Here is the very same phenomenon, but on the top of the aircraft. The un-named 'flying expert' has probably never seen anything like this either.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../P1010021a.jpg

Cycle challenge - practical action
 

Great post - a way of showing support and gratitude in a way that we already know Jon would have supported. Thanks very much and let's see what we can do

The Cycle ride
 

I took the liberty of putting the link to the cycle challenge on a couple of forums I subscribe to, concering 200mph motorbikes and Pistonheads, the more people who know about this the better, may I respectfully suggest that other people do the same, and spread the word, show what else makes Britain Great.

Have just popped it onto Face book, hopefully the 'viral' effect will kick in.

It would appear it is doing, I facebooked it earlier,and posted details on 2 forums, and whilst in no way connecting the three, the donations have gone up significantly, and so they damn well should !

FB & company forum....tenner's in. Good luck Emma.

So does that imply that there were no technical issues with the aircraft?




Oddly my post appeared 10 minutes before I posted it.

Cleared to fly again, according to Auntie.

BBC News - Red Arrows can start flying again after fatal crash

They had already cancelled the remainder of Augusts displays, September is not a particularly busy and with respect, high profile display month, perhaps best to bin the lot given the circumstances. No doubt some will say "The show must go on".. personally I think it's time to reflect, re-group and come back next year as the Red Arrows we all know, respect and admire.

Quote:
"The team has been cleared to display again."

Very much hope you are right, Finningley Boy, but what is your source? The BBC and Guardian, in almost identical reports, write:
"The Red Arrows have been cleared to resume flying..." [my emphasis]

They both quote a MoD "spokeswoman" as saying:
"Having been assured of the airworthiness of the Hawk T1 fleet, the precautionary suspension of flying activity has been lifted and flying operations have been resumed."

But the BBC article quotes a "defence spokeperson" as saying:
"It is extremely unlikely that they will do any displays for the rest of this year."

If the latter quote is authoritative, there is an element of mixed-message (as usual) from the powers that be. If the Hawk T1 has been cleared as a type, and the Red Arrows regularly practise an 8-ship routine to allow for crew sickness, what would stop them from resuming displays this season?
How about Dunsfold this wekend? Paticularly appropriate for the Hawks, and the public response would be overwhelming: one in the eye for any jobsworth eyeing the cost and ignoring the value.

Yes, Alloa Akbar, the show MUST go on.

Chris - Agree 100%.. but value in returning this year?? On the flipside I guess it may help morale of the team.. who knows, I guess we'll have to wait and see which way they call it. I hope whatever they do is based on what the team themselves feel is appropriate and this doesn't become a vehicle for the "Lets scrap the Reds" brigade to jump on.

Reds 8 ship Public Dsplay Auth.
 

As a matter of interest, do the reds need to get a public display authority for the 8 ship formation or is that already in place?

I understand that they practice an 8 ship formation and have displayed as such in the past.

The Beeb report has changed substantially. Looks like the "defence spokesperson" has had a sharp kick in the *****!

I would love to see the reds flying again this year, mind you for those of us with a Passion got aviation an 8 ship reds display in these circumstances will be very poignant and will probably move many a grown man to tears
However let's not jump the gun and talking about jobsworths. There's still an accident report to complete and all we can infer at the moment is that they must be fairly sure there's no generic issue with the hawk 1. There's a lot of ground to cover yet, unless they are fairl certain of a cause and that still may have operational implications to the reds and the way they operate.
Personally I'd love to see them this year. But Id rather see them operate next year with confidence rather than this year with things still on their minds.

Taken direct from the Red website:-

In the absence of any critical safety recommendations in the Service Inquiry’s initial report the precautionary suspension of Hawk T1 flying activity has been lifted and flying operations have been resumed. The Red Arrows aircraft will fly back to RAF Scampton tomorrow (Friday 26 August 2011). In preparation for the resumption of public displays the Red Arrows will begin flying eight ship formation display practices starting on 30 August 2011. Display flying by the Red Arrows team, in an eight ship formation, will recommence subject to a successful period of consolidation and approval to display. As part of their display season preparation the Red Arrows practice displays with eight aircraft so that a display can go ahead if a pilot is unable to fly

Have added Flt Lt Egging's Just Giving webpage to my Facbook page. Hope it helps towards increasing the total.

BW7A

Here are some from Waddington in 2010 when one went u/s on the ground elsewhere...

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/o...ship030710.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/o...gwad030710.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/o...bwad030710.jpg

All cleared and signed off already just incase a Hawk goes tech...

SB

From NOTAMs:

Q) egtt/qrtcd/iv/bo/w/000/085/5149n00145w120
b) from: 11/08/25 16:32c) to: 11/08/30 23:59

e) red arrows displays and associated restricted areas(temporary)at
clacton, dartmouth, chester, dunsfold, diss, uffington and hoylake
all cancelled. Amend aic m066/2011.
11-08-0182/as 6

lower: Sfc
upper: 8500ft amsl

Just to clarify - there is a distinction between an '8-ship' with one going u/s on start-up or in the show and a 'permanent' 8-ship which is a completely different beast and with different elements depending on the 'missing'. It needs a solid work-up period as opposed to the former which in my day would be 'dropped into' using a mixture of leader instructions, pre-arranged 'SOPs' and common-sense..

Thanks BOAC,

Guess that means there are nine different combinations to be practised, if a 'perfect' 8-ship is to be created? That would be an awful lot of flying...

So, during the season, if any one pilot is taken ill the day before a public display, can you say which of the two options is likely to be used?

- well, perhaps 8? There is always a deputy lead - in my time I was cleared to lead 8 down to 500', but I don't think I would EVER have dreamt of putting on any sort of display! I don't expect I would have had more than a couple still with me after a couple of manoeuvres:) More a 'get-you-home' function.

In your example, it is down to the team/command structure to handle that decision 'on the day'.

f:mad:ing people ought to be castrated!

We ought to stop calling them Journalists:

jour·nal·ism

noun /ˈjərnlˌizəm/ 

The activity or profession of writing for newspapers or magazines or of broadcasting news on radio or television

and go back to calling them reporters, then they might just report instead of attempting to sensationalise:

reporter

noun /'rɪˈpɔːtə'

A person who reports, esp one employed to gather news for a newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organization

Foldie:mad:

FFS !!!!!! It's the feckin sun for crying out loud, do you really expect accurate reporting???

It's like complaining about the boiling water being too hot.

This forum = :ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

My comment goes well beyond The Sun to the inner core of these low lifes!

I thought that all new flying display routines had to be authorised by the Group AOC before they could go ahead...or have the rules changed?