Clacton Airshow: Red Arrows pilot describes homecoming nerves

Flt Lt David Simmonds has wanted to fly planes since he was six years old

One of the leading pilots in the Red Arrows says returning to one of his "stomping grounds" in Essex will carry extra "pre-match nerves".

Flt Lt David Simmonds, known in the team as Red 8, will take to the skies at the 30th Clacton Airshow in Essex on Thursday and Friday.

The 43-year-old grew up in Ipswich and spent time in nearby Felixstowe where his mother ran a bookshop.

He also said the team had a few "new manoeuvres" to show off at Clacton.

The Red Arrows cancelled some displays last week due to "technical issues"

"When you look out of the window and see a whole beach full of people, only then do you realise how many people are watching you and you don't want to make a mistake in that kind of environment - it's healthy to have a few pre-match nerves," said Mr Simmonds, speaking to the BBC from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

"I'm very much looking forward to it. It's always nice to go back to a stomping ground."

• Watch: Live stream from Clacton Airshow

His parents watched his displays at Clacton last year and he joked: "It makes you nervous if you have immediate family checking to see how you are doing."

The Red Arrows were at the Old Buckenham air show near Attleborough in Norfolk in July

Mr Simmonds - who said he wanted to fly planes at six years old - made repeat visits to RAF Mildenhall Air Fete in Suffolk as a child and joined the 188 Ipswich Squadron as a cadet.

In his early teens, he flew a de Havilland Chipmunk and clocked up 20 flying hours during his RAF training at Southend Airport aged 17 - all before he had driven a car.

He started his display career in 2012 and is in his fifth year with the Red Arrows.

His time with the iconic flying squadron was disrupted when he broke his leg in his first year - thanks to an innocuous moment on the five-a-side football pitch - before the pandemic wiped out the flying calendar.

Clacton Airshow was one of the first seaside-only events when it was set up in 1991

As Red 8, he is the team executive, in charge of ensuring the team stick to high standards and strict timings.

An incident in August 2022, when squadron leader Gregor Ogston smashed his canopy as he struck a bird at the Rhyl Airshow in Wales, was the team's most significant hitch in recent memory.

"The job isn't without risk," he said.

"Getting very close to other jets, sometimes that happens, where you get a bump and get very close, but fortunately we haven't had anything other than the Gregor incident."

'Quintessentially British'

The team were grounded last week when "technical issues" meant displays were cancelled at Cromer Carnival in Norfolk and at Eastbourne Airshow in East Sussex, although they were back in the sky by Friday.

Mr Simmonds grabbed some respite this week to spend time with his children, aged six and eight, who he said were "fascinated" by his job.

"There's something quintessentially British about the seaside shows," he said.

"If it's a sunny day, it brings so many people out and we can just bring some entertainment and reach out to an audience we wouldn't usually see."

BBC Essex will broadcast live from the seafront throughout Clacton Airshow.