DM: RAF probe drunken Red Arrow airman

[seafuryfan]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10815185/RAF-probe-drunken-Red-Arrow-airman-sent-Greece-following-inappropriate-behaviour.html


The RAF (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/raf-the-royal-air-force/index.html) is investigating the Red Arrows over allegations of drinking, it has emerged.

Sources claim one pilot has been sent home from Greece (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/greece/index.html), where the famous aerobatic display team is training.

An insider claimed: ‘There is a huge under-the-table inquiry going on. It’s to do with alcohol (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/alcohol/index.html) and suspected inappropriate behaviour. The head of the RAF is personally involved in the Red Arrows probe.’
The display team is the pride of the Royal Air Force – and the public face of the service.

The best pilots in the business perform death-defying stunts, zooming over crowds producing perfect plumes of red, white and blue smoke.

They attend key British events, performing at air shows, festivals and the most prestigious royal celebrations.

[Finningley Boy]

Seafuryman,

I can't believe this is from the Daily Mail, not with the lines like death defying stunts and zooming over crowds etc.

FB

[peterperfect]

Henceforth to be known as Retsina 11

[The Helpful Stacker]

Hang on

RAF pilot = officer = 'high jinks', surely?

"March the guilty b***ard in" is only reserved for those who avoided Cranwell Polytechnic isn't it?

[MPN11]

Hang on

RAF pilot = officer = 'high jinks', surely?

"March the guilty b***ard in" is only reserved for those who avoided Cranwell Polytechnic isn't it?Not entirely. I had the unpleasant task of formally [and very carefully] charging one of my JOs before remanding him to the CO and subsequent CM.

Of course in this instance it may have been a 'bottle to throttle' offence without 'high jinks and jolly japes' being involved.

[teeonefixer]

The RAF website says today that they are flying a seven-ship formation this year - any connection ?

[Cat Techie]

Not entirely. I had the unpleasant task of formally [and very carefully] charging one of my JOs before remanding him to the CO and subsequent CM.

Of course in this instance it may have been a 'bottle to throttle' offence without 'high jinks and jolly japes' being involved.
Would be more likely I suspect and no idea if the Greeks are also involved in the opening of the issue. Droping the formation to 7 for display is the easy get out.

[H Peacock]

Well I’d heard several weeks ago a rumour that they’d dropped to 8! 🤔

[Treble one]

Still 9 pilots listed on their website. Shame about the 7 ship this year.

[NutLoose]

What are they probing him with?

[Blossy]

Only approved instruments I dare say.

[Dunhovrin]

is only reserved for those who avoided Cranwell Polytechnic isn't it?

Do you mean Sleaford Tech?

[Finningley Boy]

Only approved instruments I dare say.
You're losing me?...!:ooh:

FB

[4everAD]

This headline really winds me up, when are people going to realise its Aviator not Airman 🤣

[charliegolf]

Is the decision to go to seven related to this 'probe'? If yes, what happened to innocent til proven guilty? Or, is it, "He/she will of course be reinstated if no guilt is established, but the team has to use the time available in order to get a DA."?

CG

[Finningley Boy]

According to Flightline UK the team are down to seen because two pilots have been posed away on other duties. It goes onto to explain things in general a bit, about how there might not be enough aircraft or if the pilot/crew are sick etc.

FB

[NutLoose]

You're losing me?...!:ooh:

FB

I asked what they were probing him with and that was the reply to it,
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/734x569/anal_probe_1080x_jpeg_51d968357eed1bde7ff1c50075c941b587a71f 42.jpg

[diginagain]

According to Flightline UK the team are down to seen because two pilots have been posed away on other duties.
FB
How apposite

[sycamore]

Must be for the `Top Gun 2` premiere....

[langleybaston]

This headline really winds me up, when are people going to realise its Aviator not Airman 🤣
Pilot might have done.

[Background Noise]

According to Flightline UK the team are down to seen because two pilots have been posed away on other duties. It goes onto to explain things in general a bit, about how there might not be enough aircraft or if the pilot/crew are sick etc.FB

To be fair, that site is just quoting the RAF statement: https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/royal-air-force-aerobatic-team-rafat-in-2022

[DuncanDoenitz]

FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PERFORM HERE (https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/red-arrows/displays/)Does nobody proof-read anything?

[MPN11]

Of course they do, It's done by a civvy clerk in MoD PR who can't spell aeroplane so just puts 'jet' instead. Or has 'airman' on a function key, instead of 'pilot'.

[langleybaston]

More or less, no.

So long as a quick spool chick gives a tick in the box, it seems not to matter if a load of old cobblers is published.

We also have that nasty competition for writing the longest sentence. The D Tel often approaches 60 words.

Some time ago I had the privilege of reading a Robert Graves mss. It was fascinating to see his scribbled corrections corrected and corrected again. Good English [I make no personal claim] requires old-fashioned effort.

[uxb99]

A six ship would be at least symmetrical.

[Baldeep Inminj]

Is this really news? I suppose it remains to be seen what the 'inappropriate behaviour' was. I was based at Akrotiri in the early noughties and the Reds were regular visitors for their winter training. They were notable for getting absolutely trollied in the bar, and then taxxing as a 9 ship the following morning and doing some frankly rather impressive flying. They were notorious for trying to pull other guys wives and it was always clear that they had forgotten to pack their morals on the way out of their homes as they headed for Akrotiri. In fact they actually had bets on which team member could 'plough the most wives' in Cyprus.

As human beings they were members of a depraved and obscenely arrogant club and they were widely regarded as complete and utter onanists - real scumbags whose wives undoubtedly had no idea what they got up to on tour.. As pilots however, they were certainly better than me and I really enjoyed watching them, I must be honest. And yes, one of them once spent the best part of 7 weeks trying to bed my wife when I was flying. He got nowhere.

...at least I don't think he did...

...come to think of it, my son has grown up to be a real a$shole...

[langleybaston]

At the risk of being called an ignorant civilian [I am, I am], I diffidently wonder out loud if the Reds are past their sell-by date.

Is there really any demonstrable recruiting value? If not, what else do they achieve, at great cost.

Standing by for incoming.

[Haraka]

Is this really news? I suppose it remains to be seen what the 'inappropriate behaviour' was. I was based at Akrotiri in the early noughties and the Reds were regular visitors for their winter training. They were notable for getting absolutely trollied in the bar, and then taxxing as a 9 ship the following morning and doing some frankly rather impressive flying. They were notorious for trying to pull other guys wives and it was always clear that they had forgotten to pack their morals on the way out of their homes as they headed for Akrotiri. In fact they actually had bets on which team member could 'plough the most wives' in Cyprus.

As human beings they were members of a depraved and obscenely arrogant club and they were widely regarded as complete and utter onanists - real scumbags whose wives undoubtedly had no idea what they got up to on tour.. As pilots however, they were certainly better than me and I really enjoyed watching them, I must be honest. And yes, one of them once spent the best part of 7 weeks trying to bed my wife when I was flying. He got nowhere.

...at least I don't think he did...

...come to think of it, my son has grown up to be a real a$shole...

THAT, for me at least, has got to be one of the funniest punch line submissions for a long time !

[57mm]

Going to look weird for the Jubilee fly past then.......

[Background Noise]

For national flypast events, it is intended that the team will consist of all nine aircraft, with experienced RAFAT pilots completing the formation.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/royal-air-force-aerobatic-team-rafat-in-2022

[MPN11]

THAT, for me at least, has got to be one of the funniest punch line submissions for a long time !
Concur. And with the rest of Baldeep’s post. I don’t like ‘Elites’ … the RAF is/was a Team effort, with a sharp end that pricks .., oh, what did I mean to say there?

[Cat Techie]

Is this really news? I suppose it remains to be seen what the 'inappropriate behaviour' was. I was based at Akrotiri in the early noughties and the Reds were regular visitors for their winter training. They were notable for getting absolutely trollied in the bar, and then taxxing as a 9 ship the following morning and doing some frankly rather impressive flying. They were notorious for trying to pull other guys wives and it was always clear that they had forgotten to pack their morals on the way out of their homes as they headed for Akrotiri. In fact they actually had bets on which team member could 'plough the most wives' in Cyprus.

As human beings they were members of a depraved and obscenely arrogant club and they were widely regarded as complete and utter onanists - real scumbags whose wives undoubtedly had no idea what they got up to on tour.. As pilots however, they were certainly better than me and I really enjoyed watching them, I must be honest. And yes, one of them once spent the best part of 7 weeks trying to bed my wife when I was flying. He got nowhere.

...at least I don't think he did...

...come to think of it, my son has grown up to be a real a$shole...
The Fail will love that. Then again a squadron detachment anywhere had its first night madness.

[ShyTorque]

According to Flightline UK the team are down to seen because two pilots have been posed away on other duties. It goes onto to explain things in general a bit, about how there might not be enough aircraft or if the pilot/crew are sick etc.

FB

Well that might have been inadvertently appropriate! :D

[Davef68]

It seems unusual for pilots on an RAFAT tour to be posted to other duties - has that happened before?

[Pearly White]

To be fair, that site is just quoting the RAF statement: https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/royal-air-force-aerobatic-team-rafat-in-2022
Which has now been updated to read "moved on"...

[Barksdale Boy]

I was lucky enough to meet them at an event in Hong Kong in October/November 2016. They could not have been better ambassadors for both their service and their country.

[Fly3]

Over the years I have met them many times and always found them to be arrogant a..holes. No denying their flying ability though.

[Wycombe]

I was lucky enough to meet them at an event in Hong Kong in October/November 2016. They could not have been better ambassadors for both their service and their country.
Spent a day with them at Scampton earlier that year, total gents (but every RAF pilot is well-behaved on his home patch!)

[megan]

Met them at the roof top bar of our hotel in Nice, we drinking beer after a day of tourist stuff, they drinking non alcoholic prior to heading off to some commitment in red flying suits, absolute gentlemen with whom we chatted, not long after the tragic ejection seat episode. Agree fully with Barksdale Boy.

[Finningley Boy]

Well that might have been inadvertently appropriate! :D
Given some of the previous posts I'm far more mortified at my poor grammer on this occasion!:(

FB

[awair]

Going to look weird for the Jubilee fly past then.......

Ahhh, you obviously haven’t heard about this year’s “synchro solo”…

[wiggy]

Umm..well since we are into opinions here’s mine…over the years I’ve:

Shared crewrooms with a couple of individuals who went on to be in the reds.

For a time worked alongside them every day, and for example attended the same met brief, as duty dog sat in ATC visual during some of their work up.

Went to the funeral of one thoroughly thoroughly nice guy and long time friend who was killed during pre-season training with the team.

Then in the civvy world worked with (including doing a type conversion) alongside a couple of ex-reds.

In the basis of the above I’d say there was the odd loud/awkward/PITA individual but generally the 10% rule applied,I certainly wouldn’t subscribe to some of the stereotyping offered by one or two previous posters….

[Nil_Drift]

Given some of the previous posts I'm far more mortified at my poor grammer on this occasion!:(

FB
I almost hesitate, FB, to question whether you may now also be mortified by your poor spelling?

[[email protected]]

I almost hesitate, FB, to question whether you may now also be mortified by your poor spelling? maybe it is his poor grandma he is concerned about what with the rising cost of living and things...:)

[212man]

I almost hesitate, FB, to question whether you may now also be mortified by your poor spelling?
Apart from the grammar and spelling, it was all fine.

[blimey]

Having had the pleasure of a ride in the boot when I knew most of them, they were impressively tight and a thoroughly nice bunch. One former's view: most fast jet jockeys would expect to pass one of the easiest OCUs going: it's getting in that's the hard part - make of it what you will.

[ShyTorque]

Having had the pleasure of a ride in the boot when I knew most of them, they were impressively tight and a thoroughly nice bunch. One former's view: most fast jet jockeys would expect to pass one of the easiest OCUs going: it's getting in that's the hard part - make of it what you will.

At one time I would consider five of the team good mates, the others seemed nice enough. One of them offered me a ride in a nine ship practice, unfortunately I got called away at the last minute after we’d briefed, booted and spurred and were about to walk out. I never got another chance and that particular pilot tragically lost his life a few years later in a civilian flying display accident at Biggin Hill.

Having been on the display circuit myself for a short time, I fully appreciate how much commitment the team put in. Also, it’s very difficult to keep a home relationship going when you’re seldom home.

[Finningley Boy]

I almost hesitate, FB, to question whether you may now also be mortified by your poor spelling?
Ah yes, I wondered who would be the first to spot the deliberate mistake!

FB

[I am not Spartacus]

In days of yore, before cameras on phones becoming widespread, I always found Red Arrow pilots behaved identical to most other pilots across the military. Thoroughly pleasant decent folk on their own or in small groups. Less so in large groups. The Jekyll to Hyde transformation usually happened around three, though it could extend to four under the calming influence of single brevets. That said, weapons of social destruction such as FJ Navs, landaway crews, or recent Staff College graduates could degrade this ratio significantly. As could distance from home….

[Corporal Clott]

What on earth is a single brevet? A single certificate? A single licence? Or a single diploma?

[ICATQ]

In the late 1980s I was based at Akrotiri. Like the rest of the station, we supported the RAFAT. As a thank you, the RAFAT offered us a number of backseat rides. These offers were unceremoniously turned down by the troops.

When asked by RAFAT why no one wanted a jolly with the ‘Reds’ the reply was that they did not want to fly in an aircraft that was maintained by the same people they were drinking with until the early hours that morning.

Oh, the joys of sunny dets!

[Mach the Knife]

What on earth is a single brevet? A single certificate? A single licence? Or a single diploma?

“Single Brevet” also known as “Half Winged Halfwit”

[Bellthorpe]

This headline really winds me up, when are people going to realise its Aviator not Airman 🤣

Tell me again what NOTAM is ?

[Nil_Drift]

Tell me again what NOTAM is ?

Oh dear Bellthorpe, do try and keep up. NOTAM is so last year, it's now NOTAC. Or at least NOTAC is being foisted on the unwilling aviation community. Notice to Airmen is now Notice to Aviators and generated a bit of discussion elsewhere on PPPRuNe: https://www.pprune.org/atc-issues/641873-notam-become-pc.html
Perhaps the new acronym should be NOTAV?

[Lima Juliet]

“Single Brevet” also known as “Half Winged Halfwit”

Sadly, the only half-wits are the ones that insist on keeping calling a badge a brevet, when a brevet is a certificate!

Look up “un brevet de scouts” (a scout’s certificate), “un brevet de secouriste” (a first aid certificate), “un brevet de base” (a pilot’s licence), “un brevet en anglais” (an English certificate) or “un brevet d'invention” (an invention certificate (more commonly known as a patent)). Nowhere, apart from in some half-wit’s brain, does it mention badge - never has and never should do! :ugh:

[NutLoose]

Thank you for that piece of brevity.

[MechGov]

So, does anyone know what happened and care to share?

[Parson]

Presumably they will be pulling in a couple of former reds to make up their 9 ship flypasts? Or maybe 10 & 11?

[NutLoose]

“Single Brevet” also known as “Half Winged Halfwit”

So by that analogy, a pilot must be a "Complete Halfwit".

[langleybaston]

Sadly, the only half-wits are the ones that insist on keeping calling a badge a brevet, when a brevet is a certificate!

Look up “un brevet de scouts” (a scout’s certificate), “un brevet de secouriste” (a first aid certificate), “un brevet de base” (a pilot’s licence), “un brevet en anglais” (an English certificate) or “un brevet d'invention” (an invention certificate (more commonly known as a patent)). Nowhere, apart from in some half-wit’s brain, does it mention badge - never has and never should do! :ugh:

Would you care to expand on brevet rank, widely used in the British army for many years. "Certificate rank"?
It doesn't work, because the usage is English.
That said, yes, the flying badges are flying badges are flying badges.

[ICM]

I've no idea whether brevet rank is still conferred in the British Army but, in 1914, it appears to have been an Army, rather than regimental, concept. 1st Gordon Highlanders deployed to France in August 1914 and, in the retreat from Mons, took part in the holding battle at Le Cateau on 26 August. They did not receive the withdrawal order that afternoon, and neither did companies of other regiments on each side of them. As the situation developed, a Gordons Lt Col (Brevet Colonel) - not the Gordons' CO - claimed that as those left constituted an Army grouping, it fell to him to take command. I imagine that this caused some disagreement with the CO but that's what finally happened and the group began to withdraw in very difficult circumstances after midnight - my maternal grandfather died in the ensuing confusion as they encountered German forces that were now surrounding them. Some years after the war, I believe this incident led to a legal case in the Scottish courts.

Whatever merits this system may have had in a peacetime army, my impression is that it did not transfer well into the heat of battle.

[langleybaston]

Yes I agree.

An interesting case arose when the Connaught Rangers mutiny occurred in [from memory] 1921. The mixed force scraped together to restore order was commanded by a regimental captain, brevet Lt Col.

This gallant and distinguished soldier began the Great War as a CSM, was commissioned in the field a month later, much decorated [double DSO}, twice temporarily commanded an infantry brigade, received two brevets but, in the post-war contraction, never made regimental rank beyond captain.

[Lima Juliet]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1350x416/81312dee_b664_45f1_b11b_332b1eb5d8ad_3107726bb28b96d6b9ece8b 2ee4db6967414518e.jpeg

So, quite literally, the term “Brevet” in “Brevet Rank” referred to the warrant or letters patent that conferred the authority of a higher rank to someone holding a lower substantive rank. So yet again, the word “Brevet” means a kind of paper certificate, or letter, or diploma, or warrant in this case as it does in all others.

[cynicalint]

Entre - American main Course, or French - starter
Brevet British vernacular for a flying badge, or French - paper certificate.
Gay 1914 happy and Jolly - 2014 'Good As You'
Kite, childs flying toy or Big Boys flying toy,
Plane -carpenter's tool or Big boys flying toy

Same words, different times and languages meaning different things to different people.
Language evolves, semantics may say brevet is a certificate, but most will still understand the the use of brevet refers to a flying badge which in turn is a representative of the certificate awarded to permit the wearing of the flying badge. One can't have the badge without the certificate, so brevet has become synonymous with the badge.

[Archimedes]

I've no idea whether brevet rank is still conferred in the British Army but, in 1914, it appears to have been an Army, rather than regimental, concept. 1st Gordon Highlanders deployed to France in August 1914 and, in the retreat from Mons, took part in the holding battle at Le Cateau on 26 August. They did not receive the withdrawal order that afternoon, and neither did companies of other regiments on each side of them. As the situation developed, a Gordons Lt Col (Brevet Colonel) - not the Gordons' CO - claimed that as those left constituted an Army grouping, it fell to him to take command. I imagine that this caused some disagreement with the CO but that's what finally happened and the group began to withdraw in very difficult circumstances after midnight - my maternal grandfather died in the ensuing confusion as they encountered German forces that were now surrounding them. Some years after the war, I believe this incident led to a legal case in the Scottish courts.

Whatever merits this system may have had in a peacetime army, my impression is that it did not transfer well into the heat of battle.

William Eagleson Gordon VC - the battalion was ordered (but didn't receive the orders) to retire. Gordon came to the view that the position was hopeless (as had the Brigade commander) and believed that the battalion should seek to break out to regain British lines. The CO demurred, whereupon Gordon pulled rank and an attempt to break out was made - but it was too late and most of the survivors were captured.

Gordon's health declined in captivity and he was exchanged for a Prussian prince in 1916. After the war, one of the men was quoted as saying that Gordon had ordered the battalion to surrender (this in an article in The People's Journal). Gordon sued for libel and won; it was alleged that the CO and members of his family held a significant enough shareholding in the newspaper to put the editor up to blaming Gordon for the surrender, but as well as winning the court case he was exonerated by a Court of Inquiry into the events of 1914 (which published its conclusions shortly after the court case ended, agreeing that Gordon hadn't surrendered and had, indeed, wished to attempt a break out.

In terms of Brevet, LJ is absolutely correct about the etymological origins - but the term extended to mean the badge thanks to the original practice in the RFC of presenting wings and flying certificate to a newly-qualified pilot. The new pilot had thus been awarded his 'flying brevet'... and over time, this came to be interpreted as the badge which was part of the original 'brevet' package, as it were.

One hardly dares point out that the RAF Club website now states that affiliate membership is open to "A flying brevet wearing officer of the Navy or Army'...

[longer ron]

Sadly, the only half-wits are the ones that insist on keeping calling a badge a brevet, when a brevet is a certificate!



LJ seems to have changed his tune since 2012 ;)

Originally Posted by Lima Juliet


I bet there are are some WSO's who have declined the new badge and continue to wear their 'N' and 'AE' brevets. Same thing, really.
Just an observation (excuse the pun!), but it would appear that more AEOp/AEOs have switched to the new WSO brevet than Navs - why is this? The only N-breveted navs that I know that sport the WSO brevet are the ones that thought it might be good for their career https://www.pprune.org/images/smilies2/eusa_wall.gif

Also, I think it is dreadful that RAF stores no longer keep the older brevets in stock. I've heard of Navs going on e-bay to buy their brevets. In 1952 did they cease stocking King's Crown Pilot's brevets - I doubt it!

If you read the book in post #2 (there's a copy in the RAF Club library) there is a big section on the new WSO brevet. Originally, it was planned to be a 2-winged brevet for Navs that flew in the boot of Tornado, Phantom and Buccaneer. But when some of the other fleets got wind of it (Nimrod, E3 and Truckies) they wanted 'in' and so it went back to the current debacle. I know a Nav who went from Tornado to E3 at the time of the change of brevet - he said that it was madness that he had flown 12 years as a Nav on a Tornado with weapons and now he was a Weapons Systems Officer (Nav) he flew the E3 with no weapons!!! https://www.pprune.org/images/smilies2/eusa_wall.gif

Finally, ACM Sir Simon Bryant was a Nav and he never changed to the new WSO brevet. He was the first, and probably only, 4 star Nav.

LJ

PS. The older brevets are here: RAF Flying Badges_U (http://www.rafweb.org/Badges3A.htm)

And the current ones are here: RAF Flying Badges_U (http://www.rafweb.org/Badges3.htm)

What is really odd is that we have, since the instigation of WSO brevets, invented new ones for Image Analysts to go with Airborne Techs and Fighter Controllers (or Air Battlespace Managers as they are now known) - what a cluster!


Seems fair to describe a 'Wing' as a Brevet - MOD used the term in black and white for quite a while ;)

Qualification Badges
0712. Flying & Parachute Badges. This section deals with those flying badges (QR J727 & 728) and Parachute badges (QR 434 – 436)
currently in issue
BADGE DESCRIPTION
Pilot. Wings of drab silk embroidery with monogram 'RAF' in centre, surrounded by laurel leaf of brown silk and
surmounted by a crown – on dark blue melton cloth.
Navigator. The letter 'N' of drab silk surrounded by a laurel leaf of brown silk with an outspread drab silk wing 2½" (6.35 cm)
long – on dark blue melton cloth.

Air Electronics Officer ]
or Operator (AE) ] As for Navigator, but with alternative letters, in brackets. (See Note)
Air Engineer (E) ]
Air Loadmaster (LM) ]

Note. With effect 1 Apr 03 the range of 5 aircrew brevets for rear crew personnel were replaced by the single rear crew brevet (see below).
Those aircrew who were already qualified to wear old style individual brevets can opt to wear the new brevet or retain the old style but there will
be no further provisioning of the current brevet.
Rear Aircrew Brevet. The monogram ‘RAF’ in drab silk surrounded by a laurel leaf of brown silk, surmounted by a crown with an
outspread drab silk wing 2½" (6.35 cm) long – on dark blue melton cloth. Introduced 1 Apr 03 to replace
Navigator, Air Electronics Officer/Operator, Air Engineer and Air Loadmaster. (See Note Above).
Fighter Controller (FC). The letters ‘FC’ of drab silk surrounded by a laurel leaf of brown silk with an outspread drab silk wing 2½" (6.35
cm) long – on dark blue melton cloth.
Airborne Technician (AT). The letters ‘AT’ of drab silk surrounded by a laurel leaf of brown silk with an outspread drab silk wing 2½" (6.35
cm) long – on dark blue melton cloth.

[beardy]

Words, phrases and terms rely on their utility by being understood and interpreted by those who use them and those who interpret them.
Those who object to the use of brevet when describing a uniform badge denoting qualification understand what it is being used to describe (a qualification badge). So their objection is not through a lack of understanding of meaning in context. If the meaning is known where does the problem lie?

[bonajet]

A bit of thread drift going on here. To return to the subject - does anyone know what caused the Team to drop to 7 this year?

[42go]

No, but the magnificent MOD PR team still show 9 drivers for 7 aircraft!

[Parson]

A bit of thread drift going on here. To return to the subject - does anyone know what caused the Team to drop to 7 this year?

A pilot sent home from Springhawk in mid-May and therefore a bit late to train a replacement. Not sure why 7 rather than 8 though I guess the odd number works better for the formations. Unless another pilot not able to fly.