England - Hoylake - RAF Red Arrows display over beach
Hawk jets of the Red Arrows, Britain's RAF aerobatic team display over beach using quad bikes as display datum (centre). Passing overhead, there are two beach guards sitting just 100 feet below the passing jets who perform in front of an unseen crowd behind the sands. The team are using this coastal reference point as display datum (centre) during their display, a show-stopping manoeuvre of their 25-minute air show display routine. 'Datum' is an axis on which the Red Arrows focus their displays, from where the whole show is visible at the crowd's centre. The bikes are but one of a series of datum points selected by the team leader as a geographical point from which to navigate. Since 1965 the squadron has flown over 4,000 shows in 52 countries an important part of Britain's summer events where they perform their manoeuvres in front of massed crowds.
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