Update: Hundreds of people gathered around Victoria's Inner Harbour on Thursday afternoon to watch a flypast of the Red Arrows. The Royal Air Force jets released a stream of red, white and blue smoke as they flew past.
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Victoria airplane enthusiasts can see the iconic Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force jet aircraft aerobatics team, fly over the B.C. legislature and the Inner Harbour on Thursday.
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team will fly past Victoria and Vancouver, marking the last of the four Canadian appearances on the team’s 20-stop tour of North America.
After flying past Victoria the team’s distinctive scarlet-painted aircraft, BAE Hawk fast-jet training planes, will head to Vancouver where they are scheduled to make their signature move.
The team is famous for releasing trails of red, white and blue smoke, the colours of the Union Jack, the British flag.
All pilots in the Red Arrows are fast-jet veterans who have flown military aircraft like the Tornado, Typhoon or Harrier.
As part of an effort to boost ties between Canada and the U.K. the pilots will meet with the public in B.C., including children receiving care at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.
Other meetings will be with B.C. young people from secondary and post-secondary schools to encourage them to follow dreams for careers as pilots or in aircraft technology and aeronautical science.
The Red Arrows are scheduled to perform their flypast over the B.C. legislature and Victoria Inner Harbour at 4:40 p.m. on Thursday.
