Have you ever wondered what it’s like to fly over the Lake District as a Red Arrow?
While we’re often lucky enough to spot the team flying over our fells and through our valleys, we couldn’t help but wonder what it’s like to see it all from the cockpit.
We reached out to speak with Circus 1 Flight Lieutenant Greg Harley, who has flown over the Lake District multiple times, to find out what it’s really like.
Greg has been with the team since August 2023 and as the Circus junior engineer officer, he serves as flight commander for Circus and is responsible for the airworthiness of all display aircraft.
During his time spent with on the team so far, he has flown across the UK and Europe and he’s even videoed some of his adventures for people to watch too, including over Windermere, Thirlmere and Ambleside.
We quizzed Greg on becoming a Red Arrow, what its like to fly, what he thinks of jet spotters and if he can see us waving when they fly low.
How did you become a Red Arrow?
Greg, who is originally from Erskine, in Scotland, said he had always wanted to be part of the RAF.
He said: “I have always wanted to do it, my Dad, he’s a military aviation enthusiast and he wanted to join the air force as a pilot, but unfortunately he wasn’t medically fit, but I’ve kind of taken my passion for myself!
“I was in Air Cadets and then I went into the University Air Squadron in my degree and then into the RAF, so it’s probably been my plan since around six or seven.
“That was when my dad started taking me to airshows and that was when the aircraft and military aviation bug bit and never really left.”
At just 30-years-old Greg has worked across the world for the RAF and became part of the Circus team for the Red Arrows in August 2023.
The Circus team is made up of 10 aircraft engineering technicians and one photographer.
Each Circus member is allocated to a specific pilot for the duration of the summer display season and they fly in the passenger seat of the Hawk to and from display airfields.
They service the aircraft before and after every display when operating away from the team’s base. Once the display season is over, they return to their normal team duties.
Greg said: “I’ve been in the RAF for eight years now and joined straight from university. I did a degree in aeronautical engineering at the University of Glasgow and went straight into the air force phase one and phase two training and graduated as an engineer officer.
“Following that, my very first year was officer commanding armament engineering flight at RAF Odiham, working on the Chinook force, so I did that for a short two years before getting deployed in the Faulklands, where I did a very similar job as detachment armament officer.
“I did that for seven months, came back to the UK, then in 2021 I was posted to RAF Waddington, working on the the airworthiness of the Rivet Joint Fleet.
“I did that for two or three years, and then I was given the opportunity to apply for the Reds, which I did. I was accepted for interview, then told I was successful and started the job in August 2023.”
Greg added that having huge support and encouragement from his wife and family has been instrumental in his career success.
He said: “My wife has been an absolute stalwart through this. We spend a lot of time away from family and I would not be able to do this without the support of my wife.
“The encouragement from my family from a young age has been amazing and having my dad take me to air shows all those years ago.
“I remember when I got the job I was in Virginia and I got the phone call and everyone was thrilled. I phoned my parents and said not only had I got a junior engineer office job, but on the red arrows too and my dad teared up a little bit.
“It was nice to see how proud they are all these years later after all their encouragement, my family has been there through everything.”
What is training to be a Red Arrow like?
Greg said that all Circus members have to undergo the same training as the Red Arrow pilots do in order to be fit to fly.
He said: “With the Red Arrows role and being a junior engineer officer, you know at some point you will take over the Circus 1 role, which is the team of engineers who fly with the pilots.
“We’re basically like a road pit crew, so wherever the jet lands we’re responsible for reservicing, refuelling, light maintenance, replenishing smoke pods, to make sure the jets are serviceable and airworthy for whatever display we’re doing that weekend.
“Not everyone gets to fly, but the Circus team do, and they’re picked on merit and experience and the team changes every display season.
“Once you’re selected for the Circus team you go through the exact same training that our pilots go through.”
Training to fly includes undergoing a thorough medical to check you are physically fit enough to safely fly and fit in the cockpit, centrifuge training to learn to deal with g-force, as well as parachute and escape drills – including learning how to abandon the aircraft via ejection seat.
Circus members must be able to withstand 5g for 15 seconds without the assistance of anti-g trousers.
Greg said: “You just feel really heavy, like the world is forcing itself down on you. Where we’re sat right now is at 1g, so say I weigh 65kg, if I experience 2g, I’m 130kg, so if you pull 5g, that’s five times the force of gravity on your body.
“But your body becomes accustomed to it. You build up a natural tolerance to it the more you experience it. There’s a lot of techniques we get taught on how to combat the g-forces, including the anti-g straining manoeuvre, which is about trying to force the blood back into your vital organs to stop you passing out.”
Greg added that the Red Arrow pilots wear anti-g trousers for shows, which helps them manage g-forces of up to 5g and 6g for extended periods of time.
What’s it like to be a Red Arrow?
Greg said it is a huge privilege to be part of the team.
He said: “I’m really honoured and privileged to be in the job I am. I never thought when I joined the air force eight years ago that I’d be Circus 1 for the Red Arrows and get to fly in the back seat.
“But because the team is picked on merit and experience, we’re all very close knit, everyone knows each other and we all are there to achieve same output, to get nine aeroplanes in the sky for the UK public or public overseas and we all know what to do to get it done.
“It’s exhilarating, tiring, and phenomenal to the tangible output. We fly there first thing to service the jets, fly to location, service them again, send them up for display, service them again and we’ll be there two and a half hours before the pilots get there and the same after they leave.
“It’s long days, but very fulfilling. Everyone absolutely grafts, it’s a lot of hard work, camaraderie and team spirit.”
Greg said being part of the team also means acknowledging all the people behind the scenes – The Blues, who are made up of engineering technicians and support staff – who work hard to bring the Red Arrows into our skies.
He said: “A lot of people don’t realise there’s a team of about 100 engineers on the squadron who work tirelessly to get the jets out and without that huge team, it just would not happen
“As well as Circus, we’ve also got two dedicated dye teams to replenish the smoke pods throughout the season. So without the team of 100 Blues, it would not happen.
“But it’s amazing to be part of a team where everyone works so hard day in, day out to get the jets in the sky. The squadron is much bigger than us and the pilots, everyone is really dedicated and the jets need a lot of tender love and care.
“We’ll taxi out of airports and there’ll be people lining the fences waving at you, it’s funny because you almost feel like a celebrity for a second, but then you take your helmet off and noone knows who you are!
“It’s amazing to be part of something that’s so well loved not just in UK but across the world.”
What’s it like to fly?
Greg flew for the first time in February and said it’s an experience that never gets old.
He added: “It’s very exhilarating, flying a fast jet is an incredible experience. But it’s one thing flying a fast jet and another looking around and seeing eight other aircraft flying in formation around you then realising that you’re part of something bigger than yourself.
“But the actual being in the cockpit, as engineers, our role in the sky in to yes check flying and other aircraft, but our job is solely on the ground.
“We get to sit and take in the views, whether that’s high altitude transit across the Alps or low level transit through valleys in the Lake District.”
Greg added that while you get used to your role in the squadron, it’s a job that is always exciting.
“You get used to it but you don’t find it any less exciting. I only live two miles away from RAF Waddington, where the Reds are based, and quite often they will display over the top of my house.
“My wife thinks its funny I still run out and watch because I’m on the team and I see it all day in day out.”
What’s it like to fly through the Lake District?
Greg said he has flown through the Lake District multiple times – and he’s managed to capture some breath-taking videos of our national park.
He said: “When we fly in the UK, we tend to fly quite low level, so anywhere up to around 2,000ft. But typically, we aim to be around 1,000ft to 1,500ft which can be very low, but depending on the gradient of the fells it can be lower or higher.
“You don’t realise how amazing the scenery is until you’re flying through it, the Lake District is beautiful, Loch Ness in Scotland was amazing for me too, and then you look around and you’re surrounded by red aeroplanes.
“Flying low level and looking around and seeing people look up at you is amazing and it’s crazy to think you’re the one sat in the back of the jet, it’s difficult to put into words but I love it, it’s phenomenal.”
Greg said any efforts to wave at the team are also not completely pointless.
He added: “You don’t realise how much you can actually see at 400mph and 1,000ft. Some people think why even bother waving, but depending what height we’re at, we do actually see people waving at us.
“It’s an amazing experience.”
What do you think of jet spotters?
Greg said that the team love seeing jet spotters – a popular hobby in the Lakes – and being sent photos by them.
He said: “It’s very surreal when people get in touch and send photos and then you realise you’re sat in the back cockpit.
“With the spotters in the Lakes and stuff, it’s brilliant, it makes it worth it, we’re there to inspire and try and recruit the next generation of pilots, engineers and logisticians and it’s nice to see people appreciate all the hard work that we do.
“One of my neighbours is a spotter and he’ll take pictures of us taxiing and he sent across photos and I’m sat there looking at them like that’s me, I’ve done that and I’ve got there.
“There’s a lot of job satisfaction in it all and seeing the love everyone has for the squadron. It’s historic, it’s been going for 61 years and seeing that love hasn’t changed over the years, it’s great to put a smile on people’s faces while trying to recruit the next generation.”
