The "Rainbow" Reds.

[MATELO]

The Red Arrows will fly over Pride in London for the first time at this year’s parade in a show of support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and LGBT Armed Forces personnel.

Nine jets from the world-renowned Royal Air Force (RAF) Aerobatic Team will perform a red, white and blue flypast for thousands at the event on Saturday, 25 June.

It will be the first time that the Red Arrows have flown over a Pride parade.

The Red Arrows showcase the excellence of the Royal Air Force and represent the United Kingdom and its Armed Forces, both at home and overseas.

The flypast marks a busy day for the team who will also display at the national Armed Forces Day event in Cleethorpes, north-east Lincolnshire.

Red Arrows flypast at Pride in London (http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/news/index.cfm?storyid=AFB8A8D3-5056-A318-A8A5988DFEEA9C54)

[Out Of Trim]

I hope they have done an in-depth risk assessment.

They might scare the poor mites!

Apparently a special welcome has been prepared for the Navy contingent.

.


The words H E L L O S A I L O R will be spelt out in pink by the manly, steely eyed Reds..

:suspect:

[NutLoose]

They could draw a big penis in the sky, that will go down well with half of the event.

[Pontius Navigator]

Surely for this world renowned prestigious event they could do better than red white and blue.

How about red, Orange, yellow, green, blue and purple? The other three could do the red white blue bit.

[ExAscoteer]

Christ I see that the old entrenched bloody stupid homophobic attitudes are alive and well with the dinosaurs on this Forum :rolleyes:

Thank gods the RAF has moved on.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Well said ExAscot.

Somebody's sexuality or sexual identity has sod all to do with their ability to show courage and skill in the defence of their country, unless some other character decides to make it an issue.

G

[Herod]

ExAscot and Genghis. I agree with you, but I sometimes wonder what would be the reaction if all us hetero people decided to mount a "hetero-pride" march.

[Genghis the Engineer]

50:50.

I do find gays who seem to orient their whole personality about "being gay" bloody irritating. But, at the same time, perhaps it's a reaction to the abuse they receive from many straight people, and there are far more irritating characteristics out there.

I'll stick to rotating my personality about being an aviator - but I'm sure that irritates some people too ! My wife has mentioned it occasionally.

G

[Pontius Navigator]

I perceive a little flak. My post was banter in relation to the OP that specifically refers to the Reds smoke colours.

The real point is why does the parade merit a flypast? Are there other mass events and parades that would merit a flypast but don't? Is it a London centric thing?

[Union Jack]

Apparently a special welcome has been prepared for the Navy contingent. - Out of Trim

How perfectly sweet of you to propose such a thoughtful welcome for Matelo...:rolleyes:

Jack

[Genghis the Engineer]

I perceive a little flak. My post was banter in relation to the OP that specifically refers to the Reds smoke colours.

The real point is why does the parade merit a flypast? Are there other mass events and parades that would merit a flypast but don't? Is it a London centric thing?
Whimsy?

Somebody thinks it might make a large demographic who think that armed forces careers are closed to them reconsider?

Buggins turn?

Why the hell not rainbow smoke - it's something new, and the Reds, whilst known for their skill, are hardly known for the originality of their displays.

G

[Flying Lawyer]

Herod
I suspect everyone, regardless of their sexuality, could accurately forecast the reaction if heterosexuals decided to hold a "hetero-pride" march - which you no doubt had in mind.

Pontius
Banter at your peril.
People who claim to be enlightened are frequently intolerant of opinions with which they disagree and, not uncommonly, make offensive remarks to and about those who express them.

GenghisWhy the hell not rainbow smoke.Primarily, but not only, because it would be wholly inappropriate (IMO) for RAFAT to use anything other than the colours of the Union Flag.
the Reds, whilst known for their skill, are hardly known for the originality of their displays.Perhaps to the casual observer. In fact, the displays vary each year.
It's arguable that the biggest changes occur when a new leader is appointed, but changes are made each season. Sometimes to commemorate a significant occasion.

-

The Team doesn't choose where they will display/perform a flypast. That is controlled by the RAF Events Team at Northolt. There are more than 300 requests a year. Of those, well over 200 are unsuccessful.
According to the link in the first post, the 'Gay Pride' organisers didn't request a flypast; the RAF offered it.
I assume some VSO thought it was a good idea.
.

[Tankertrashnav]

I certainly don't know any of the current Reds personally, nor could I even name any of them, but has it occurred to any of the disapprovers that it is quite possible that one or more of the team is gay? And if not, then if the team survives long enough then statistically it is quite likely that there will be one some day.

Personally I've always found gay pride events rather silly, but I'm all for the Red Arrows flying over London, or anywhere else for that matter, whatever the pretext.

I like P-N's rainbow smoke idea. Shouldn't be beyond the wit of man (or woman, the RAF does have female engineers) to sort it out.

[Flying Lawyer]

I may have misunderstood but I don't think PN was seriously suggesting rainbow smoke.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I imagine that the rainbow smoke was indeed a whimsycal suggestion, but can't offhand think of any engineering or major political reason not to. Yes, red white and blue are the tradition - but exceptions can surely be made?

Yes, of course the Reds make annual tweaks to their displays, but there's still room for originality, surely.

G

[TBM-Legend]

So the Reds 'smoke'....

[BEagle]

Just mix the red and white together....:ooh:

[Bob Viking]

I seem to remember the SNP asked for special colored smoke from the Reds not so long ago. They were denied. I would imagine any such request would get the same response.

BV

[Evanelpus]

The reaction to the first few answers to this topic thread sums up to me why this country is going down the ****ter at a rate of knots. Would we have had the same PC stand had the thread originally been posted in Jet Blast?

[Evanelpus]

Sorry, double post

[Treble one]

I'm led to believe there's a few new manoeuvres in the Reds display this year (or a few new tweaks at least).

[Pontius Navigator]

Whimsical as I knew it would never happen.

Banter as I don't see the connection between any procession, Lord Mayor's Show etc and a flypast. A international sporting event I would suggest is different as it is national flag flying.

As a serious aside, do our cousins do flypasts for similar marches? And are the Army and Navy going to be represented?

[MATELO]

Just pointing out...

MATELO - Maritime Air Telecommunications Organization (MATELO)

Matelot - Sailor

[pr00ne]

Evanelpus

"The reaction to the first few answers to this topic thread sums up to me why this country is going down the ****ter at a rate of knots. Would we have had the same PC stand had the thread originally been posted in Jet Blast?"


Yeah right, because of course all great nations define their greatness by how homophobic, bigoted and intolerant they are...


Jeez

[Pontius Navigator]

Don't forget a significant number of British citizens favour bigamy and are anti-phobic.

[Geordie_Expat]

MATELO - Maritime Air Telecommunications Organization (MATELO)



Didn't think anyone had heard of it. used to work there; in fact started it up at Pitreavie.

[MATELO]

Being ex TG11, When I worked down the hole, I had a lot of good friends working in there.

[NutLoose]

Not a dinosaur, but one does wonder the wisdom of displaying single engined jets over London at relatively low level.

[Evanelpus]

Evanelpus

"The reaction to the first few answers to this topic thread sums up to me why this country is going down the ****ter at a rate of knots. Would we have had the same PC stand had the thread originally been posted in Jet Blast?"


Yeah right, because of course all great nations define their greatness by how homophobic, bigoted and intolerant they are...


Jeez

What are you :mad: smoking? Yawn!

[5aday]

What does cost it to provide such a display ? Anyone in the corridors of power know?
Someone must know.

[Herod]

As I tried to say earlier, I'm not homophobic. I worked for many years in the airline industry, where a significant number of the stewards are gay. The majority were just normal people, perhaps with a steady boyfriend, and we all just accepted them as people. However, there were a small minority who had to flaunt their sexuality at every opportunity. I'm tempted to say that they were a pain in the a*se, but I think you get my meaning. Nothing wrong with being LBGT, but don't make such an issue of it.

[pasta]

Some gay people flaunt their sexuality; so do plenty of straight people, both male and female. I'm guessing you didn't find it quite so irritating when the stewardesses did it?

[Coltishall. loved it]

If these “reds pilots” are going to take this seriously,surely they should be donning
Pink spandex flying suits? Not sure where they will clipthere oxy reg tho?

[JOE-FBS]

Here is an interesting article on the subject:

How gay was The Battle of Britain? - Gay Star News (http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/how-gay-was-the-battle-of-britain/#gs.JvSm318)

[Tankertrashnav]

Interesting article, and a nice pic of a formation of Defiants of 264 Squadron. Well done Gay Star News for not captioning it Spitfires or Hurricanes!

[KiloB]

Are the Syncro Pair going to display as well?
KB

[Pontius Navigator]

KiloB, flypast is a low level 9-ship streaming smoke, no acrobatics. Be a bit trick organising a display line clear of the crowd.

[KiloB]

And another piece of banter misses the target. ��

[G-CPTN]

KiloB, flypast is a low level 9-ship streaming smoke, no acrobatics.
Just what the Reds typically do at such appearances (Queen's birthday, Great North Run etc).

[Pontius Navigator]

KB, oh dear, only after G-CPTN posted and a couple of glasses of Vino Verde did it sink in.