RED ARROWS TREAT FOR AIR CADETS

By Richard Vincett
Air Cadets from 209 (West Bridgford) spent a day at RAF Scampton, the home of the Red Arrows. As soon as we arrived at the Station gates, a formation of four Red Arrows flew over head as they practised part of their display. As well as being the home of the Red Arrows, RAF Scampton is famous for being the base of the Dambusters. After lunch in the Mess, we were then shown around the Red Arrows Hawk aircraft by their aircrew and engineers.
The day ended at the Control and Reporting Centre (CRC). This unit monitors a million square miles of airspace above and around the UK. The CRC has two sections which are overseen by controllers who sit at a curved desk known as the ‘command banana’. It’s these controllers who scramble the ‘Q’ or fast-reaction aircraft based at RAF Coningsby and Leuchars, if any unidentified or suspicious aircraft enter UK airspace.