Red Arrows

It was with great sadness over the weekend that I read of the Red Arrow crash and the death of Flt Lt Jon Egging. My thoughts and sympathy go out to his family and friends.

Beyond the tragedy of loss of human life I was reminded of Jeremy Clarkson's comments on the Air France Concorde crash. He describes mourning the loss of the aircraft as well as the people on board. I felt the same about the loss of a Red Arrow.

It was with dread that I read all Hawks were subsequently grounded. These times of austerity have had me expecting for years that the Red Arrows would have had their funding withdrawn.

It was therefore with great relief that I read today that the grounding has been lifted. The Red Arrows are back in the air.

Some may question the need for an ariel display team at any time never mind at the moment. To that I would answer that they are a tremendous source of national pride and terrific boost to national morale. Everyone I know gets a thrill when they see them... Even on TV. We can be truly proud of them and seeing them in action makes us proud to be British. Furthermore; what a brilliant way to promote Britain abroad.

What makes the Red Arrows even more impressive is that they are first and foremost operational pilots. Tours of duty last for three years and even to qualify for this, pilots must have flown a combat tour of duty. This shows that rather than being skimmed off during training and ring-fenced for the remainder of their careers, Red Arrow pilots represent all the pilots of the RAF. Who can't be proud and reassured to know that these people are defending our country? And why shouldn't we allow them to showcase their talent in ariel displays for our benefit.

May the Red Arrows continue flying for many years to come.

JR