DOHA: Hundreds of people watched a spectacular aerobatic display by Britain’s famous Red Arrows on the Corniche yesterday afternoon.
The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Foreign Minister HE Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah and Minister of State for Defence Affairs H E Maj Gen Hamad bin Ali Al Attiyah joined Alan Duncan, the British Minister of State for International Development, Sir Glenn Torpy, former head of the British Royal Air Force, British Ambassador to Qatar Nicholas Hopton and other dignitaries to watch the show.
Red Arrows, with its distinctive red jets, impressed spectators with a series of precision formations and dynamic loops and rolls. The event was part of a five-week tour of the Middle East by the Red Arrows. The team is also scheduled to conduct displays in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE.
The team has been invited to the Dubai Air Show, where the Red Arrows will perform each day between November 17 and 21.
The team, which currently flies BAE Systems Hawk aircraft, consists of nine display pilots, all of whom are from frontline squadrons.
Each has previously operated other Royal Air Force fast jets, such as the Tornado or the Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft.
There is also more than 100 support staff in the Red Arrows, including operations and flight planners, engineering technicians, photographers, safety equipment experts, drivers, a public relations department, suppliers and administrators.
Meanwhile, Williams F1 Team Principal, Sir Frank Williams met members of the RAF Red Arrows, The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, at the British embassy yesterday during a reception in their honour. Sir Frank, who was in Doha following the recent Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to visit the Williams Technology Centre at Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) said:
“I have long been an admirer of the Red Arrows and the terrific work they do around the World. There’s a lot of common ground between Formula One and fast jets. We’re both using the latest developments in research, science and technology to refine our products and seek performance advantages. We both use cutting edge simulation technology to train our pilots, with Williams going a step further in Qatar and using this technology to train regular road users. Both fastjet pilots and Formula One drivers also have to be incredibly fit and possess lightening quick reactions.”
The Peninsula
