Given some of the previous posts I'm far more mortified at my poor grammer on this occasion!:(

FB

Ahhh, you obviously haven’t heard about this year’s “synchro solo”…

Umm..well since we are into opinions here’s mine…over the years I’ve:

Shared crewrooms with a couple of individuals who went on to be in the reds.

For a time worked alongside them every day, and for example attended the same met brief, as duty dog sat in ATC visual during some of their work up.

Went to the funeral of one thoroughly thoroughly nice guy and long time friend who was killed during pre-season training with the team.

Then in the civvy world worked with (including doing a type conversion) alongside a couple of ex-reds.

In the basis of the above I’d say there was the odd loud/awkward/PITA individual but generally the 10% rule applied,I certainly wouldn’t subscribe to some of the stereotyping offered by one or two previous posters….

I almost hesitate, FB, to question whether you may now also be mortified by your poor spelling?

maybe it is his poor grandma he is concerned about what with the rising cost of living and things...:)

Apart from the grammar and spelling, it was all fine.

Having had the pleasure of a ride in the boot when I knew most of them, they were impressively tight and a thoroughly nice bunch. One former's view: most fast jet jockeys would expect to pass one of the easiest OCUs going: it's getting in that's the hard part - make of it what you will.

At one time I would consider five of the team good mates, the others seemed nice enough. One of them offered me a ride in a nine ship practice, unfortunately I got called away at the last minute after we’d briefed, booted and spurred and were about to walk out. I never got another chance and that particular pilot tragically lost his life a few years later in a civilian flying display accident at Biggin Hill.

Having been on the display circuit myself for a short time, I fully appreciate how much commitment the team put in. Also, it’s very difficult to keep a home relationship going when you’re seldom home.

Ah yes, I wondered who would be the first to spot the deliberate mistake!

FB

In days of yore, before cameras on phones becoming widespread, I always found Red Arrow pilots behaved identical to most other pilots across the military. Thoroughly pleasant decent folk on their own or in small groups. Less so in large groups. The Jekyll to Hyde transformation usually happened around three, though it could extend to four under the calming influence of single brevets. That said, weapons of social destruction such as FJ Navs, landaway crews, or recent Staff College graduates could degrade this ratio significantly. As could distance from home….

What on earth is a single brevet? A single certificate? A single licence? Or a single diploma?

In the late 1980s I was based at Akrotiri. Like the rest of the station, we supported the RAFAT. As a thank you, the RAFAT offered us a number of backseat rides. These offers were unceremoniously turned down by the troops.

When asked by RAFAT why no one wanted a jolly with the ‘Reds’ the reply was that they did not want to fly in an aircraft that was maintained by the same people they were drinking with until the early hours that morning.

Oh, the joys of sunny dets!

“Single Brevet” also known as “Half Winged Halfwit”

Tell me again what NOTAM is ?

Oh dear Bellthorpe, do try and keep up. NOTAM is so last year, it's now NOTAC. Or at least NOTAC is being foisted on the unwilling aviation community. Notice to Airmen is now Notice to Aviators and generated a bit of discussion elsewhere on PPPRuNe: https://www.pprune.org/atc-issues/64...become-pc.html
Perhaps the new acronym should be NOTAV?

Sadly, the only half-wits are the ones that insist on keeping calling a badge a brevet, when a brevet is a certificate!

Look up “un brevet de scouts” (a scout’s certificate), “un brevet de secouriste” (a first aid certificate), “un brevet de base” (a pilot’s licence), “un brevet en anglais” (an English certificate) or “un brevet d'invention” (an invention certificate (more commonly known as a patent)). Nowhere, apart from in some half-wit’s brain, does it mention badge - never has and never should do! :ugh:

Thank you for that piece of brevity.

So, does anyone know what happened and care to share?

Presumably they will be pulling in a couple of former reds to make up their 9 ship flypasts? Or maybe 10 & 11?

So by that analogy, a pilot must be a "Complete Halfwit".