http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-17249660
No information given as to why other than it was not to do with gender or disciplinary issues. Hopefully it is for positive, rather than negative reasons.
The significance of this for the enthusaists among us is that combined with the tragic loss of two pilots during last years season, the team will now only be able to display with 7 aircraft (9 for flypasts) during 2012. I find this strangely appropriate, as now the team will be flying with a permanent double missing man formation for the season. It may not have been intended, but will help keep Flt Lt Egging, Flt Lt Cunningham, their friends and families in our thoughts throughout the upcoming season.
Best regards,
Jim
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- chuchoteur
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RE: First Female Pilot To Join Red Arrows Leaves
She actually stopped flying before the end of the season, and before the second fatal accident.
To be fair, she made the right call. If you are not 100% then you should ground yourself rather than become a liability for your team-mates. Whilst it was very disappointing, the 2011 season was a difficult one... a crash during pre-season training, a fatal crash at Bournemouth and then a fatal ground accident, combined with the pressures of the demo season and being the first woman to fly with the Red Arrows.
I hope for her sake that she'll return to flight status some day, but I think it will be as a transport pilot rather than fast-jet...
To be fair, she made the right call. If you are not 100% then you should ground yourself rather than become a liability for your team-mates. Whilst it was very disappointing, the 2011 season was a difficult one... a crash during pre-season training, a fatal crash at Bournemouth and then a fatal ground accident, combined with the pressures of the demo season and being the first woman to fly with the Red Arrows.
I hope for her sake that she'll return to flight status some day, but I think it will be as a transport pilot rather than fast-jet...
RE: First Female Pilot To Join Red Arrows Leaves
| Quoting chuchoteur (Reply 1): To be fair, she made the right call. If you are not 100% then you should ground yourself rather than become a liability for your team-mates. |
Agreed entirely. I have the unfortunate distinction of also having witnessed a good friend being killed in a plane crash and aside from everything else I did not consider myself safe to fly solo for the best part of a year. Overly cautious perhaps, but to have been flying regularly such a short time after would have been really bad, at least for me.
If her choices are related to the accidents the team has suffered, it is certainly the best option where there is any doubt.
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- bennett123
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RE: First Female Pilot To Join Red Arrows Leaves
I recall that in September 2011, she was due to fly at the Malta Airshow.
However, her slot was cancelled, the announcement said something about pilot incapacitated.
seemed strange at the time, is there a possible link.
However, her slot was cancelled, the announcement said something about pilot incapacitated.
seemed strange at the time, is there a possible link.
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- chuchoteur
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RE: First Female Pilot To Join Red Arrows Leaves
| Quoting bennett123 (Reply 3): I recall that in September 2011, she was due to fly at the Malta Airshow. However, her slot was cancelled, the announcement said something about pilot incapacitated. seemed strange at the time, is there a possible link. |
Yes, she'd already grounded herself by then.
| Quoting GST (Reply 2): Agreed entirely. I have the unfortunate distinction of also having witnessed a good friend being killed in a plane crash and aside from everything else I did not consider myself safe to fly solo for the best part of a year. |
No-one knows how they will react faced with such events.
The French demo teams also had a pretty rough run the last couple of years, with the death of CNE Renaud Ecalle and the near fatal crash of CNE Sylvain Courtot (two weeks before the start of the season!). Both the Equipe de Voltige and the Patrouille de France are based in Salon de Provence, so morale was pretty low for a while.
The emphasis was on making sure that those who were supposed to fly were actually fit to fly, and I have no doubt that anybody who wasn't 100% would have been kept on the ground.
RE: First Female Pilot To Join Red Arrows Leaves
| Quoting chuchoteur (Reply 1): She actually stopped flying before the end of the season, and before the second fatal accident. |
Thanks for that, I hadn't heard. Sad news, but good to hear an aviator making the right call in the circumstances.
That takes guts and a professional approach, especially when you are in such a high profile role.
Best regards,
Jim
Erm, is this thing on?
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- lmml 14/32
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RE: First Female Pilot To Join Red Arrows Leaves
| Quoting bennett123 (Reply 3): I recall that in September 2011, she was due to fly at the Malta Airshow. |
The Reds were never slotted for the Malta Airshow 2011. Last year we had the Frecce.
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- bennett123
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RE: First Female Pilot To Join Red Arrows Leaves
Course we did.
Sorry, I must be confusing myself.
Sorry, I must be confusing myself.
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