Red Arrows flying from Hamilton to Niagara Falls for 2:55 flypast today

Although a much-anticipated event expected in August didn’t materialize due to weather conditions, it is expected to occur today around 2:55 p.m., giving those who look up at the sky at just the right time a view of the RAF Red Arrow aerobatic team.

That day about six weeks ago, a rare sighting of a Royal Canadian Air Force CH-147F Chinook helicopter was anticipated – it was planning to land at the Niagara District Airport carrying Red Arrow personnel, with Red Arrow jets performing a flypast over the Horseshoe Falls. But due to bad weather and poor visibility, neither of those events occurred.

However, Flight Lieutenant Mark Mark McKinstry, the spokesperson for the aerobatic team, spoke to The Local this morning (Wednesday) from Hamilton, where the Red Arrows were due to arrive at about 11:30 a.m.. The jets would be doing a flypast over Horseshoe Falls accompanied by the historic Lancaster from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at about 2:55 p.m., he said. “All the planning is in place," and at that time the weather looked perfect.

Although an August reception for local dignitaries at Table Rock in Niagara Falls was held despite the weather, “we really couldn’t see very much,” he said.

The Red Arrow team uses Hawk T-1 jets, he explained, with single engines made by Rolls Royce, and which are built in the UK. They do air shows similar to the Canadian Snowbirds, who use a Canadian-made Tutor, described as used for training, and lighter and less powerful than the Hawks flown by the Red Arrows.

The Red Arrows perform all over the world, says McInstry, and have been on a tour in Canada, some of the stops including the Labour Day weekend Canadian National Exhibition, where the Snowbirds also appeared.

McKinstry explained part of the reason for the decision to come to Canada this summer was that they were invited by the RCAF to mark its centennial, which coincides with the Red Arrows also celebrating their 60th season doing air shows.