Jon Egging's loss was a very public tragedy - not only because it happened just after an airshow appearance but also because he was a member of the Red Arrows. It's the latter that seems to have driven the public response this week, with comments such as "he was one of the few". It smacks of the cult of celebrity.
I'm sure he'd have been among the first to play down such 'showbiz' status and remind the public the RAFAT represents and promotes the wider air force and all that it stands for. The eulogies for one of the best pilots of his generation are all thoroughly deserved, but let's not forget that the loss of RAF aircrew in flying accidents, or even on ops, rarely generate this much coverage. Indeed, we all know of such incidents that, sadly, didn't make it to the national TV news.