Red Arrows flight plan

[Spice_Weasel]

Is there anywhere I can see the Reds' flight plan?

I've heard from neighbours that they are flying over our village later today but don't know what time or from which direction.

[kurt535]

download the free version of sky demon; its fairly intuitive - it will flash up notams on any route you plan.

where if your nearest town? i can always put it into my SD and tell you a rough eta?

[Spice_Weasel]

Thanks. Henley in Arden is nearest

[neilf]

Sorry to hijack the thread...

The Red's used to post online a few days in advance when they were practicing at Scampton. Had a great afternoon in August a few years ago with what felt like a personal display watching from the public footpath at the side of the airfield.

I've checked all the usual social media suspects and can't find any info.

Any ideas?

[richelli]

Hi, if you go to a site called notam.info it gives notice to airman (notam). These are warning notifications give for a variety of reasons across the country for pilots. If you go to the Flight planning map plan tab and then had selected the day you wanted you would be able to get a roughly plotted route that they will take. Obviously you are looking at lots of other info as well so just keep clicking on different notams until you find the one you want. Sometimes the notam outline is shown as the flight path or if they are visiting a number of places you could join the dots yourself to work out the route between display sites if they are doing more than one.

[Geneve]

Remember, the times quoted on Notams are 'Zulu' (UTC/GMT) and we are currently on BST

[Steve_D]

richelli said:

Hi, if you go to a site called notam.info it gives notice to airman (notam). These are warning notifications give for a variety of reasons across the country for pilots. If you go to the Flight planning map plan tab and then had selected the day you wanted you would be able to get a roughly plotted route that they will take. Obviously you are looking at lots of other info as well so just keep clicking on different notams until you find the one you want. Sometimes the notam outline is shown as the flight path or if they are visiting a number of places you could join the dots yourself to work out the route between display sites if they are doing more than one.

I suspect the Notams are for the actual displays rather than the routes flown. Joining the dots may work to an extent but may not give the transit route as the route they take will include overflying garden fetes etc so will likely not be direct A to B.
You can apply to the reds for an overfly of your 'event' and if they are in the area they will try and include it. My sisters village had regular visits when her son was Red1.

Steve

[Spice_Weasel]

Thanks all. I took the kids for an ice cream at Henley parlour then we had a wander up the high street. At 1650 ish the Reds flew over, west to east, in 2 arrowhead formations. By chance we were directly underneath them but it was a 'blink and you miss it' moment. My daughter asked me if that was it. "Err ... yep".

[droopsnoot]

Spice_Weasel said:

Thanks all. I took the kids for an ice cream at Henley parlour then we had a wander up the high street. At 1650 ish the Reds flew over, west to east, in 2 arrowhead formations. By chance we were directly underneath them but it was a 'blink and you miss it' moment. My daughter asked me if that was it. "Err ... yep".

I like the fact that they seem to fly everywhere in formation, rather than just closing up for the display. A couple of weekends ago (Cosford weekend, I think) I head a noise while working in the shed, went outside to find the RA flying over in a single V formation, a quick splash of smoke for a second or two, then later the same afternoon they flew again in a different direction, but in 2 Vs.

Interesting about the various places to find out where they might be, thanks for that.

[Steve_D]

droopsnoot said:

I like the fact that they seem to fly everywhere in formation, rather than just closing up for the display..........

Asked my nephew (Red1) how they managed transiting in bad weather as this would make formation difficult.
Answer...they just fly closer together.

Steve

[neilf]

The Reds travel everywhere (even transcontinental) in tight formation. Means they can contact ATC as 1 rather than 9 separate aircraft.