Originally Posted by
chevvron
NO that's only their own discrete UHF air to air comms frequency; only one of them ever talks to ATC on a different frequency which can be VHF or UHF then relays any message to the rest on the air to air frequency eg at 2 minutes to end of display, the communicator (one of the singletons usually) will call ATC on the display frequency to request wind and formation landing clearance then he returns to the air to air frequency until he lands when he will request taxy instructions.
The legal position in the UK isn't that Joe Public can't listen to ATC specifically, but can't listen to anything except broadcasts or specified amateur/CB frequencies unless authorised. So the same rules apply to all military and civilian airband frequencies whether ATC or not.
I did seen an interesting argument that the organisers could 'authorise' spectators to listen, or are actually doing so if they publicise the relevant frequencies. Seems doubtful to me though.