The Red Arrows

19/12/11

The Red Arrows is the Royal Air Force (RAF) aerobatic display team. Since the Team was officially formed in 1965, the Red Arrows have completed over 4,000 displays in 53 countries.


The team flies the dual control BAE Systems Hawk T1, which is the Royal Air Force’s advanced trainer, and has been used by the Red Arrows since 1979. The Hawk’s Rolls Royce Adour engine produces 5,200lbs of thrust and can power the aircraft to a top speed of Mach 1.2. The aircraft has a maximum altitude of 48,000 ft and fuel capacity gives a range of 1,000 nm, making most of the world accessible from the UK, apart from New Zealand. Each display team plans has a smoke generation system to produce the colourful vapour trails that the Red Arrows are famous for. These trails are used mainly for flight safety reasons so the pilots can judge wind speed and direction whilst performing their displays. However, the effects of the trails also look good, enhancing the show for the audience on the ground. Each aircraft can create five minutes of white smoke, one minute of red and one minute of blue during the display.


For more information about the Vulcan and the Red Arrows see www.vulcantothesky.org and www.www.raf.mod.uk/reds/