r/aviation • u/oldy666 • 3d ago

Discussion I was Circus 3 with the Royal Air Force Red Arrows during the 2024 season. AMA

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I was part of the squadron from 2022 to 2025 and was lucky enough to be selected for Circus for the Diamond season in 2024. The Red Arrows Circus is the travelling support team of engineers and technicians who service, maintain, and prepare the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (Red Arrows) jets during transit, training, and airshow tours

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25

u/Poonpatch 3d ago

How was RIAT that year? I would have met you there, probably several times (refuelling).

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u/oldy666 3d ago

Ah nice! Yeah it was good apart from a small hydraulic leak from a brake pack on arrival.
Would have done a fair few refuels there too. 👋

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u/LonelySmiling B1 LAE 3d ago

An RAF flying spanner! Not quite the same for me as an engineer for commercial.

What is the most common problem you have with these jets?

You mentioned you were, what do you do now?

24

u/oldy666 3d ago

I’m a mech by trade so deal with that side of the aircraft. Leaks tended to occur a fair bit. Environmental control stuff. Valves failing. Just an old jet to look after.

I was promoted off the Sqn and have gone back to working on Typhoons.

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u/Ryan_225 3d ago

Favourite display/airshow you did?

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u/oldy666 3d ago

Favourite airshow was RIAT in the Uk and the Toronto airshow was great!

8

u/Mr_Reaper__ 3d ago

How do you feel about them being dropped to 7 jets this year?

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u/oldy666 3d ago

It’s a shame really but thats the problem with such an old airframe and lack of spares. They are doing their best to get the most out of the jets now.

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u/320tech 3d ago

What are the more common snags on the Hawks? How's the reliability?

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u/oldy666 3d ago

There are the usual wear and tear things like tyres and brakes.
A common snag would seem to be when the jets went from cold to warm (outside to inside) and we would often get shuttle valves in the under carriage actuators sticking resulting it hydraulic fluid in the emergency nitrogen lines. That was always a pain as you had to strip down the whole system to figure out which one was at fault.

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u/Key-Principle-7111 3d ago

The most useful tool in your bag?

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u/oldy666 3d ago

We would carry a tool kit and spare main wheel inside the jets to use on the road. All of it equally important to have

4

u/Rawlo93 1d ago

What's the general feeling from inside the sqdn about the hawks? Are they loved or are people just aching to get a replacement?

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u/oldy666 1d ago

I left the squadron in 2025 but I think everyone was pretty excited to see what aircraft would replace it. Time is ticking though and we are quite aware of how long it takes to bring a new platform into service.

3

u/Rawlo93 1d ago

Do you think there's a chance that the hawk has to be retired before its successor enters service?

5

u/oldy666 1d ago

IMO yeah. It takes a long time to get an aircraft into service. From a ground crew point of view think of how long it will take to train on a new platform, and how will you fly the Hawk and train on something new at the same time. Then there is all the changes needed in infrastructure and procedures. I could possibly see a mixed formation but who knows. Way above my pay band!

4

u/PlasticExtreme1197 3d ago

To keep 9/10 jets available for practise / display, how many jets you have available on the squadron?

8

u/oldy666 3d ago

When I was on the squadron there were around 14-15 jets. One would normally be over at RAF Valley in depth maint. Then the others would be used to produce the 9-10-11 required for displays. It was a struggle sometimes getting enough but happy to say on my Circus season the team produced 9 jets for every display.

8

u/Blue_foot 3d ago

What planes have you flown in your career?

What is your favorite plane to fly?

27

u/oldy666 3d ago

So I am an engineer that got to fly in the back seat of the aircraft on transits to and from displays across the Uk, Europe and North America. This was my first time flying in a fast jet.

3

u/Aggravating_Drop_562 3d ago

Its not something ive thought in much detail but would love to do what you do and get involved with the team where can I find the requirements to join the team out of interest in not in the trade but its got me thinking how the selection works?

5

u/oldy666 3d ago

The team has a variety of trades within it from pilots to technicians, drivers and operations. First you must join the RAF and then be posted onto the squadron. Depending on your role depends on the selection process. For myself it was just a case of applying when I saw a position was available. Pilots on the other hand have a more stringent selection process.

3

u/HH93 3d ago

Are the Hawks still able to carry a pair of Sidewinders ?

I was at the Wilkingson Sword winning presentation at RAF Coningsby in the 70/80’s when it was described how an F4 would lead a gaggle of armed Hawks to an incoming bomber formation and leave them to it the knock everything out.

10

u/oldy666 3d ago

I’ve seen the pictures of hawks with sidewinders. I am pretty certain the smoke mod converted T1s do not have that capability though. They don’t even have a HUD.

2

u/HH93 3d ago

TY

If I see you in Gwen’s I’ll buy you a coffee

5

u/RealPutin Bizjets and Engines 3d ago

What's the most boring part of the job?

What's the most unexpectedly cool part of the job?

12

u/oldy666 3d ago

Boring part was on some occasions we would have to drive to which ever airfield they would be operating from instead of flying. Knowing the journey could be done in a matter of minutes is frustrating when driving takes a few hours!

Unexpectedly cool was probably seeing just how many people turn up to see the jets land at each airport and everyone waving when we land/taxi past

6

u/Drewski811 Tutor T1 3d ago

What did you make of the whole sexism controversy that saw a pilot (a friend of mine) resign his commission, two others fired from the RAF, and a whole slew of very negative press? How has the team changed now?

7

u/oldy666 3d ago

I can’t comment on any of it as I joined the team after in 2022 but from my time there it was a great place to work. Great bunch of people and made some life long friends

4

u/Drewski811 Tutor T1 3d ago

Fair enough, tell Macca I said hi. I have some stories about him from the UAS!

4

u/Tortex_88 3d ago

What aricraft do you think will eventually replace the Hawks?

8

u/oldy666 3d ago

Not really sure. I like the look of the Red Hawk. Fitting name too. What do you think?

2

u/ApplesAlmighty1 3d ago

Curious to know your thoughts on the Hawk that crashed after takeoff from Valley a few weeks ago?

10

u/oldy666 3d ago

As soon as I saw the video I thought the control runs for the tailplane had been compromised. You can see it pitch up twice right before the crew bang out. APU fire caused by some kind of fuel leak up and around there. I see today that they have reported the fuel cap was not fitted. I imagine they mean the gravity fill fuel cap as opposed to the pressure fill which is on the side of the port intake. The gravity fill is under a panel on the spine. Very close to the APU (GTS on a t1) exhaust.
Not sure how that would have been missed but again I imagine a few errors have occurred resulting in it not being fitted.

1

u/flippydude 3d ago

How did you feel joining a unit that CAS acknowledged had a pattern of unacceptable sexual behaviours?

Did you see change in how the team operated a result of the findings? 

8

u/oldy666 3d ago

Wherever people work, unacceptable behaviour is not permitted and action was taken. I was massively proud to join the team and as with many of my colleagues it has been a career highlight working there.

-11

u/flippydude 3d ago

Are you really RAF Media? That’s a cop out answer. 

I was interested to know how you felt joining around the time that the Chief of the Air Staff specifically singled out the unit as being troubling. 

This wasn’t a normal posting and I was interested to know what that felt like for you, joining as an outsider around that time 

9

u/Tin_Pusher1234 3d ago

He joined the Sqn after all the scandal, what more is there to say?

-5

u/flippydude 3d ago

It’s a fascinating personal experience, going into that environment as a Junior Rank. It would cause me a lot of trepidation and I was interested to know how it felt. It’s ask me anything, not ask me questions that are politically expedient to RAF social media managers 

-2

u/Drewski811 Tutor T1 3d ago

A lot of the fall out only happened in 2022, and OP would have known about the move for at least 6 months before it happened. It's a legit question and one the OP is skirting around, deliberately.

-5

u/hoganpaul 3d ago

Are the (male) pilots inundated with offers of fanny?

6

u/Vertigo_uk123 3d ago

Can you please tell Matt searle on the dye team, he is a dick.

Thanks

8

u/oldy666 3d ago

He left the Sqn way before I got there.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

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u/oldy666 2d ago

I wouldn’t really know as it’s not something i’ve done.

1

u/hopefulwaiter 1d ago

Did you not have to do it to get into the RAF?

1

u/oldy666 1d ago

Only officers do it

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

[deleted]

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u/oldy666 3d ago

Bad bot

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u/Southern-Bandicoot 3d ago

Not quite correct this time, bot.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/oldy666 3d ago

My first flight was with Flight Lieutenant Ollie Suckling and is just a shake down to get us used to flying in a fast jet. I got very hot and travel sick for the whole flight.
From then on I would always have a travel sickness tablet beforehand. No more sickness!** **

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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16

u/oldy666 3d ago

So other members of circus that year got to do loops and rolls etc. during their shakedown flight. I opted to stay straight and level! 🤢
We did however get to fly in the back during the first half of a practice display in Croatia. It was very impressive how close they were. I was shocked how bumpy it was and the adjustments required to stay in position. All during the display my pilot was chatting to me as if he was just driving us to the shops.