We have a first at this year’s Regatta Air Displays, The Blades aerobatic display team lead by Blade 1- Mark ‘Cutty’ Cutmore make their début appearance on Thursday 30th at 6:00pm. Mark, who grew up in Dartmouth before joining the RAF, is a former Red Arrow and Jaguar display pilot. Along with his fellow team mates, Blade 2 - Andy Offer/Chris Carder, Blade 3 – Myles Garland and Blade 4 – Andy Evans, will be displaying their 4 Extra EA-300s low wing, high performance aircraft designed for the most adventurous aerobatic manoeuvres.

Since forming in 2006, The Blades have flown over 600 displays throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle-East. The display lasts 15 minutes – not a figure arrived at by chance – but a duration that allows a fantastic, jaw-dropping sequence of over 30 separate manoeuvres to be flown and yet still leaving the audience wanting more. The Blades have 3 completely interchangeable shows to cope with all sorts of weather conditions. If the visibility and cloud base are good, the Team will fly the ‘full’ show, if the cloud base allows loops but not the extended vertical manoeuvres they will revert to their ‘rolling’ show and finally, if loops are not possible but the cloud base and visibility is above the CAA minimum, they will fly the flat show. They can swap between all 3 routines during the show, so rest assured, those watching The Blades will always get the best possible display on the day.