The Red Arrows could become a regular sight in our skies as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is consulting on moving the world-famous display team’s training base to Yorkshire.
The Red Arrows will soon find themselves homeless following a decision to close their long-time home at RAF Scampton, near Lincoln was made last year.
Now, the MoD is looking for a new, permanent base for the display team which has been wowing crowds across the world since the 1960s.
It has identified Lincolnshire’s RAF Waddington, RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire and RAF Wittering near Peterborough in Cambridgeshire as the three choices for a home base.
Alongside the hunt for a home, the MoD has also launched a consultation to find a new area where the team is able to train, including parts over parts Yorkshire.
A map of the proposed area shows that the Reds could train in the skies above York, Malton, Knaresborough, Northallerton, Thirsk and near to Castleford.
The planes would also be using the airspace above the Howardian Hills for their training flights under the plan.
Other new areas for training have also been identified near to the shortlisted bases in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire.
A letter to sent to local authorities outlines the reasons for the change in training space.
It states: “Following the MOD announcement in July 18 to close RAF Scampton by 2022, a new base location and training airspace is required for the [RAF Red Arrows].
“This airspace change proposal presents an opportunity to deregulate the current training airspace and establish new airspace, in suitable proximity to the future base location of the Red Arrows.”
It adds: “Amongst other criteria, the required dimensions of the new airspace need to meet the training and safety requirements of the Red Arrows.”
All the areas are subject to change as the plans progress and it is hoped the team would be in their new home in 2021.
The consultation is available to view on the Civil Aviation Authority website.
A public event has been organised for Tuesday, April 9 at Northallerton Town Hall, in High Street, Northallerton, from 2.30pm to 6.45pm for people to come along and examine the plans.
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