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The Blades — Sywell, Northamptonshire, UK — 31 October 2009

travel uk england northamptonshire sywell aviation the-blades airshow 2009
The Blades — Sywell, Northamptonshire, UK — 31 October 2009

Back in 2009, the RAF launched competitions across communities of every creed and culture. The prize? A flight with The Blades — the UK's premier civilian aerobatic display team. Founded by former Red Arrows pilots and based at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire, they flew Extra 300 aircraft in striking orange and black livery, performing close-formation aerobatics to Red Arrows standard as a fully civilian operation.

My brother Jon spotted an entry in a magazine aimed at London's Chinese community — picked up in Chinatown, no less. He encouraged me to enter and somehow I actually won. They filmed the experience across all participating communities, though I'll admit I probably wasn't the most convincing ambassador for China. You won't hear me interviewed, but I do show up in a few frames onboard the aircraft.

My pilot was Squadron Leader Andy Offer OBE, former Red 1 and leader of the Red Arrows from 1999 to 2001. Before that he'd flown Harriers on the frontline. After leaving the RAF, he co-founded The Blades in 2005. His Red Arrows helmet — complete with formation markings and his name embroidered on it — sat on the shelf in the briefing room, a reminder of his storied past.

Places visited

  • Sywell, Northamptonshire — 1 day

Stats

Date31 October 2009
WithJon (my brother) and Claire
ActivityFormation display flight with The Blades aerobatic team
LocationSywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire

Photos

Two people smiling at camera with green fields in background Man sitting in red and black aerobatic aircraft cockpit Man in black jacket gesturing toward red aircraft with hangar Man in sunglasses sitting in red aerobatic aircraft cockpit Pilot in cockpit of red Blades aerobatic aircraft in flight Red and black Blades aerobatic aircraft flying in cloudy sky Three people in flight suits standing by red aircraft wing Black flight helmet with red embroidered Red Arrows design Four aerobatic aircraft in formation with smoke trails Two men standing together indoors, one in red shirt one in black
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Videos

Flying With The Blades — Sywell, 2009 ▶
Flying With The Blades — Sywell, 2009
Riding in the back seat with Squadron Leader Andy Offer OBE — three minutes of low-level precision aerobatics over Northamptonshire
Watch video →
The Blades Display Part I ▶
The Blades Display — Part I
The Blades Display Part II ▶
The Blades Display — Part II
The Blades Arrival ▶
The Blades — Arrival & First Group