BBC 1 - Red Arrows
 

I have the BBCs prog about the Red Arrows selection procedure on in the background as I'm beavering away, and one of the candidates is a Flt Lt Jim Woodwood, age 31. He looks remarkably like a staff cadet who was on the VGS at Ternhill in the early 90s' The age and appearance match.

Does anyone know if this is him?

Dunno about Woodward.

Just watched the prog- enjoyed it.

I was well impressed with the thorough, professional, structured, analytical and no expense spared way in which the process was conducted.

Right up to the point at which they binned all the above, and voted for who they'd like best as a new chum. Priceless, really priceless.

CG

Being typical WAFu i thought that the quote of the staff showing the candidates where the bar was referred to alcohol. Now threin lies the difference in the Fleet Air Arm and RAF!

Throughout the programme, they kept pointing out that the Reds were looking for 2 new pilots for next season. I always thought that they selected 3 pilots each year so, when did that change?

CG - bit harsh.

There was a lot more going on than I imagined there would be for selection.

To be fair and I acknowledge the cameras may have played a part; some of those answers to the interview questions were lame.

What is the first thing you were told to say to the question "What if you are unsuccessful this time?” Answer "Try again next year sir"

And I also appreciate the candidate in question was being honest.

What did surprise me was the lack of confidence in front line FJ pilots when faced with the formation test. As someone who grew up with the absolute faith that Pilots are Gods it was a surprise. And please that is not a criticism, just an eye opener. I guess there is more to selection than stick and rudder.

I was amazed that the New Zealand chap got turned down. On TV he looked like he was stuck to the leader like the proverbial on a blanket.

Overall a good effort. It managed to not be too tacky.

At least Jeremy Clarkson did not do the presenting. :)

I had to chuckle at the number of times the 'Wooooosh!!!" noise was dubbed on - particularly when the ac was rolled!!

It could have been a LOT worse though (imagine the American equivalent.... Ugh!).

Ray :-)

As someone who has worked with "Kermit" I too was amazed that he missed out on selection. The photography and editing were first rate - shame about the music though!

Would I be right in saying the two that did get selected didn't even have 'face time' on camera?

ExRAFR

Maybeeeee...

But that last selection scene (at least in the editing) made the whole thing smack of a club for the chaps.

As for the Kiwi, I genuinely wished he'd responded to the

'What if you are not successful',

question, with, 'No you only get 2 chances, I won't be here again'. It would have served him better. Shame- I liked him.

CG

Yes jim was a staffie on a vgs if what i was told recently is true

A good programme!

The vast majority of the candidates seemed good chaps - but the FJ squirearchy seemed a miserable bunch....

Good luck to the successful guys!

Spot on
 

Great program. Obviously with 2 winning and seven losing there will be some disappointments. Sadly, when I worked at Kemble they all seemed so old. Now they all seem so young. A nice advert for the Hawk though. Will they get 128?

I watched it, and there was some really impressive cinematography in there in my opinion and it was a well put together program.

The only downfall is that at the end, after being told which guys got through I was left thinking "who?" - it seems the show focused only among a core of 4 or so of the pilots, none of whom were the ones who got through. Only seeing people be rejected at the end was odd too, wouldn't you want to film the successful guys?

x10 - I too wondered about the 128 when they mentioned all the analogue equipment etc...

So they covered Bollard, Jim Woodward, Duffy and Kermit.

But the 2 that got in didn't appear at all !?!?!?

Why did The Beeb not cover everyone, and then edit it to show something about those that got in ?

FFP,

Where failure is an option, you can be sure that the 'victims'' approvals would have been required. Presumably, the others said, 'No!'.

CG

Hmm - I though the old "happy with publicity" was a pre-requisite to join the Reds and therefore no was not an option!

Perhaps they spoke to someone who thought he was in the know (PMA?!) and it was they who suggested following the 4 who didn't make it!

Off topic - anyone in the Scottish region seen the TV prog following the studes through the GR4 OCU? That's if its been on yet!

Exactly the comment Mrs GF, a woman not known for her searing clarity of military avaition, said! Looks like the Producer backed the wrong horses?:confused:

CG I see your point.

But surely there is more going on than "Right chaps, who do you want in ?"

Or is it really a case of a 'Well we know who we want, lets get them in"

It is frustrating that to the viewer that has a slightly more in depth insight than the average person, the question 'Why they failed' is never answered.

But then again would the average viewer care?



One thing I do know - my 7 year old daughter watched the Reds do their thing and at one point leant foreward and whispered - "That is so cool".

Mission accomplished Gentlemen.

Unfortunately she was looking at the 'Seventies Party' section at the time.....

Yep, he was at Ternhill when I was doing BGT. Also ex 162 (Stockport) ATC Sqn IIRC. Nice guy, good to see him having a go at getting in the Reds.