions) is superb.