How do you become a display pilot in the RAF?
Being a display pilot in the RAF is not a permanent position. All RAF display crews are selected from their regular units and will perform display duties for a short time before returning to front line units or other duties - The Red Arrows pilots will typically display for three years whereas the solo display pilots who fly the Hawk or Tucano for example will usually display for just a single season.
In order to become a display pilot in the RAF, you must be a full serving member of the RAF, have earned your pilot's 'wings' and be qualified on your aircraft type. This means that you need to be selected by the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC) and pass Initial Officer Training (IOT) at RAF College Cranwell before embarking on your pilot training. It can take up to five years to complete your training and become qualified on an aircraft type. For more information on the application and selection process, please visit www.raf.mod.uk/careers
In addition to the Red Arrows, the Hawk and Typhoon, there are several other RAF display teams including the Tucano, Tutor, King Air, Merlin and Chinook aircraft. As a serving member of the RAF you can also be a part of the Battle of Britain Memorial flight and several front line aircraft which perform role demonstrations. Display duties are not limited to aircrew either, the RAF Falcon parachute display team, for example is comprised of Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) and Parachute Jumping Instructors (PJIs). You can also of course be a member of the famous Red Arrows support team, 'The Blues' in the engineering, admin or operations branch.
The Hawk display pilot is selected from the full time Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) of number 4 FTS based at RAF Valley. Most instructors at RAF Valley have completed front line tours on aircraft such as the Tornado GR4, Tornado F3 or Harrier but some instructors known as 'Creamies' do an instructional tour straight from training before moving on to a front line unit. Creamies are also eligible to be be selected as display pilot. To read more about the 2010 Hawk display pilot, his biography can be found here and information on this year's selection process can be found here.