| The
Ministry of Defence is investigating how one of the RAF Red Arrows
managed to overshoot the runway at Jersey Airport.
 |
| Junior
Engineering Officer Tim Beagle with the broken part from the
plane |
The distinctive
Hawk Jet had problems when it was trying to land just after lunchtime
yesterday.
But neither
the pilot, Flight Leftenant Jez Griggs nor his engineer Corporal
Harry Harrison were injured.
An
RAF spokesman has said a minor engineering fault could be to blame,
but Wing Commander Bill Ramsey has explained that until a full review
has been carried out they won't really know what happenned.
 ALAN
LANGLOIS
eye witness |
 |
Over the top of the bank straight down and they had just put
a heap of ground there last night and this morning and he
must have made striaght for it.
 |
|
| |
|
Alan
Langlois was working nearby. He has said that the gravel bank that
stopped the plane from hitting a nearby farmhouse had only been
put there the day before.
The RAF says
the Lincolnshire-based Red Arrows will fly in Thursdays Battle of
Britain Air display over Jersey and Guernsey as planned.
In
addition to the nine display pilots, another pilot known as ‘Red
10’, the Team's Road Manager, flies another Hawk aircraft.
This
is sometimes called to act as a spare aircraft in the case of an
engineering problem while the Team is away from base such as the
crash at Jersey airport.
About
the arrows
 |
| Four
of the Red Arrows lining up |
The
Red Arrows are seen as the public face of the Royal Air Force and
are regarded as one of the best aerobatic teams in the world.
 |
| Red
Arrow |
They
are used to demonstrate the ability of the RAF and aid in recruitment.
Over their history the Red Arrows have helped to bring a significant
number of people into the RAF, both officers and airmen.
The
team helps to promote British industry and defence diplomacy throughout
the world. Most of the components of the Hawk (the plane used by
the Red Arrows) are British Made.
The
Hawk
The Hawk has been with the Royal Air Force since
1976 and has established itself as an unrivalled reputation as a
fast jet trainer.
 |
| Red
Arrow |
Hawk
operates in extreme environments that range from Finland in the
Arctic Circle to Saudi Arabia in the arid Middle East and Malaysia
in the Tropics.
The
Hawk is seen as the world's most successful fast jet trainer.
The
Pilots
All Red Arrows
pilots are volunteers. To be eligible to apply for the Team, pilots
must have completed at least one operational tour on a front line
fast jet such as the Tornado, Harrier and Jaguar, and have a minimum
of 1,500 flying hours.
 |
| Red
Arrow |
Pilots
must also have been assessed in their annual reports as being above
average in their operational role. Each pilot will stay with the
team for three years.
If one of the
nine pilots goes sick during display season the rest of the pilots
will fly an eight plane formation as there are no reserve pilots
for safety reasons.
The
pilots always fly in the same position within the formation and
it takes an intensive six-month training programme for each pilot
to become thoroughly proficient at flying in his position.
The
pilots and their Hawks are:
| Red
One
Sqn Ldr Spike Jepson
Red
Two
Flt Lt Jez Griggs
Red
Three
Flt Lt Dunc Mason
Red
Four
Flt Lt Dan Simmons
Red
Five
Sqn Ldr John Green |
Red Six
Sqn Ldr Myles Garland
Red
Seven
Flt Lt David Thomas
Red
Eight
Flt Lt Antony Parkinson
Red
Nine
Sqn Ldr Christian Gleave
Red
Ten
Flt Lt Steve Underwood |
|
