Red Arrows Av Cpl / Sgt info please

[Mighty Fin]

Hi there,

I've had volunteer for Red Arrows selected on JPA for years and was wondering if anyone on here could tell me what it's actually like being on the squadron.

How much time as an engineer do you actually spend away both off and on circus?

I know they do spring hawk in cyprus March-mid May which I imagine the whole squadron goes on but during the rest of the year, does everybody go on every push?

I'm married with kids - my wife is used to me going on dets - KAF, Red Flag etc but as it's a highly sought after posting, I want to find out as much about it as possible before hand.

My wife wants me to ask about living at Scampton - do the Reds ground crew get SFA at Scampton? What are the houses like and whats the area like? I believe some of the MQ's have been sold off??

Any info would be appreciated.

PM if need be.

Thanks

MF

 

[ady eflog]

I've volunteered for the reds for 22 years, good luck mate, you might get lucky. It would depend on which role you get, heavy, dye team, circus, Why not speak to their warrant, you will not meet a nicer bloke.

 

[briggfairy]

I spent five years on the reds as an av sac including a year on circus, from my experience I would say if your on circus (assuming you get picked and are actually eligible) you might as well right the year off from march to sept as youll more than likely be at home for one or two days a week at most mainly to do your washing!

On the trade desk youll spend most of your time on call ready to go wherever a jets gone u/s I found planning to do anything became a bit awkward as you couldn't guarantee where you would be

A lot more work goes on than most people realise just to keep the jets serviceable with very little on base support and you can find yourself working all kinds of weird and wonderful hours and getting frustrated waiting for spares or even information

That said it's one of the best postings out there and you get to experience things you won't anywhere else, how you like dealing with the public will definitely decide on how much you enjoy the role, you can often spend whole days giving people tours around the aircraft and hanger waiting for a weather window

Cant really say much about accommodation as I lived half hr up the road but it is Lincolnshire

 

[briggfairy]

Forgot to say there isn't a lot of fairies on the sqn I think we counted fourteen of all ranks

 

[LilStill]

SFA in Lincs is very limited with a lot of personnel spread out at, for example, Waddo. There's a spread of houses at Scampton itself, some are very poor, others not so.

One nugget is that DHE have bought 120 houses on a civvy estate in central Lincoln, but that's all I know about that so far.

 

[tommo9999]

I think those houses are in North Hykeham.

 

[Mighty Fin]

Thanks very much to all those who replied.

I spent 2 years as a civil servant way back in 1996 on an RAF base as assistant to the PRO where I got to meet the public and give briefings on the role of the station and absolutely loved it.

I'm sure thats one part of being on the Reds that I would love! Dont mind admiting that I've got just about every book and DVD/Video thats ever been released about the team (on hawks) - perhaps thats something I should have kept to myself!! Doh but seriously, it's a job I've wanted to do since being a child and would be a lifetime dream come true to achieve it. Just hope I get a chance one day as there was an article in the paper the other day saying the teams days are numbered. I suppose the T1 is getting a bit tired these days.

She was getting a bit tired when I worked on her in the late 90's but a good jet never the less.

How is the social element on the team? Is there anything in place for the families while the team is away?

Thanks,

MF