Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: Muscat: Thousands of people witnessed a colourful display by the Red Arrows, the aerobatics display team of the UK’s Royal Air Force over Al Qurum area this afternoon.
Scores of residents and citizens had gathered on the Qurum beach, parking lots, and cafes around the area to witness the delightfully entertaining show which started after 3pm and went on for over half an hour.
In Pictures: Stunning display by Red Arrows in Oman
Men, women and children excitedly awaited the airplanes with cameras, sunglasses and flags of the Red Arrows team.
Amanda, a British expatriate who was at the Qurum beach, said, “This was a wonderful display. My children and I had a lot of fun here.”
Squadron Leader Pete Searle from the Red Arrows said, “We have just come [here] on the return leg of our far-eastern tour. We have been all the way through to India, China, and Malaysia, it’s now week eight of a nine-week tour, and this is our 17th country.
“We now go back through Saudi Arabia and back to Southampton, so all in all, it is a nine-week tour. We enjoyed the travel, the people and the food.”
Nabeela Aslam, an Indian expatriate was there with her daughters and husband.“Getting parking [space] was difficult at the venue, but the weather was just apt for the show.The kids were playing on the beach while waiting for the show to start. At 3:05pm, six airplanes flew over our head from behind and I immediately went live on Facebook.
“My kids loved the blue, red,and white smokethat camefrom the planes which displayedamazingaerobatics. My favourite was the heart formation with an arrow passing through.”
“You could hear the crowd cheering in excitement and watching the show from the beach was the best decision. Congratulations to the pilots for displayingsuch wonderful aerobaticskills on the occasion of Oman’s National Day,” she added.
The Red Arrows are here as part of their Asia-Pacific and Middle East Tour 2016, their biggest overseas tour in a decade.
More than 20 displays and several fly pasts were planned during the two-month long tour that began on September 29.
The deployment will contribute to the UK government’s GREAT campaign and showcase the best of British innovation and industry. The team, flying British-built aircraft, has performed in more than 55 countries.
“Our Asia-Pacific and Middle East Tour is the Red Arrows’ largest overseas deployment in a decade and we will see the team perform in China for the very first time,” RAF Red Arrows Squadron Leader David Montenegro, team leader of the RAF Aerobatic Team and Red 1, was quoted as saying on their website.
“The two-month deployment will raise awareness of Britain, its economy and industry, and as a country that celebrates arts, science, sports, education and diversity.”
“Indeed, our colourful, dynamic aerial display of precision, formation aerobatics – together with the associated events on the ground – are a vivid showcase of British engineering, teamwork and creativity,” he added.
The Red Arrows were in Oman for over a day last month before performing in India on October 8. They will also perform in the United Arab Emirates and head to Kuwait before returning home.
Displaying their skills since 1965, the Red Arrows is one of the world’s premier aerobatic display teams. They assist in recruitment for the armed forces, and act as ambassadors for the UK.
