Red Arrows 'future safe under David Cameron'

[Gerald]

The future of the Red Arrows is safe as long as David Cameron is prime minister, Number 10 has said.

The guarantee over the RAF display team, which costs about £9m a year, emerged during the PM's trip to India.

It came after RAF expertise was offered to the Indian military to enable its Surya Kiran display team to conduct similar colourful flypasts.

There has been speculation in the media that the Red Arrows could be axed as part of defence cuts in the UK.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has signalled an interest in buying a third tranche of British-built Hawk planes for its display team.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21514999

This is good news for all aircraft lovers.


Note: 20 February 2013 Last updated at 08:01 GMT

[Herr-Berbunch]

Damn right!

And although it costs £9m per annum, they do a great sales job for BAe Systems, the RAF, and flying in general.

[Jimbuna]

Damn right!

And although it costs £9m per annum, they do a great sales job for BAe Systems, the RAF, and flying in general.

Rgr that but the same codswallop rumours surface every year.

[BossMark]

I really hope they, are but that coming from Cameron's gob takes some bloody believing...............................

[Herr-Berbunch]

I really hope they, are but that coming from Cameron's gob takes some bloody believing...............................

As blue as I am, this must be the only thing (so far) that he hasn't done a u-turn on. :nope:

[Jimbuna]

As blue as I am, this must be the only thing (so far) that he hasn't done a u-turn on. :nope:

There's time yet :)

[Tribesman]

Call me Dave has unveiled the Plan A austerity budget red arrows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_lXqMmevog

[Jimbuna]

A bit OT but this year will be the last chance to see this graceful old girl in the skies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU1VSCph-G8

[Herr-Berbunch]

A bit OT but this year will be the last chance to see this graceful old girl in the skies:

Maybe, maybe not - it all depends on if new wing main spars can be made. Unfortunately none of the original jigs exist and even when they were used every spar came out slightly different - a replacement must be exactly the same as the one coming out. They've been using lasers to measure the existing spars so fingers crossed on this front. Add to that the lack of engine spares after two were destroyed last year, and it doesn't look great.

But they are continuing for now, and still need support from the public to even get airbourne for the upcoming season (a recent ground run cost £5k in fuel alone!). :salute:

Donations welcome here - http://www.vulcantothesky.org/donate.html

And if you are a corporate sponser then all the better. :D

I was at Waddington for 558's original final flight, I shall see her next final flight too.

[Oberon]

There could be a glimmer of hope Jim:

http://mxm.mxmfb.com/rsps/wlnk/c/1216/r/207663/e/449

I'm not likely to see her again any time soon as most of the airshows around here have been cancelled now because of financial difficulties. Still, I consider myself lucky to have seen XH558 flying three times, including once back when she was still owned by the RAF, at the Biggin Hill airshow in 1991 (I think it was '91, I can barely remember anything from the show, other than the BBMF, a Nimrod, the Vulcan and the Red Arrows taking off [Boy those Hawks scream]) and she's a beautiful sight. :yep:

If you ever need to clean your ears out, or test your speakers, put this on full volume :haha::
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djd1pPQZ_LE

[Jimbuna]

I guess I'm a dual shareholder now :sunny:

[Herr-Berbunch]

If you ever need to clean your ears out, or test your speakers, put this on full volume :haha::
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djd1pPQZ_LE

I have the howl as a ringtone on my phone, but I don't use it as it takes a good few seconds to get into it, by which time it's gone to answerphone. :/\\!!

[Jimbuna]

Then edit it...take a couple off seconds off the beginning.

[Herr-Berbunch]

But then it just starts abruptly and that's not how it should be unless it's 1982. :03:

[Jimbuna]

LOL...reminds me of many years back, driving on holiday in the northern highlands with a girlfriend of the time and hearing absolutely nothing until something passes overhead a hundred feet or so above you at 500+ mph and your almost deaf for the next minute or so :o

If your really lucky something had a habit of popping out of the girlfriends blouse on occasion :)

[Oberon]

I just learnt why so many pictures of the B-52 had a tonne of black smoke coming from the engines, MITO. Never even heard of it before. Learn something new every day.

Anyway, back on the correct side of the pond, just found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BgE7iYPAVg

I wonder what the average time was between the call and wheels up. Given that we'd have about four minutes warning before Ivans buckets arrived... :hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

IIRC there were always four units ready for QRA which was considered an adequate response to anything the Russians could muster.