As the Red Arrows take to the skies to delight crowds below with their gravity-defying moves this weekend as part of the Malta International Airshow, one pilot with a Maltese connection will be getting into the cockpit of his red Hawk T1 for one last time.

Graeme Muscat, whose call sign is Red 10 (or Musky, to his fellow pilots and crew), has been a Red Arrows pilot for the past four years, having previously served as a technician, fighter pilot and instructor in a Royal Air Force career stretching back 30 years.

Times of Malta spoke to Muscat shortly after the Reds touched down in Luqa on Thursday afternoon ahead of the air show.

Each pilot has their own responsibilities, and, as Red 10, Muscat is the team supervisor, safety observer and, during shows, the commentator.

“It’s a great job – probably one of the highlights of my RAF career. The ability to inspire the next generation and represent not only your service but also your country across the world – literally flying the Union flag everywhere – is a great privilege,” he said.

Literally flying the Union flag everywhere is a great privilege- Red Arrows pilot Graeme Muscat

Muscat’s Maltese roots go back to his grandfather, who emigrated to Liverpool from Cospicua before marrying and moving back to Malta, where the pilot’s father and aunts were born, before returning to the UK.

“I don’t class myself as Maltese but when I come back I do feel a strong connection to the island. When I brought my kids back in 2017, both my daughter and my son said, ‘Dad, you look like everybody on the island’. So, yes, I definitely have Maltese blood running through my veins, and I absolutely love it.”

While Muscat says he has seen Malta change dramatically over the years while visiting both with family and the RAF, there are sights he always looks out for from above.

“I always look for Mdina and the Mosta Dome. As a child, we went there every year and measured ourselves against the [Mosta] bomb to see how much we’d grown. I also always look for Valletta, the Grand Harbour, and across to Cospicua, of course, which is where my family is from.”

Muscat describes the Red Arrows lifestyle as “very busy”, with most people only managing three or four years in the team.

“In winter training, we fly three times a day. We come in, have a weather brief, fly, debrief, then repeat the cycle three times. It’s very busy, especially for new pilots learning the Red Arrows way,” he said.

Training runs from October until May.

“Then comes the display season and we just don’t stop. Our working week is Wednesday to Sunday – we only get Monday and Tuesday off. That means you don’t see your family or friends much in summer because you’re working every weekend. It’s a huge commitment, and your family has to buy into it as well.”

After the Malta air show, Muscat will be stepping away from the Red Arrows to once again work as an instructor and trainer on fighter jets.

“As I said, this has been the highlight of my career. It’s an amazing team – everyone is dedicated and works so hard to make it happen. Everyone should be proud of the Reds. It’s been an absolute honour and privilege to be part of the team these last four years.”