The Royal Air Force Typhoon Display Team is to return to England after a successful season at RAF Leuchars, it has been confirmed.
The display team will return to 29 (Reserve) Squadron at RAF Coningsby following this year’s spell with 6 Squadron based at Leuchars.
Squadron Leader Scott Loughran was to fly up to three routines over RAF Leuchars in order that he can complete his responsibilities for 2012 and hand over the role to Flight Lieutenant Jamie Norris, who will be the RAF Typhoon Display pilot for the 2013 airshow season.
The display practices were due to take place in previously announced time slots in order to minimise disruption to the local community.
Confirming that the display team was only ever scheduled to be at Leuchars for one season, a spokesman for RAF Leuchars said: ”We would like to thank our neighbours for their understanding and support throughout this tasking.”
The RAF Typhoon display team, which starred at the recent Leuchars airshow, has been based at Leuchars since February.
The pilot and ground support team was provided by Number 6 Squadron in addition to their Quick Reaction Alert mission.
Typhoon’s deployment in support of the UN mission in Libya last year meant that there was no Typhoon Display in 2011.
The honour of providing the display team previously belonged to RAF Coningsby and Number 29 (Reserve) Squadron, the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU), which is responsible for the initial training of RAF Typhoon pilots and engineers.
The Air Officer Scotland and Station Commander RAF Leuchars, Air Commodore Gavin Parker, said at the time of the display team’s arrival: ”Typhoon has always had phenomenal potential and in recent years we have seen it prove its agility and adaptability as a highly capable multi-role combat aircraft.”
”The Typhoon force continues to grow both in terms of size and capability and RAF Leuchars is at the centre of that development.”