A FORMER Dunbar Grammar School pupil who was inspired by the Red Arrows when he saw them at East Fortune will spend the summer flying in the back seat of the world-famous aerobatics team.

Jordan Thorburn, who left the secondary school in 2011, joined the Red Arrows Squadron in 2014 and has been part of the team for the past three display seasons, operating with the road support team at various locations throughout the UK.

The senior aircraftman (technician) has also been deployed to China, India, Thailand and Singapore on the Asia Pacific and Middle East tour last year.

The 26-year-old will be one of a 10-strong team of engineers, known as the Circus Blues, who has been assigned to a specific aircraft and pilot throughout the 2017 display season, with Jordan assigned to Red Arrows Hawk T1.

He said: “I joined the RAF about six years ago and had always been interested in the Red Arrows.

“In basic training, you put down a dream list and I always put the Red Arrows on there – since day one.”

The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, are regularly crowd pleasers at airshows up and down the country and beyond with their spectacular aerobatic display.

Jordan, who also attended Dunbar Primary School, told the Courier how his interest in the famous display team had begun when he saw them at a county airshow.

He said: “I saw [the Red Arrows] back in the day at East Fortune doing what they do and I was just in awe of what they were doing.

“I just figured when I joined up it was something that would interest me to go and work with them.”

He will fly as a passenger in one of the Red Arrows’ two-seat Hawk aircraft in transit flights to more than 80 display venues throughout the UK and Europe – flying at speeds of more than 350 miles per hour.

Jordan, whose family still live in Dunbar and West Barns, said: “I’ve not been up [in the plane] yet but I am going through the training just now to do it.

“Every day, we do another bit of training and I am getting more excited, a bit nervous at times, but overall just excited.

“I’m like a little kid at Christmas again.”

Once his aircraft arrives at the display team’s operating base, Jordan will be responsible for servicing the aircraft before it can fly again.

As Circus 9, he will sit in the back seat on Red 9, Flight Lieutenant Emmit Cox, throughout the 2017 display season.

The Red Arrows team consists of nine display pilots, all of whom are from frontline squadrons and are experienced officers in the Royal Air Force.

Each has previously operated other fast jets such as the Tornado or the Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft.

There are 120 support staff in the Red Arrows, including operations and flight planners, engineering technicians, photographers, safety equipment experts, drivers, a public relations department, suppliers and administrators.