It looked pretty destroyed to me as in clearly never going to fly again even though not splintered into several thousand pieces.

The Daily Mail online shows a photo of one of the guys being put in an ambulance. It's a close up and it does not take a rocket scientist to ID the pilot. :ugh:

I appreciate that there is a freedom of speech issue however, I do hope the photo went out AFTER the NOK were informed.

Get well soon mate.

Ahh yes,

the old 'you go right I'll go left' routine.......

That photo is in pretty bad taste I think - makes you wonder who took it. :mad:

Get well soon mate! :ok:

RAFAT are working on getting it binned.

Firstly I hope the pilot concerned is ok.

I was also wondering what would happen to the displays this year if one of the pilots became unavailable. The only thing I could think of is one of the pilots who 'retired' this year could be brought back - although a '7 ship' would be an option obviously. (I was thinking of last year when the Tucano displays had to be cancelled after the pilot there was injured).

MoD have confirmed it was Flt Lt Mike Ling who ejected and Flt Lt Dave Montenegro who managed to land.

More info here.

Wokkamate - please don't be too hard on the photographer - save your ire for the Daily Mail. The photog works in a country (much like most Mediterranean ones) where death and injury are pretty much public property. Its not wrong - just different, for example on a recent Spanish hol there were pictures on the news of dead bodies by the roadside and on a construction site - certainly on National TV before anyone could have been informed.
Where UK morals and standards should have been applied is the Editorial Office at the Mail - they have failed to act in accordance with British Values of what is decent in our eyes.

Drastic thoughts about team cuts, wasn't someone injured a year or two back and they flew 7/8 until he was fit part way through the season?? I hope excuses aren't made to cut. Get well soon and back in the saddle for a great season!

Sky news reporting dislocated shoulder on pilot who ejected, good to see no serious injuries, aircraft can be replaced...
I would say that was a good result from a collision on the type of flying these guys do.

The DM has blurred the pilot's face out. Not before time!

Glad to hear all ok.

I for one, can not understand why the pre season work up is not being carried out at Akrotiri as is normal, bearing in mind the current defence budget furore. Any reason for Crete?:=

The Sun is still carrying the photo without any blurring of the pilot's face/rank.

They were/are still planning to go to Akrotiri in a few weeks.

Pleased to here that both pilots are OK. Lets hope they are back in the air soon.

RetiredSHRigger

The past few years has seen the Reds start there training in Greece before moving onto Akrotiri to finish the training and get the OK to display. This year is no different. According to the Reds website they are due to leave Kastelli for Akrotiri on 1st April.

Apparently it was the syncho-pair, according to the concurrent thread on R&N.

I think there may be some repercussions from this in the medium term. Given the swingeing cuts that the RN and Army are accepting in their PR budgets I can't see them offering much morale support to the RAF's decision to send a C-130 and ten Hawks to Greece, then accidentally damaging/destroying two £5m aircraft by deliberately flying them headlong at each other...

Now on the official MoD website:

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Training and Adventure | Pilots safe after Red Arrows collision

Get well soon, old chap.

'Severely damaged' - no $hit, Sherlock...:\

C130 Bloke & Trim Stab: Well done for your posts - I'm sure the Families at home are really considering the impact of the medical condition of their son/partner on the PR10 outcome. You wouldn't happen to be frustrated fast-jet mates would you (as a multi pilot, I can say that with a clear conscience)? Did you always want to be in the Reds, like most of us if we're honest, when you were young and now enjoy taking any opportunity to comment on those significantly more talented than yourselves??
You should be ashamed. I hope the Pilot makes a speedy recovery, and gets back to where he has worked bloody hard to be - 9 ship and all.

Thanks for putting me straight Helimarshaller.

I watched one half of the syncro pair bounce down the runway with the luckiest pilot alive pulled out of the disintegrating wreckage by his own parachute at Akrotiri back in march 84 whilst on the beirut evacuation with 18 sqn. The reds were not amused when the score cards came out as they taxied back to dispersal, zeros all round :D

Gods speed for a timely recovery
 

I do envy these boys and girls flying ability but do have to ask its net worth to Defence per se. Whilst these things (collisions and crashes)always give me the jitters I do have to ask if the circa 1.5 million (I have checked my figures and they were last years) spent on coloured diesel may be better spent on the defence budget and not touting a morally and financially suspect british waste of space company. Wouldnt a reduction in jets mean a freeing up of TG1 and 2 to the fleets that need them?

I am sure the green army would have something to spend the money on in the sandy place of happiness.

The pilot who ejected appears to be Red 6, the Synchro Leader so he'll be hard to replace at this point in prep for the season if he's out of action for long. They're weeks away from PDA so these weeks are crucial to their work-ups.

I don't know this particular flyer personally but wish him and RAFAT a speedy recovery.

Oh come on fellas - there really is a time and a place for this nonsense. The Reds debate is hardly for today, or do we get some enjoyment out of kicking people when they're undoubtedly feeling pretty down.

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned.....?

no matter what you think about the validity of the team at least keep those opinions to yourself until the pilot is up on his feet again.
Shame on the media who have released pictures of the pilot being taken into hospital.
Get well soon fella and hope to see all nine performing their world famous display many times this season.

Well the Sun's pics has confirmed my fears.:uhoh:

To the both of you: get well soon.

Thoughts are with you and your folks.

I know the ejectee well and am gutted he's in pain.

However better outcome than could have been.

Speedy recovery and a face-lick awaits!:ok:

Farfrompuken, Well said.

Best thoughts and wishes to those involved, and their families.

As for:
"one of the pilots has some very minor injuries, unnecessarily inflicted through bravado of dubious worth?"

I only know what has been reported in the media so far, so as you know the full details, please post them. I always pray that the only thing hurt in an ejection is pride, but do they are pretty violent experiences to say the least.

As for knowing the accident involved bravado, don't forget to make yourself available to any BOI:ok:

I think he may have signed a red arrow book for me last Bournemouth Airshow ... (However I didn't try licking his face though Farfrompuken :p )

God speed thier recovery.

Tis not the time to be writing "Tis" when you are trying to say "it is not".

The rags carrying the photos are amongst the most worthless products humankind has managed to find a market for. if you read such ****e, you deserve all you get.

Get well soon mate and get back in the air. This old fart still gets goosebumps whenever you appear.

To stop any further gnashing of teeth re names and pictures - here's the official announcement. Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Training and Adventure | Pilots safe after Red Arrows collision

I might be sick, i might be human - but isn't the thrill of air shows and in particular something as dynamic as the synchro pair, the fact that it is dangerous and that some plucky and talented bloke is up there doing it?

I don't begrudge these chaps two aeroplanes or any amount of coloured deisel. Airshows would be absolutely toilet if there was nothing spectacular about them and with spectacle comes danger. These guys do an amazing display in a modified trainer and charge at each other at speeds that the average human will never experience. In short, it was going to happen at some point! It's part of the game.

I am a fully paid up crab basher, but love the reds. I think that getting rid of them would be a mistake, and know that if we ever make display aviation flawlessly safe, we'll lose one of the main reasons we all love it. It would be like an un-contested scrum. Pointless.

Lastly - I have no idea what the head-to-head sanctuary plan is - but can we surmise that one of them owes the UK an aircraft, and his mate a beer?

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. And a pragmatic BOI!

The stay in hospital could be from the ejection, the dislocation from a loose shoulder strap, its possible they will be testing for back injuries, lets hope they find nothing. best of luck you guys.

Oh, and congrats to the mods on a most apt thread title. bravo.:D

You will notice that a few posts have been deleted - and you probably don't need me to tell you why. So stay on topic guys and cut the spats, they are completely unnecessary.

PPP

Glad the Pilots are ok
 

Get well soon.:ok:

The Sparrows have been the major draw at airshows for many years now (XH558 has slightly eclipsed them recently).
I've seen the crowds disperse as soon as they have finished their display (unless they started the day's flying). Joe Public might not fully appreciate the skill required - but they know what they want to watch!
I've also seen people of all ages crowding to get autographs - and who knows how many youngsters have been persuaded to join up through seeing them at some stage of their life, additionally, within the RAF it gives something for the pilots (and ground crews) to aspire to.
So don't underestimate the benefit to the RAF . . .

Flown with both guys plenty of times - get well quickly Lingy:ok:.

May I join in offering my very best wishes to both pilots, their families and their colleagues. I look forward to reading about them all achieving their PDA very soon.

As the pilots' identities are now in the public domain -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...air-Crete.html

Glad to hear they're ok...

Does anyone know if there is a plan in place for a replacement pilot if an event like this happens? Or will the Reds be cancelled for the year?

Well said, with you all the way, hope the poor chap is soon out of pain and ready to join Red Arrows again! Thanks for the post pal!:ok:

The title - two Reds have "merged"? :p

Glad they're OK and hope they're up and about v. soon, flying the flag for the RAF and the UK. Best of luck to them. :ok: