Red Arrow Jet Down In Wales

[Airshow4444]

Name has been released. Corporal Bayliss was killed when the Hawk T1 aircraft he was flying in crashed at RAF Valley at approximately 1330hrs on Tuesday 20 March 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mod- ... red-arrows

[Adam]

Very sad indeed. Now we still have to wait for news on the pilot. There's been no word on his condition at all. I suspect if he stays with the team he will never be officially named, even though we can all find who it was if we are so inclined.

As for whether the Reds' season will be affected by this, I think it should be okay, even if Red 3 has been badly injured. In 2010 the synchro pair at a slightly more advanced stage of their training. One pilot was very badly injured and went on to be the commentator for the next seven years. He was replaced by a pilot who retired after the previous season. They re-trained him in a matter of weeks and the season took place as normal. Same thing could probably happen here, if needed.

I assume they don't suspect there to have been any problems with the aircraft or they'd have been grounded by now, surely.

[Adam]

Some good news at last: the director of the Great Yarmouth Airshow told ITV today: "We weren’t sure that the Red Arrows would be able to come to Yarmouth following the fatal accident involving one of the team’s Hawk aircraft in Anglesey earlier this month. They are a very close-knit team but they have decided to proceed with their 2018 programme and we are deeply grateful that they have agreed to include a two-day visit to Great Yarmouth." On Twitter the airshow answered questions saying it'll be a full 9-ship.

I don't think the team have flown since the accident aside from the odd solo sortie under a different callsign, but they had already been flying 9-ships for over a week when the accident occurred, so one assumes they were pretty much ready for Springhawk. The unofficial Springhawk start date was April 15th. They could still make that - or at least, a date very soon after that.

The Red Arrows/BBMF charitable football match has been re-scheduled for early this month.

A good number of shows, including Biggin Hill, Yarmouth, Ayr and Sunderland have all confirmed the team in the past few days. It all suggests that the schedule will be released imminently and a full display season is to be expected.

[SnowbirdsFanatic]

My condolences and deepest sympathy to the family of the lost crew member! Sad news indeed

[Adam]

Mike Ling will be rejoining the Red Arrows to replace Red 3 David Stark, who is convalescing. Ling served as a Red Arrows pilot for a couple of years before he himself was injured in an accident and became Red 10, commentator and ground supervising officer, for around eight years. He finally retired from the team last October. The team will undertake a full season of 9-ship displays, starting in early June.