All language subtitles for The Red Arrows Kings of the Sky Series 1 5of6 1080p

'They are the elite.

Daring combat veterans...

flying on the edge
of what's possible.

They're called "the best aerobatic
display team in the world."'

On reflection, what we're doing
is extraordinary.

But it just feels
absolutely normal now.

'For the first time,
they've allowed cameras
to follow them for an entire year...

..as a new leader takes charge
in one of the most challenging
periods in the squadron's history.

It's a year of triumphs...

..of tragedy...'
On Tuesday, one of the squadron's
aircraft crashed at RAF Valley.

'..and of courage.' We have to move
on, and the best way to do that
is to get on with our jobs.

'But ultimately,
it's a year of breathtaking...

..awe-inspiring...

flying.

These are the Red Arrows.

The Red Arrows 2018 display season

is due to begin
in just four weeks' time.

They've deployed to Greece
on exercise Spring Hawk,
their annual overseas training.'

"And... bank... now."

'The guaranteed good weather
is needed to prepare for PDA,
the Public Display Authority test...

..which all the Reds must pass
to perform displays to the public.'

"And... pulling... up."

'But in the next week,

they must also test and recruit
two new pilots for their 2019 team.'

'The pace is relentless.

Following the recent accident,
when engineer Jon Bayliss
was tragically killed,

the pressure is on
for team leader Martin Pert.'

I think objectively
we're about six weeks to almost
two months behind schedule.

It's entirely possible
that we won't be ready for PDA.

If we don't make PDA whilst
we're out on Spring Hawk in Greece,

the likelihood is we would have
to cancel some of the displays.

'Despite replacement pilot Mike
Ling joining only three weeks ago,

they've managed to fly
their first full practice display.'

Two, one, pack. 24-zero.

Welcome, gents. We're going
to Bravo to our first move of sight
out over the sea there.

'But today they face
the far greater challenge
of practising over the sea.'

..this way, obviously ramping down
over this peak here.

Main hazards, really,
we've obviously got birds here.

That's definitely a hazard
at this sort of flat ground,
just rolling into the sea there.

Up to now, I've had the luxury
of practising over an airfield,

where we have this big long runway
that just orientates me
as soon as I look at it.

The challenge when we go somewhere
off an airfield is I don't have
those features any more.

Probably a bit more difficult
to get definition here, just cos
the channel is slightly wider.

OK? So it could just be
into the blue yonder.

So we will check in, please,
at minute zero-six. Have a good one.

'The team safety supervisor,
Adam Collins,
has headed to the display site.'

The conditions today
are extremely challenging.

It's quite hazy.
The sea is extremely calm,

so it's almost mirror-like. The sky
and sea are almost the same colour.

So certainly for synchro,
doing the dynamic diving manoeuvres,
it's gonna be a challenging day.

'The synchro pair are the two pilots
who execute dynamic
head-to-head manoeuvres

at just 100 feet.'

'A glassy sea makes judging their
position and height very difficult.'

Today will be the first time really
we've both had crossed points

where we've been coming down to 100
feet over the water and judging it.

'It's Toby Keeley's first year
as a synchro pilot.'

I've just about grasped the basic
manoeuvres down to display height.

And now, having to do that
over a sea and the coastline

definitely adds another huge element
and step up.

"Loving it."

"And... bank."

One of the things I'm keeping
an eye on is how they are levelling
out from their manoeuvres.

If there is something that doesn't
look like it normally would,

that's when I can come on the radio
with a...

a call that would get them to
double-check the height they're at.

'The first manoeuvres for the team
go well.

But now the synchro pair
split off to perform
their ultra-low-level routine.'

Normally what we're doing is
we're using features on the ground

to line up and make the pass happen
right in front of you.

When we fly over the sea, obviously
those features are taken away.

You can get this nasty, insidious
reduction of height in the jet

just purely because you're unable
to judge those normal heights.

'The jets should pass so close
it looks like they'll collide.

But in these conditions,
they're struggling to align.'

Today there was virtually no wind
whatsoever, so there was a very,
very flat and glassy sea.

So it's quite difficult
to actually judge the horizon.

That combined with it
being quite hazy, as well,
it all kind of blended into one.

'But they do still manage
some perfect crosses.

Displaying over water also makes
life tough for the other pilots,

particularly in their
most difficult move...

..rollbacks.'

Red 2 flew his rollback,
and as he was moving into the slot,

the closure that he had towards me
was greater than he'd been used to.

'For safety, Red 2 executes
the agreed escape plan,

dropping under the formation.

As Red 5 rolls back in,
he can't see Red 2,

so aborts,
pulling clear of the formation.'

Whilst it probably looked
particularly ugly,

the actual procedure of that error
breaking down was entirely correct.

As ever, there's frustrating
elements to everything.

I think there was
a couple of bits in there
that we didn't help ourselves with.

'The team have just three weeks
to perfect their performance

before their scheduled
public display test.'

Er, it was a bit of a worker.
6, major points?

'If they're not ready,
shows will have to be cancelled.'

If you try and follow that coast,
you're way off.
It does suck you in quite badly.

So I was working
pretty hard for that.

It's certainly one to file away
under learning sorties.

Cop it all. Right.

'And they've got
another ball to juggle,

because eight more
top RAF fighter pilots

have just arrived in Greece.

Over the next seven days, they'll
undergo an intense selection.'

Welcome. Welcome.
Hello. You alright?

Very excited to be here.

This is my third time that
I've applied, but the first time
that I've got on the shortlist.

So if I'm not selected,
I'll be absolutely gutted.

'But only two of them can realise
their dream of becoming Red Arrows.'

'Eight crack RAF fighter pilots
have arrived in Greece,

hoping to be selected
to join the Red Arrows.

They've been shortlisted
from 31 applicants.

Over seven intense days, their
personalities will be continually
assessed by the current team.

They'll face flying tests
and interviews.

Only two will be selected.'

OK, I'm just gonna pop my hand
in the back of the helmet.
If you lean in for me.

'First,
candidates have to get kitted out.

These pilots don't have the correct
equipment to fly the Reds' Hawk jets

because back in the UK,
they fly a very different aircraft.

The state-of-the-art
Typhoon Fighter.'

The big one, I think, for me,
is gonna be the flying test.

So Hawk handles very differently
to Typhoon.

'And some have tried unsuccessfully
for selection before.'

So this is the second time
I'm going out to the shortlist.

In some ways that's a help,
and in some ways it's harder,

in that I know
what the pressures are

and how I'm gonna feel
at the end of the week.

I applied last year for the first
time, I got shortlisted, and that
was a bit of a baptism of fire.

This year, yeah, I've got
the experience from last year,

but with that comes also
a little bit more nerves almost,

because you've been there, you've
done it before, so you expect to be
perhaps a little bit more polished.

THEY CHAT

'Alongside the selection process,

the Reds still have to prepare
for their PDA test.

So the candidates will fly backseat
during every practice display.

And at the end of each sortie,
one will undergo their flying test.'

It's the battle reference.
You're looking to get the wingtip
that you can see, you stay there...

'Red 8, Matt Masters,
will be their examiner.'

..between there and there,
on that position. And that helps
with your depth, as well.

So don't use the wing for depth.

They'll be in the back seat
of my jet.

We'll do a full display.
And then once that's complete,

myself and the team leader
will separate,

and we'll go off
and begin the flying test.

For the rear,
you've got this magic red A.

So we'll do two loops
and we'll do two rolls.

The first thing I'm really looking
for is we want them to be nice
and accurate on those references.

If you go too far this way,
it becomes an A with a point.

So it's station keeping,
it's smoothness, but also
we wanna see a learning curve.

So we want to see an improvement
as the test progresses.

..what my head height is.
And that's not there.

Is that everyone done?

'On this sortie,
it'll be Andy Cornthwaite
who faces his flying test.

Corny currently flies the Hawk
as an instructor.

It's the first time he's made it
onto the shortlist.'

I got told that I was
on the shortlist a month ago.

So throughout the last four weeks,

I've been reading up about it
so much, so to finally arrive here

and get stuck in
has just been mind-blowing.

If I'm not selected,
I'll be incredibly disappointed.

Always a daunting moment
doing your flying test. Yeah.

I think we all remember it
really well, this moment.

But, yeah, I'm sure
he'll have a good one.

'During the display practice,
Corny gets to see the standard
of flying he's aspiring to.

The practice display over,
seven jets head home.

Now it's Corny's turn
to prove he's got what it takes
to be a Red Arrow.'

'Corny must try to maintain
this precise position

just six feet from leader Perty.

'It's not perfect,
but the loop goes well.

Next, the far more difficult
barrel roll.'

It was a pretty intense 45 minutes.
Glad to get it done.

But given a second go, I'd look to
improve on certain bits, for sure.

On the ground, I will ask them,
you know, how do you think it went?

Just to see if they can identify
how they can improve.

I'll let them go off
to the debriefing room

and that gives myself and Red 1
the opportunity to compare notes
and make an overall assessment.

The flying test,
if you make the slightest jerk
or the slightest sort of mishandle,

you instantly think that's it,
"I'm never getting in the team."

And you get no feedback, so you have
absolutely no idea how you're doing.

'Flying three nine-aircraft displays
every day also makes this
a hectic time for Circus,

the engineers trained
to fly backseat to service the jets
when they travel away from home.'

It's always busy for us.
We're always on the move.

Quite a lot of hours. Tireless work.

'And today, they've got
a tenth jet to prepare...'

OK. So, we went through all the
safety stuff again this morning.

'..because one new Circus member,
Rose Buchanan, is about to take
her first backseat flight,

known as "the shakedown."

She's flying
with team supervisor Cos.'

We'll go down to the aircraft in a
few minutes. I'll help strap you in,

make sure you're happy with
where the straps go.

And we'll just get used to
flying in the aircraft.

I'll do some flying to begin with,
and depending on how you're feeling,
we'll do some aerobatics.

I've just had my pre-flight brief.

It was with Colin,
so really excited.

Very, very nervous,
but really excited, as well.

So looking forward
to getting out there.

'All new Circus members
must have a shakedown

to familiarise them with the
extremes of flying in a fast jet.

Rose's was delayed
following the recent tragic crash.'

Good luck. Enjoy. Thank you.
See you later. Bye, Rose.
THEY LAUGH

First time I got in the Hawk
with Cos, I was very nervous. I do
get quite nervous for new things.

Do you want to jump up?

So, you go right foot first.

Hang onto this handle
when you can reach it.

Left into the cubby-hole.

But you think about your training
and you think about
what you've done.

At the end of the day, it's
something new, you're not gonna
get many chances in life to do it,

so you've just gotta
enjoy every minute that you get.

Helmet on when you're ready.

Once you lifted off the ground,
it was kind of like
this really surreal feeling

that I'm actually flying
in the Red Arrows. It's a bit nuts.

22 years old and I'm flying in
the back of a Red Arrow in Greece.

It's not really something
you ever think you're ever gonna do.

Feeling the G is a bit weird, but
I guess your body gets used to it,
and it was really exciting.

'Under Cos's close watch, Rose is
allowed a go on the control stick in
the back, flying the Hawk herself.'

I got to have a little go.
I got to do a roll around.
So that was pretty fun.

Flying upside down is very strange,
but it is really cool.

Massive relief when I landed. So
it was really fun, and just really
grateful that I got that chance.

You alright? Yeah. You?
SHE LAUGHS

You didn't scare me that much.

Absolutely amazing.

Thanks, sir. My pleasure.

Finally did it.
SHE LAUGHS

That was really fun. It was great.
Definitely worth the wait.

If you could pay for that,
I'd save up for the rest of my life.
SHE LAUGHS

SHE SIGHS

'It's the second day
of shortlist week.

Today, the candidates face
the dreaded formal interview.'

There's just too much waiting.

The last time I had an interview,
it was about 12 years ago
when I joined the Royal Air Force.

So perhaps a little bit
out of interview practice.

I do get tongue-tied and I'm not
particularly... articulate.

'His training for PDA
over for the day,

team leader Martin Pert
sits on the interview board

with Andrew Keith,
the big boss of the Red Arrows,

and Fin Monahan, the Commandant
of the Central Flying School.'

In the interview,
I'm trying to uncover

those little secrets that
they've got, I'm trying to find out

more about the individual,
because I need to know

that these people really are
going to hold the course,

because it really is
a very, very challenging job.

Hello, Will. Lucky first.
Indeed, sir, yes.

You can relax
in probably about 20 minutes.

Right now, Will... Yes, sir.
..please will you tell me,

in one sentence
and one sentence only,

why should you be selected
to join the Red Arrows
over the other candidates?

I have a very strong work ethic,
a...

That was it. One sentence.
I was using a comma.

Just thinking through some key
phrases that I want to get in there

and just trying
to minimise the sweat
that's pouring out of my palms.

I'm the man for the job, comma,

I am determined,
I'm tenacious, reliable,

dynamic, presentable,
I'm a solid choice.

As pilots in the Air Force,
we do lots of briefings,
we stand up in front of people,

we are put on the spot,
but there's something very different
about a formal interview

and one for a job
that you just want so badly.

As jet pilots, we're used to being
very good very quickly at something,

and so being in the Red Arrows,
I want to do it so much because
it is difficult. It's the challenge.

So, Simmo, what are your personal
motivations for wanting to join

the Royal Air Force aerobatic team,
the Red Arrows?

For me, it goes back a long time.

When I was an eight-year-old boy,
I used to go to air shows
with my family, watching the Reds,

I looked up and I thought,
"Well, I'm gonna give that a go."

My dad wanted me to go into finance
and that kind of stuff
and I always pushed back

and I'm now sitting
in front of you today.

That first display, as you hear
that "And pulling up" call,
must be absolutely incredible.

And then being able to engage
with the public

would be a huge honour.

Thanks very much.
Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you.

For the first interview I've done
in, er, probably 16 years,

erm, I didn't feel it was too bad.

A heck of a day.
Really glad that it's over

and, er, time to get a beer.

'Next, the candidates go
head-to-head with the Red Arrows.'

Last man standing
as far as I'm concerned.

'And Red 6 is forced to make
an emergency landing.'

I just saw a bit of a flash
of some sort of brown/black bird

and it hit and made a bit of a thud
on the canopy.

THEY CHAT

'The candidates hoping to be
Red Arrows pilots

are halfway through
their selection week,

one by one
taking their flying tests.

Are you looking forward to this?
Erm... I'm nervous.

'A few have shown real talent.

But many have struggled

with close formation aerobatics.'

A couple of slightly bigger mistakes
in there, but, er,

I think I've gotta pinch myself
that I tried out for the Reds.

Flying formation in a Red Arrow,
that's something that
you've gotta look forward to.

It's now just waiting and seeing if
I do get to do that again in future.

'The current Red Arrows pilots
are also under pressure.'

Er, we were crowd
for the typhoon roll...

'Their big test,
the Public Display Authority,

is due in just two weeks.'

..coming left in tornado,
just cos I needed to get on with it,

I called the coming left while
you were sort of hanging back.

'Behind schedule following the
accident, they're training flat-out

to avoid having to delay PDA
and cancel shows.'

It's really intense because
the temperature out in Greece
at the moment is in the 30s,

we're wearing
these big, heavy suits,

and between the end of the debrief
and the start of the next brief,

we've got about 30 to 40 minutes
to eat some lunch, drink, cool down.

'The aggressive manoeuvres
flown by the synchro pair
are particularly draining.'

Flying in synchro, there's a lot
of a intense high-G manoeuvres,

particularly when we're braking
towards each other.

We also do a sustained turn
in our circus manoeuvre,

and that's a sustained 6G turn.

You've really got to work hard
to combat the effects of G-force,

so you've gotta tense your lower
muscles, your abdomen, your stomach.

And my head is weighing
six times what it does normally.

And you've gotta work really hard
to move your neck and your body.

On one of the practice sorties,
my air-conditioning failed
in the aeroplane

and actually got stuck on fully hot.
I was sweating profusely

and it was actually coming down my
forehead and dripping into my eyes.

So wiping sweat from my face whilst
trying to concentrate on flying the
perfect show was pretty challenging.

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

Anyone got a swimming pool for 7?

Er, it's weak flow
but hot air was on.

I'll get one of the mechs
to do a full... Alright.

'Toby's jet is grounded until
a part for the air-conditioning
arrives from Britain.

Down to nine serviceable jets,
they can't afford to lose another.

Then, in the middle
of a display practice,

Si Taylor suffers a bird strike.

He breaks off
and lands back at base.'

Don't put your hands on it, mate!
Ooh!

Yeah, we hit a bird
during the first half.

You can probably see it
on the canopy there.

It just hit as we were
in the back of phoenix,

we were right underneath 2's jet,

and I just saw a bit of a flash
of some sort of brown/black bird

and it just hit and made
a bit of a thud on the canopy.

Then, obviously,
there's a bit of a "Whoa!"
from the front and the back seat.

I hit one last year
just on the way into Newcastle,

which glanced off the side
of the engine intake.

If that then goes in the engine
intake, then that's bad.

'Luckily this time,
Si's jet is undamaged.'

This thing is brutal. You know,
it's built to last, the T1,

so touch wood, it always comes out
better of the collision.

'Even when flying ends for the day,

the selection process
for the new pilots continues.'

For me as the leader,
I think it's crucially important
that we try and get to know them

because we've got to work with them
for 11 months of the year.

We are in each other's pockets,
intensively flying,

trusting each other
and living on the road,

so it's really important
to get to know those guys.

'On the fourth day of selection,

the shortlisters face
the ultimate personality test.'

This week it's my job to come up
with an entertainments programme
in the evenings.

The karting's a tradition part
of shortlist week,

and even if people won't admit it,
everyone's got a competitive streak
in them,

so you may see some fairly
aggressive driving out there.

'Everyone must compete in time
trials to win a place in the final.'

They do get quite competitive and
that's gonna happen when you get a
load of fast jet pilots in go-karts.

So I just push on through after
they've all had their little crash.

It's kind of why we do this.
A, it's a lot of fun

and gets everyone together
and get to know each other,

but someone who's just
that little bit too competitive,

it can just bring it out. Plus,
if the boss gets run off the track
by one of the shortlisters,

it's brilliant fun for all of us.
So, yeah, fingers crossed.

It is all-out competition in
the go-karting. I'd be disappointed
if they weren't out to try and win.

But there's clearly a few tactics
and a few little ruses and ploys

to make sure that
maybe they aren't going to be
right at the top of the tree.

'With the heats over, it's not
looking good for the Red Arrows.'

The shortlisters are currently
top three and I'm number four,

so, yeah, we might have to change
our tactics a little bit.

THEY LAUGH

Is it a good idea
to be beating Red 1? Erm...

I might just allow him to overtake
right at the finish line
in the final race.

'But somehow, the Reds' fortunes
are magically transformed.'

Perfect. Thank you.

The Reds are in pole position now.

Yeah, it's funny, that. Yeah. Er...

Whether it's the shortlist actually
letting us win or we're actually
better than the shortlist.

We'll find out in a minute. We're
about to start the grand final.

There was obviously
a bit of hustling going on.

You don't wanna start off
showing your true talents early on.

Lull them into a false sense
of security and then come through
winning at the very end.

Unfortunately, I was given the kart
that stalled at any opportunity.

Yeah, no doubt I would've won,
but unfortunately, in this instance,
my tools let me down.

'Despite starting at the back, the
shortlisters soon take the lead...

..maybe foolhardily putting
the boss, Perty, in last place.

Fighting back...

..Perty spins off.

Then, despite being a lap behind...

..he's given the chequered flag.'

So as far as I'm concerned,
I crossed the chequered flag first.

I don't care how many laps I'd done.

The guy raised the flag,
I was the first to cross the line,
so I'm claiming that as a win.

'Just seconds later,
the real winner, shortlister JT,

crosses the line.'

The win. The win.

Quite pleased with that. Cheers.

Let's go and get the trophies.

Yeah, I maintained to JT that I'd
won and I don't think he had the
balls to actually front up on that.

Alright, then.
So, in third place is Lingy.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The runner-up in second place
is Grob.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And the winner of 2018 karting...

It wasn't till he actually got on
the podium that I think he realised
he was a lap ahead of me.

..is JT.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Aghh! Well done.
THEY LAUGH

APPLAUSE

'Shortlist week is almost over.

Will Cambridge is the last candidate
to take his flying test.'

The Red Arrows job is something
a bit special, something different.

So what the guys are doing,
it's all by their own judgement
and by their own hand-eye ability.

That sort of pure flying
really appeals to me.

If I was asked to join the team,
that would just be fantastic.

I've wanted to join the Reds
ever since I was a young kid.

'As they're about to taxi,
there's a problem.'

'The delay is caused
by go-kart champion JT.'

'Loose objects in cockpits
are dangerous.

There's a risk
they may jam the controls.'

My backseater, he dropped his pin
from his ejection seat
on the floor, unfortunately.

When you close the canopy,
you need to make your seat live
by taking the pin out

and housing it,
but he unfortunately dropped it.

So we're about ten minutes behind
getting airborne.

He will definitely receive a lot
of banter from the boys later on.

It might cost him later. But, hey,
it's just one of those things.

'The pin retrieved
from under the seat,

the sortie can finally begin.

At the end of the practice display,
seven jets head home.'

'Leaving Will to begin his test.'

'Almost immediately,
Will drops far out of position.

But he manages to recover.'

'He completes the loop successfully.

But now faces the far more difficult
barrel roll.'

'Will's jet drifts
dangerously close to Perty.'

I had to take control
and make sure that that closure
didn't result in a midair collision.

The aircraft suffered from
slight over-controlling,

which resulted in a higher closure
of our aircraft
to the lead aircraft.

I took control and we safely moved
back out onto the correct reference

and then I handed control
back to Will.

Erm, it handles quite different
to the Typhoon

and, er, it's tricky manoeuvres,
but that's fine.

I'm glad it's over
and a nice weekend to enjoy now.

It does happen. For example,
in my first shortlist,

the control was taken away from me,
and here I am now,

I'm flying in the Red Arrows and I'm
in the third year of the team.

So it isn't the end of the world.
The biggest thing is just to learn
from it on the next flying test

if you're lucky enough
to be on another shortlist.

'If they're ready in time,
the crucial PDA is scheduled
just days away.

But before then,
the Red Arrows have another
important commitment to carry out.

A royal fly-past.

At the very end
of shortlist selection,

there's one final tradition.'

So this is a chance for us
to see the display,

cos all week,
we've been backseating.

This will be the first time we get
to see the full display from where
the crowd will see the display.

How are you guys feeling?
Are you feeling a bit tired now?

No, not really. I'd quite like to
stay out here for another few weeks.

Not tired at all, then?
No. Not at all.

I'm knackered.

I'm knackered. I need to get to bed.

All the best. Safe journey home.
Well done. Well done.
Yeah, it was a pleasure.

I don't think there have been any
disasters. There was a slight issue

with delaying the whole display
when I dropped the seat pin,
but, yeah, these things happen.

It's gonna be a very nervous wait.
If I'm selected to get in the team,

I'd struggle to describe
what I'd feel. I'd be so excited.

Waiting for the phone to ring,

I'll be dreading it, and at the same
time, really looking forward to it.

Cos you just want to find out after
everything that's gone on this week
and leading up to it.

It just means so much to you.

'After the shortlisters head home,
the Reds hole themselves up
at their accommodation.'

What I'd like us to be
is as objective as possible.

'In this secret discussion,
they'll decide which two candidates

they want to join the team.

But the successful pilots
will not be told for three weeks.

The all-important public display
test is due in only one week.

If the Reds fail, the display season
will be postponed.

But today, they've been given
special dispensation

to make one public appearance.

An official fly-past.'

We've got the honour of flying over
Prince Charles this afternoon

at a marina in Athens,
which is great.

It's also the first huge
sort of event this year.

It's been keeping me busy
for the last couple of days
because I've been busy planning it.

And also there's definitely a lot of
pressure on the team, and not just
the pilots, the ground crew, too,

the engineers who service,
the dye team have got to
re-dye the jets, as well.

So there's a lot of pressure on them
to get it right.

'But the weather forecast
is not looking good.'

Morning, all.
Obviously, an important day.

It's our first public outing
officially. It's gonna be quite
challenging weather, as well.

We'll present a great fly-past
for later on. Good.

We'll brief at 25 past, please,
for the next slot. Thank you.

Between us and Athens,
there's some huge thunderstorms.

That's quite challenging, because
we've gotta stay below the cloud.

If we go into these big clouds,
there's lots of lightning and
hazards, so we've gotta stay below.

THUNDER RUMBLES
That alongside our TOT,
time on target,

we've got 14, 15 and 20 seconds.

So we've gotta be bang on that time
this afternoon over His Royal
Highness Prince Charles.

'30 miles away in Athens,

Prince Charles has arrived
for the fly-past

that will mark
his royal tour of Greece.

But... back at the airbase,

a thunderstorm has struck.'

THUNDER RUMBLES

Lo and behold, the weather was
shocking that day. We had huge
thunderstorms all around the area

within about 10km of the airfield.

THUNDER RUMBLES

'In Athens,
the skies are still blue.

The royal party are in position and
the scheduled time for the fly-past

is just minutes away.

With just moments to spare,

the Reds have got airborne,

dodging storms en route.'

When we got airborne
and I looked southeast and I could
see the confines of Athens

and I could see it was clear,
that was a really great feeling.

We pulled it out the bag.
The skies over Athens were blue,

wide open, and the white and blue
smoke went down a storm.

It was a great test
of the whole team
because in those three short weeks,

from not even having flown a full
display, I'm very confident now

we are at a standard
where I think we can go for
our Public Display Authority.

There's no doubting
the talent of Lingy
coming back into the Red 3 slot

and his wealth of experience.

But also I think the rest of
the guys are just totally focused

because they know
what a challenge it is this year,

of any year, to get to PDA status.

'Next time...

the pressure's on for the Reds
as they face their vital test.'

Gents, it is the last sortie.

Alright? Let's put an absolute
belter out there and we need
to make this one really count.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media