Arrows Collision
 

Old thread closed, so,

Any news of the two pilots and how the team is planning to proceed?

Both pilots OK. One with a few "bumps and bruises" from Martin Baker's best. I understand that an old soak is being "parachuted" in as the injured chap won't make a recovery in time for this season - rumour only...

Might be you BOAC...

When the same thing happened in 1984? they flew the season with eight ac. It seemed they didn't have a spare frame. Have things now improved to the extent of spare ac ?

Not very up-to-date (as XX233 is on the list) but it would appear that they have plenty...see link

Friends of the Red Arrows -- Reds Hawk Fleet

stackedup

I think they flew the whole '84 season as a nine ship.

STP

fantom - steady on with the 'old' bit...................:)

They cannot be THAT desperate

As I understand it there are 20+(?) Hawks in the sheds at EGOS nominated as future Reds. So as long as they can get a new smoke tank bolted on and the stick switches wired up they should have the full 9. It might not be coloured red (initially) but they should have a full set of cabs? Getting an up-to-speed driver is another game, however. Good luck to all concerned and best wishes to everyone involved and they get fit and flying in short order.

It takes a lot more work to modify a standard Hawk to Reds standard than sticking a pod on and wiring up the cockpit. When XX242 was modified it took BAeS many months to plan, manufacture and fit the pipework associated with the smoke system.

Other than the smoke and paint, are any other mods done, control throws etc ? just curious.

Ham

Thanks, I bow to your better knowledge and stand corrected. I'm a little surprised that there is not a Red11?

Modification to the engine to give a slightly faster response time. Not sure how much work that involves. Also, the paint job. Probably more but I don't know about them.

Radios, fuel control unit (FCU), front cockpit GPS, more headroom in front cockpit (all right I made that one up :p) and I'm sure there are a few others.

There are (was) 13 hawks for the RAFAT. With one downed and the other crippled, it's now 11.

Red's 1-9 are the display pilots, Red 10 is Road Manager (commentator, coordinates with bos during display, flies hawk for photo ops for the main 9-ship etc.) and then Red 11 (don't ask me what his job is!). No back-up display pilots as they would never be able to replicate the high standards required in each position of the formation.

Hope that answers your question Green Flash. Wasn't sure if you were talking about the aircraft or the pilots :)

Nah, waaay to easy.:)

What is different about the radio fit?

not quite 20 but at least 9 are going to be modded for RA's newer cabs

champ/crow

Thanks for the info. Yes, I meant cabs not pilots allthough I wasn't aware that Red11 actually existed! Presume 10 and 11, not being required to be display machines, can be sub'd by standard Hawks for the duration whilst they get another two ready?

R11 is the Wg Cdr and not technically a bona fide member of the inner circle. Reds 10 and 11 were spare jets so were, ideally, fully modified although an unmodified XX156 was borrowed from Valley in times of need.

I guess so. The fact that Reds 10 and 11 fly the RA Hawk is simply making use of the squadrons available aircraft so flying a standard one shouldn't hurt too much. The aircraft all get rotated around between flying members anyway as mx checks and technical issues crop up. Specific aircraft are not assigned to each pilot although each pilot has his own preferred ship. There are still enough hawks in the fleet to be able to fly the 9-ship although I'm sure plans are being fast-tracked to bring 1 or 2 aircraft from Shawbury into RA service pronto.

Was it XX253 and 233 involved in the crash?

Red Hawk buzzing around Scampton 16.45 this afternoon. Replacement airtest perhaps ?
How would he get out to Cyprus, as a singleton, or what would accompany him ?