Red Arrows in Turmoil ?

[Rob666]

Red Arrows in 'special measures' after sexual harassment report::

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lin ... e-67417428

Some of the Reds not living in the 21st Century, not that is was right in the past either, shame on those committing it and those sitting back and let it happen. Won't view them as the same again.

[NorvilleRogers]

Maybe time for te Reds to call it a day, or at least a few years pause. They are not really a great advert for the UK at the moment and flying an almost 50 year old jet is not a good advert for UK aerospace.

[22A]

Tonight (Wed 27th) at 9.00pm on Sky News is an hour long documentary "The untouchables" reporting the bullying and sexual harassment alleged to have taken place in recent years with the Reds.

[tornado17]

Here’s the Sky News app article, there is short 4 min video on their app but I couldn’t find a link for it:

https://news.sky.com/story/untouchable- ... g-13036439

[airfixpilot]

Just wondering, a while back the Reds had a female pilot who left the squadron. Why was this?, can anyone remember. Been a male (pilot) display team, its time to include female pilots in the displays again. All this talk gives the ammunition to the should the Red Arrows be disbanded people, not only due to financial cut.
Airfixpilot

[C24]

Was it not something along the lines of the saying “There are old pilots and bold pilots…”.

To eliminate some of the misogyny in RAFAT;
Could a case be made for an all female pilot team? Organised and sponsored by Amazon?

[baz1]

Just wondering, a while back the Reds had a female pilot who left the squadron. Why was this?, can anyone remember. Been a male (pilot) display team, its time to include female pilots in the displays again. All this talk gives the ammunition to the should the Red Arrows be disbanded people, not only due to financial cut.
Airfixpilot

that would be Kirsty Murphy aged 43 flew with the Reds 2009 then after that the Blades.

[sgtangel]

Just wondering, a while back the Reds had a female pilot who left the squadron. Why was this?, can anyone remember. Been a male (pilot) display team, its time to include female pilots in the displays again. All this talk gives the ammunition to the should the Red Arrows be disbanded people, not only due to financial cut.
Airfixpilot

She was on the team at the time they lost Sean Cunningham and Jon Eggin. Their deaths effected her deeply so she left

[reaper493]

The above is what the RAF told everyone - but I've been told she left due to harassment - She could be one of the three females mentioned in the article.

[roughcutter]

Echoing some of the previous thoughts and comments, maybe the 'dead sparrows' seem to have had their day. Currently mired in a misogynistic, toxic environment, they're flying displays in fifty-year-old almost obsolete jets, with no replacement aircraft on the horizon, and no real funding for them. These days, the Reds seem to have lost their shine somewhat, they're supposed to be ambassadors for this country. Like an earlier comment, maybe it is time to put them to bed for a few years, then perhaps one fine day in the future (if times are a little better), a new team could be resurrected with new aircraft and maybe new title - 'The Red Angels' (all female team). Just a thought

[F3]

The reason the subject has resurfaced is because the report of the RAF's Inquiry has just been published (apparently in heavily redacted form). There is a report on Sky News @ 2100 hrs which looks interesting. I have to say that I can see the merit in the view being put forward in certain quarters that offences of a sexual nature should be investigated by the civilian Police rather than the Service Police as at present. Afraid this whole business has tarnished the reputation of the Team beyond redemption and while I would nt go so far as to argue that they should be disbanded there is clearly a case for a rebranding as they are no longer a good advert for the Service.

[FlyingFairy]

The above is what the RAF told everyone - but I've been told she left due to harassment - She could be one of the three females mentioned in the article.

Interesting theory. Harassed so much she married Red 1!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... urphy.html

[POL]

Interesting theory. Harassed so much she married Red 1!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... urphy.html

Yeah that's not quite the "win" you are making it out to be. Weren't they both married to other people at the time...

[Blackcat1]

Royal Air Farce

[raptor9]

According to her own written article [to be found easily on the internet,] she suffered anxiety issues and sleeping disorders. In her own words, she describes how she was given several periods of leave to ' sort herself out' her words, not mine, and was referred to a psychiatrist at R.A.F. Brize Norton who treated her successfully over time. An interesting article.

[RobinM]

Such a mess and the ongoing stories only further damages the reputation of RAF after the publication of the report following the RAF's Inquiry. Leaving aside the reasons for a female pilot leaving the team in 2012, the Sky News programme tonight (which I have not seen) may have focused on a senior RAF Officer if this Daily Mail article is correct

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ilots.html

[baz1]

According to her own written article [to be found easily on the internet,] she suffered anxiety issues and sleeping disorders. In her own words, she describes how she was given several periods of leave to ' sort herself out' her words, not mine, and was referred to a psychiatrist at R.A.F. Brize Norton who treated her successfully over time. An interesting article.

in 2019 she became Aviation Ambassador for Department of transport and holds MBE

[GORDO47]

That Sky News prog. is repeated at 4pm tomorrow (28th).

[dotwatcher01]

Disband, rebrand, what kind of message does that send to the British public, young R.A.F. pilots (regardless of whatever) and the rest of the world? A dozen brand new Hawks and a full team of nine is the only sensible move, for morale, for ambition, for industry & of course, for the spotters.

[reaper493]

From the outside looking in, this team feels different - the training seems to advance quicker - let's hope the 'toxic pockets' have been broken up and 2024 is a good scandal free season.