The 2007 air show season is in full swing, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) formation aerobatic display team is on the road again wowing crowds with their daring routine.
Flying most weekends from January through till April and performing at upwards of 20 air shows and other events around the country; the pilots, maintainers, commentator and organisational personnel that make up the 2007 Red Checkers have their work cut out for them. That kind of commitment may not seem so remarkable however until you consider that unlike most international military aerobatic teams, each member of this team also has a full time job.
The past six weeks of the Checkers busy schedule has seen them perform at Masterton (Wings over Wairarapa), twice at Napier (Exercise Skytrain open day and the Art Deco Festival), Matamata (Walsh Memorial Flying School), Stratford, Waiheke Island, Viaduct Harbour, Devonport, Dunedin and Christchurch.
Background
The RNZAF has had flying display teams in one form or another since the 1940s. The Red Checkers were formed in 1969, and far more than simply a vehicle for showing off our military flying skills, they’re both inspirational and powerful public relations and recruiting tools.
It’s very much a ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle for the team members who spend so much time together, and a strong bond based on mutual trust and a good measure of friendly ribbing has developed between each of them.
The aircraft that the Red Checkers currently fly is our New Zealand built Civilian Trainer 4E (CT-4E) Airtrainer. When the team’s not putting them through their paces, the 300 horse power planes are used for initial pilot training and flying instructor training at Base Ohakea by Pilot Training Squadron (PTS) and Central Flying School (CFS) respectively.
Months before their first official appearance the pilots began their formation aerobatic work-up and started putting together the display routine 
for the season sequence by sequence. Initially this required them to practise daily but by mid-season they rehearse two to three times a week to maintain the required proficiency, and they usually do this outside normal working hours. The amount of time that the pilots selected for the Red Checkers devote to the team is considerable, but it’s gladly given for the great honour of being a part of this tradition.
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