Club Meeting

The meeting of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry on Thursday 7th April was a hybrid one, with some members attending in person and others joining on Zoom. President Derek Clark welcomed the speaker, Flight Lieutenant James Turner of The Red Arrows. James joined the RAF in 2006 and, following flying training, flew fast jet aircraft. He was selected to be a Qualified Flying Instructor at RAF Valley. In 2013 he was posted to Typhoon FGR 4 at Leuchars and then Lossiemouth. He worked in the UK and the Falkland Islands. James joined The Red Arrows in 2019 and has taken part in displays all over Britain and around the world.

The Red Arrows were formed in 1964 at RAF Fairford, bringing all the RAF display teams together. Their first display was in 1965. Three years later they added two more aircraft to the team bringing the total to nine that we see today. This year, their 58th season, they will train in Greece or Cyprus as the weather will be better than at RAF Scrampton. James's presentation was well-illustrated by videos and shots of the aircraft and all the personnel needed to keep the planes in top order and handle the logistics of getting them to the many displays. The display aircraft can fly 600 miles in one hop and often have to fly from airport to airport to reach their destination. It can sometimes take a few weeks to get to display venues overseas. On these long hauls, each plane carries another crew member in the back seat. Flight Lieutenant Turner was introduced by Colin Riddell. David Buchanan thanked James for a most enjoyable presentation. He also showed members a charming card decorated by children at Kirkliston Nursery thanking the club for its donation of crocus corms.