Royal Red Arrows captures nine Hawk T1s of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team pulling up into the vertical together, their white smoke trails running in straight parallel lines down through a deep blue sky.This is an original Marqforde photograph taken during the team's display at the Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford, with every jet holding its slot as the formation climbs.About the teamRed Arrows applicants need at least 1,500 flying hours and an above-average assessment in their flying role. Up to nine face a selection week of flying tests, interviews and peer review, and up to three join each year, usually for a three-year tour.The Team Leader, Red 1, must already have flown a three-year tour as a team pilot. Training starts in November in Lincolnshire before Exercise Springhawk, held at Tanagra Air Base in Greece in recent seasons, where pilots fly up to 15 times a week.Public Display Authority, granted after a final assessment by senior officers, is when pilots swap green coveralls for red flying suits and the engineers, known as the Blues, change into blue display coveralls. Ten technicians form the Circus, flying in the rear seats on transits.Quick facts Aircraft: BAE Systems Hawk T1, a two-seat advanced jet trainer Role: the RAF's aerobatic display team, a unit of around 150 people Performance: 48,000 ft maximum altitude and 1,000 nm maximum range, per RAF figures Command: Wing Commander Sasha Nash, the first woman to command the team, from January 2026 Notable fact: each Circus technician is allocated one jet to service, refuel and fix while the team is on the road Display context: nine-jet vertical climb at RIAT, RAF Fairford; looping shows need a cloud base above 5,500 ft
