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Display Flying
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The Blades ClubDownload the latest shots of the team |
The sky is not the limitFind out how you can take to the skies |
Fans' photosSend us your photos of the display |
Andy, as Team leader what are your main responsibilities?To ensure the Team is trained to a standard that will satisfy the public, ourselves and the Civil Aviation Authority. Safety is the overriding factor, but our aim is to entertain the public so the display should be exciting and fun to watch. Once the Team is trained, the next priority is to ensure that the summer season is achievable with enough time off to satisfy the requirements of our Air Operator’s Certificate (Airline Status), but busy enough to maintain exposure of The Blades. Once we begin the season, my role is to lead the Team to every venue ensuring that the weather, location and logistics are in place to ensure we can operate from each display site. During the display I lead the team deciding on the format of the display based on the weather conditions in terms of cloud-base and wind. I actively coordinate the briefing and de-briefing process to ensure our standards are maintained and improved. Where do you get your ideas from for new moves?There are numerous different manoeuvres that can be flown with four Extra 300 aircraft. You can stay in a formation of four aircraft and change shapes; you can split into two pairs and perform 2v2 crosses; or you can split into single aircraft and perform extremely dynamic solo gyroscopic aerobatics. Our concept is to design a display that encapsulates all three of these activities as we believe this combination makes the most diverse and exciting show. There are other teams we can look at as well as our own vast experience in display flying; but every year the pilots spend some time thinking creatively to find new manoeuvres for the display. How did you go about designing the display for 2007?Due to our overseas commitments in the winter months, time to practise for the 2007 display has been limited. Therefore, we've combined the methods described in the previous question and applied them to the 2006 display to devise an improved display based on the 2006 show. We train in a building block process flying the manoeuvres at a distance and then slowly getting closer and closer. Do you get nervous before displays? You’re in control of the whole team.I always get a little nervous prior to any display, I believe these nerves are good as it focuses your mind to the job in hand, and there is no room for complacency. The display requires concentration and forethought, every venue is different and the factors of the day play a large part in how difficult leading the display is going to be. I'm in control of the Team, but every role is pivotal and each pilot will be going through the same process to ensure his performance matches that of his colleagues. How do you make sure the display stays polished?The Team must maintain an adequate level of currency; whereas CAA rules state we have to have displayed three times in the last 90 days before a public display, 2Excel have a more stringent rule and each pilot has to have flown a full display in the last 6 days before a public display. We also do thorough de-briefing. We video every display and every practice and critically analyse the display or practice to ensure the precision is there. We like to think of ourselves as a world-class Team and therefore must perform as such. Have you ever had to stop a display or start again?Yes, I've had to stop displays many times and for many different reasons. As safety of the crowd remains paramount, any factor that encroaches on this safety margin may mean the display has to stop. Examples are: another aircraft flying into the display site, a minor aircraft malfunction, somebody else talking on the discrete radio frequency or simply the weather becoming below the legal limit, like poor visibility or a low cloud base. What do you feel like at the end of a display?Always exhilarated. You always want the Team to fly a good show and if it has been a good show the exhilaration is combined with immense satisfaction. Our aim is to provide a display that everyone wants to watch; this keeps the public happy and raises our exposure and awareness of The Blades. I love flying and display flying is particularly challenging; to fly a good show at a difficult site in less than ideal conditions is extremely rewarding.
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