Editing Red Arrows (section)

==Displays==
[[File:RedArrows01.jpg|thumb|The Red Arrows in formation with two [[Supermarine Spitfire]]s at [[Royal International Air Tattoo|RIAT]] 2005]]
The first display by the Red Arrows was at RAF Little Rissington on 6 May 1965. The display was to introduce the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team to the media. However, the first public display was on 9 May 1965 in France, at the French National Air Day in [[Clermont-Ferrand]]. The first public display in the UK was on 15 May 1965 at the [[Biggin Hill International Air Fair]]. The first display with nine aircraft was on 8 July 1966 at RAF Little Rissington.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibraltar-stamps.com/index.php?controller=stamps&action=issue&id=525|access-date=29 January 2020|title=50th Anniversary of the Red Arrows}}</ref>

The first display in Germany was at [[RAF Laarbruch]] on 6 August 1965. The Red Arrows performed in Germany a further 170 times before formation aerobatics were banned in Germany following the [[Ramstein airshow disaster]] in 1988.

During displays, the aircraft do not fly directly over the crowd apart from entering the display area by flying over the crowd from behind; any manoeuvres in front of and parallel to the audience can be as low as {{convert|300|ft}}, the 'synchro pair' can go as low as {{convert|100|ft}} straight and level, or {{convert|150|ft}} when in inverted flight. To carry out a full looping display the [[cloud base]] must be above {{convert|5,500|ft}} to avoid the team entering the cloud while looping. If the cloud base is less than {{convert|5,500|ft|adj=on}} but more than {{convert|2,500|ft|adj=on}} the Team will perform the Rolling Display, substituting wing-overs and rolls for the loops. If the cloud base is less than {{convert|2,500|ft|adj=on}} the Team will fly the Flat Display, which consists of a series of fly-pasts and steep turns.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/red-arrows/displays/|access-date=28 January 2020|title=Types of display}}</ref>

[[File:red arrows in apollo formation cotswoldairshow 2010 arp.jpg|thumb|left|The Red Arrows in Apollo formation, 2010]]

The greatest number of displays flown in any year was in 1995, when the Red Arrows performed 136 times. The smallest number of displays in one year was in 1975, after the [[1973 oil crisis]] limited their appearances. At a charity auction in 2008, a British woman paid £1.5&nbsp;million to fly with them.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.meeja.com.au/index.php?display_article_id=169 |title=Planespotter pays $3.2m for Red Arrows ride |publisher=www.meeja.com.au |date=3 September 2008 |access-date=3 September 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322184719/http://www.meeja.com.au/index.php?display_article_id=169 |archive-date=22 March 2009 }}</ref>

By the end of the 2009 season, the Red Arrows had performed a total of 4,269 displays in 53 countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/behindthescenes/bestofbritish.cfm |title=Best of British |publisher=Royal Air Force |year=2009 |access-date=16 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405230856/http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/behindthescenes/bestofbritish.cfm |archive-date=5 April 2011 }}</ref> The 4,000th display was at [[RAF Leuchars]] during the [[Battle of Britain]] Airshow in September 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/behindthescenes/teamhistory.cfm |title=Team History |publisher=Royal Air Force |year=2011 |access-date=16 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405230743/http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/behindthescenes/teamhistory.cfm |archive-date=5 April 2011 }}</ref>

Following the accidents during the 2011 season, the Red Arrows retained Red 8 and moved the original Red 10 to the Red 5 position to enable them to continue displaying with nine aircraft. In March 2012, the MoD announced that the Red Arrows would fly aerobatic displays with seven aircraft during the 2012 display season as Flt Lt Kirsty Stewart had moved into a ground-based role with the team. It is believed this was due to the emotional stress she had been suffering over the loss of her two Red Arrows colleagues the previous year. As a consequence of this, Red 8 also dropped out of the display team to enable an odd number of aircraft to perform and thus maintain formation symmetry. The team carried out official flypasts with nine aircraft by using Red 8 as well as ex-Red Arrow display pilot and then Red 10 Mike Ling. The Red Arrows returned to a full aerobatic formation of nine aircraft in 2013.<ref>[https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5j5lURBGbDPtBGuU8Ty_BTYv9zHKA?docId=N0892591330839602757A]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref>

[[File:'Red 6' of the world famous air display team the Red Arrows.jpg|thumb|Red 6 with the 50th anniversary tail markings]]
In 2014, The Red Arrows celebrated 50 years of Aerobatic history as a display team returning to RAF Fairford for the [[Royal International Air Tattoo]] (RIAT). For the entirety of the 2014 display season, the aircraft carried special 50th Anniversary markings on their tails instead of just the red, white and blue stripes.

[[File:Red Arrows Over Kuwait City MOD 45157986.jpg|thumb|The Red Arrows over Kuwait City]]
After the 2016 display season, the Red Arrows embarked on an Asia-Pacific and Middle East Tour.  They performed flypasts or displays in [[Karachi]] in Pakistan;  [[Hindon Air Force Station|Hindon]] and [[Hyderabad]] in India; [[Dhaka]] in Bangladesh; [[Singapore]]; [[Kuala Lumpur]] in Malaysia; [[Danang]] in Vietnam; [[Beijing]], [[Shanghai]], [[Wuhan]], [[Guangzhou]], [[Hong Kong]] and [[Zhuhai]] in China; [[Muscat, Oman|Muscat]] in Oman; [[Manama]] in Bahrain; Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.<ref>{{cite web|title=Asia-Pacific & Middle East Tour 2016|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/displays/asiapacificmiddleeasttour2016.cfm|website=Royal Air Force|access-date=29 November 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130034908/http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/displays/asiapacificmiddleeasttour2016.cfm|archive-date=30 November 2016 }}</ref> The programme was the first time the team had displayed in China, and the first time a British military aircraft had deployed to Vietnam.

The summer 2019 display season took the team on a tour of North America, known as ''Western Hawk 19.'' After performing at RIAT, the team departed across the Atlantic at the end of July. As well as performing at US and Canadian air shows, they promoted the UK through school visits and meetings with business leaders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-01-23/HCWS1264/|title=Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team - North American Tour 2019 :Written statement - HCWS1264|last=Lancaster|first=Mark|date=23 January 2019|website=UK Parliament|access-date=27 January 2019}}</ref> This was the Red Arrows' biggest-ever tour, flying to more than 25 cities, 21 displays and 30 flypasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/red-arrows/news/red-arrows-return-from-huge-north-american-tour/|access-date=28 January 2020|title=Red Arrows Return From Huge North American Tour}}</ref>
On 2 June 2022 [[Trooping the Colour]], as part of [[Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II]], closed with the Queen and Royal Family observing a flypast from the balcony of [[Buckingham Palace]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend|title = Plans announced for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend 2022| website=The Royal Family |date = June 2021|accessdate=5 June 2022}}</ref>

For the 2022 display season, The Red Arrows are flying a seven aircraft display, due to "2 formation pilots moving to other roles within the RAF". Flypasts are still intended to be performed with nine aircraft, with experienced Red Arrows pilots flying the remaining 2 aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 May 2022 |title=RAF Red Arrows to display as 7 ship in 2022 |url=https://www.air-shows.org.uk/2022/05/airshow-news-raf-red-arrows-to-display-as-a-seven-ship-in-2022/ |access-date=1 July 2022 |website=Flightline UK}}</ref> On 2 June 2022 [[Trooping the Colour]], as part of [[Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II]], closed with the [[Elizabeth II|Queen]] and [[British royal family|Royal Family]] observing a flypast from the balcony of [[Buckingham Palace]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend|title = Plans announced for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend 2022| website=The Royal Family |date = June 2021|accessdate=5 June 2022}}</ref>

===Display charges===
In 1977, a charge of £200 was introduced by the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MoD]] for a Red Arrows display. By 2000, the charge had risen to £2,000 (including [[VAT]] and insurance). In 2011 the team manager quoted the charge as £9,000.<ref>"Red Arrow Rookies" documentary broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 19 January 2011.</ref>

===Transits===
On a transit flight (getting to or from a display location) the team may fly at the relatively low altitude of {{convert|1000|ft|m}}. This avoids the complication of moving through the cloud base in formation, and also avoids much controlled air space. Jets are more efficient at higher altitude, so longer flights are made at {{convert|35000|to|42000|ft|m}}. On transit flights, the formation can include spare planes. Sometimes a [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130 Hercules]] or an [[A400M|Atlas C.1]] accompanies them, carrying spare parts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/news/extra-support-keeping-red-arrows-flying-across-north-america|title=How Is An A400M Atlas Aircraft Helping The Red Arrows On Tour?|website=forces.net|date=4 October 2019 |accessdate=26 November 2022}}</ref> They often provide flypasts and brief displays to smaller events if they are already passing over or it is a small detour.

[[File:Symmetry MOD 45160740.jpg|thumb|Red Arrows with red and blue smoke, in April 2016 at [[Tanagra Air Base]] in Greece]]
As the fuel capacity of the Hawk sets a limit to nonstop flight distance, and the Hawk is incapable of [[air-to-air refuelling]], very long flights between display sites may need landings on the way to refuel. For example, a flight from [[RAF Scampton]] to [[Quebec]] for an international air display team competition had to be done in seven hops: RAF Scampton, [[RAF Kinloss]] (Scotland), [[Keflavík]] (Iceland), [[Kangerlussuaq]] (west Greenland), [[Narsarsuaq]] (south tip of Greenland), [[CFB Goose Bay|Goose Bay]] ([[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]]) and [[CFB Bagotville|Bagotville]] ([[Quebec]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://airshowinfo.eu/american-airshows/red-arrows-to-north-american-tour-in-2019/|access-date=28 January 2020|title=Red Arrows to North American Tour in 2019|date=19 December 2018}}</ref>

For the same reason, Red Arrows displays in [[New Zealand]] are unlikely because there is no land near enough for a Hawk to land and refuel to reach New Zealand on the most fuel that it can carry.

===Smoke===
The smoke trails left by the team are made by releasing [[Diesel fuel|diesel]] into the [[exhaust gas|exhaust]]; this vaporises in the hot exhaust flow, then re-condenses into very fine droplets that give the appearance of a white smoke trail. [[Dye]]s can be added to produce the red and blue colour. The diesel is stored in the pod on the underside of the plane; it houses three tanks: one {{convert|50|impgal|L|adj=on}} tank of pure diesel and two {{convert|10|impgal|L|adj=on}} tanks of blue and red dyed diesel. The smoke system uses {{convert|10|impgal|L|adj=off}} per minute; therefore each plane can trail smoke for a total of seven minutes: – five minutes of white smoke, a minute of blue and a minute of red.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milavia.net/airshows/display-teams/red-arrows/#img/6|access-date=28 January 2020|title=Royal Air Force Red Arrows}}</ref>

In 2021, the MoD asked the civil sector to help develop an environmentally friendly smoke system for the team's aircraft. This is part of its drive to make the RAF [[Carbon neutrality|net-zero]] by 2040.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-58173637|title=Red Arrows aircraft could use 'green' smoke in displays|website=bbc.co.uk|date=11 August 2021|accessdate=26 November 2022}}</ref>