All I can say is that I'm glad I'm still not "in". With decision-makers in HQ Air and elsewhere in the chain of command ready to do anything to cover their *sses I can't see the point in
volunteering to be in a display crew, no matter what the kudos or prestige may be amongst one's peers.
Just imagine it now if all the currently authorised display crews refused to display their ac partly to show solidarity, but also to question their leadership's perhaps over-eager reaction to sack the current Hawk solo diplay pilot so publically. The decent thing would to have created a story - all that was needed was to say he was "unfit to fly" - Joe Public could have read anything into that, from a bad head-cold to 'flu and being "unfit" wouldn't be deviating from the truth, if it's true that he'd really goofed-up.
Then there could be a
discrete investigation with appropriate action and if necessary additional training/supervision or in extrimis a replacement appointment being made. At this rate I doubt there'll be (m)any pilots voluntering to be next year's "public face" of the RAF......that's assuming that there still is an RAF.
MB