It is Skaraborg's air fleet F7 that carries out the Christmas tree flight. For 500 kilometers per hour and with a gap of only 10 meters between the wing tips, the formation should be kept for about an hour and a half.

- There are several reasons why we do this. We show our presence. We protect Sweden and Sweden's population around the clock, year-round, although we are not always visible. It is also an exercise for us, this is not planned in the afternoon and it is an exertion for the pilots to sit and keep the distance to the next plane and to keep the formation at altitude, width and length, says John Lidman, Head of Communications at Skaraborg's air fleet .

- Then there is one more thing and it is that we know that a lot of people think it is fun to see us.

Here is Tuesday's planned route. Photo: SVT

Many people want to see Skaraborg's aircraft fleet

Through social media and the interest from the media, he notices that many are involved in the Christmas tree flight. John Lidman also says that many people are asking for the Christmas tree to fly over their particular place.

- We would like to fly all over western Sweden and we may change the course from year to year. It is very fun for us that people show interest. Had there been no interest, we probably would not have done the flight without any other exercise instead.

How much does it cost to implement this?

- It is a good question that is a little difficult to answer. It is about flying hours that we would have flown anyway, it is part of our flight mission during the year. Thus, it is no extra flight, but becomes part of our education and maintenance. It doesn't cost anything extra. Those hours had flown in other ways otherwise, says John Lidman.

The idea is that the Christmas tree will fly during Tuesday, but if the weather is bad there is Wednesday as a reserve day.