The team officially launched their season this week, and their schedule reads like a Euro-rail pass for adrenaline junkies. They’re buzzing off to Italy, Greece, and Romania before the summer is done. (And yes, I checked—they are taking the planes, not a ferry with the luggage.)
For a group of pilots who spend their days pulling 9G in glass cockpits, a “short hop” across the Channel probably feels like popping to the corner shop. For us, it’s a chance to see our national treasures in action on someone else’s turf. Patriotism, with a side of jet lag.
Why Do They Do It? (Beyond Just Looking Cool)
You might think this is all about showing off. You’d be half right. These tours are a massive diplomatic tool. It’s the RAF saying “hello” without needing to translate the roar of a Hawk T1. They’re basically flying ambassadors who happen to be wearing red flight suits and smelling faintly of aviation fuel.
They’re also incredibly good at their jobs. The new team, which includes a few fresh faces promoted from the dusty corners of RAF Valley, has been practicing since January. They’ve been dodging seagulls and figuring out how to make a diamond-9 formation look like a single, terrifying bird. It’s hard.
Let’s be honest, though: we mostly watch for the smoke and the sound. That doppler effect of a jet passing over your head? It rearranges your internal organs. I love it.
Red Arrows displays summer 2026 – when and where you can see UK's world
