The only threat to the Arrows is financial, given the ageing T1 airframes. I am not qualified to assess how serious that threat is.
IMHO the current cost, about £9 million per annum, is worth every penny - and more.

In the meantime:
The Red Arrows will put the tragedies behind them and carry on with the job they do so well.
They will continue to be one of the world’s premier aerobatic teams.
They will continue to enthral crowds all over the world with their magnificent displays.
They will continue to be excellent ambassadors for this country.

Arrows bashers, axe-grinders and tall poppy syndrome sufferers will continue to revel in the criticisms of the team and make tabloid-style comments on PPRuNe, dismissing contrary opinions as a failure to understand.

I read literally hundreds of accident reports during my career as an aviation specialist and still read many out of interest. Having read this report very carefully, I sincerely hope the SI process itself will be reviewed.
Those parts of the report which deal with the seat issue are significantly more impressive than the sections which deal with 'other factors' which did not cause the accident and are not alleged to have contributed to it.
In particular, but not exhaustively, the suggested falsification of records needs to be looked at very carefully to determine if that suggestion is actually justified by the evidence.


FL

If Scotland gets its independence this problem wont worry you anymore and you can then ban them from Scottish skies.

Ban who? The MoD? The Red Arrows? The people who caused all this carry on in the first place (which was the subject of my post)? The first two, no. The last, yes.

Good to know you're more interested in the independence debate than aircraft safety. :ok:

Surely the future of the Reds will be unmanned, and controlled from a portaloo at Scampton. :)

9 million is a bargain if it be true.
 

Price of a couple of ordinary Premiership football players, in Britain in the 21st Century.
I don't believe that figure - Scampton alone must cost an awful lot of money to maintain as a base.


This morning - with hundreds of acres of farmland flooded, urgent rebuilding work on railway lines, fire and police stations closing nationally.... put your hand on your heart and look in the mirror - do we need to spend hard earned UK resident taxpayers money on a flying display team?


Needs to be put to the public.
Or get get it privatised. Everything else is.

The Station acts as parent organisation to 3 resident units, namely the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT), No 1 Air Control Centre (1ACC) and the Mobile Meteorological Unit (MMU). As independent units each have a specific mission to fulfill, which when taken together result in the delivery of a significant defence diplomacy and operational output for this station.

I am intrigued to know what the Reds will fly next. I'm guessing we don't have the spare T2 airframes?
There must be some serious proposals out there. Any ideas?


Posted from Pprune.org App for Android

...There must be some serious proposals out there...

That's a bit optimistic. Do you really think that anyone in the MoD with both cash and influence is seriously looking at this problem?

Why can't they go down the RAF falcons route and be used as part of fast jet training requirements?

Put the Blades back in uniform as reservists and contract them to do the flying? They're all ex RAFAT anyway and put up a pretty damn good display, doesn't have to be FJ although I can see the point that they fly Walter's which aren't British.

I thought Big Dave has already said that the RAFAT were staying anyway? Mind you, probably more worrying than him saying nothing at all.

I just love this thread! In the last few years we have given up so much capability ie Nimrod, Jaguar and Harrier! Now we are arguing about keeping the Reds! Fast jet pilots must be at a premium these days and should only be deployed on the frontline.

In my book there is no argument that can justify a nine man team in this day and age! Tough I know,but fact!

Exactly newt so paint some hawks mrk 2 red and have it as final trainung before ocu or go down the reservist route as stated above

What about the BofB flight, would you disband that as well?

Really? That's "fact" is it?? With counties like Switzerland, Indonesia; Saudi; Italy France able to maintain a display team, you think the UK should be relegated to a 3rd rate Air Force??

and Yorkshire.

Joking aside, I was having the same thought but you beat me to it.

RP

I thought here on pprune we had already collectively decided that the UK now has a "3rd rate Air Force". :(


http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...orce-when.html

:E



http://www.airshows.co.uk/features/2...versary-01.jpg

Are there 22 airworthy Hunters - well I only asked......................

Are the Hunters privatised?
 

Who owns them? Seriously, I don't know.
Look, I know people hate us refusniks on this issue, but could not the money saved from the RA be better used purely for defence......by the RAF?
The RN had to give up the Field Gun (this was using up too many skilled people to justify), Royal Tournament (same), the bloody Display Team (same), the whining Sharks (Gazelles).
The country is totally bankrupt, people are simply in denial about it.
If we are going to take peoples hard, hard earned then spend it really wisely.

Well there are about 10 in a hangar a Scampton, there's at least one at North Weald and I think the rest are at Exeter. So could be done I reckon. Assuming you mean The Loop.