Red Arrows cleared to resume flying after crash that killed pilot

RAF says operations will resume after initial inquiry into crash that killed Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging at air show The Red Arrows have been cleared to resume flying after the air show crash that killed one of their pilots. Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, died when his aircraft plunged to the ground near Bournemouth airport in Dorset on Saturday, after completing a formation display over the town’s seafront. The RAF grounded all 126 of its Hawk T1 training jets while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of the tragedy. But the Ministry of Defence confirmed on Thursday that there were no wider safety concerns about the aircraft, meaning the Red Arrows can begin flying again. A spokeswoman said: “Having been assured of the airworthiness of the Hawk T1 fleet, the precautionary suspension of flying activity has been lifted and flying operations have been resumed.” It is not known when the Red Arrows will begin performing at air shows again. The aerobatics team’s aircraft, which have undergone routine maintenance at Bournemouth airport while they were grounded, will return to their base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire in the coming days. Egging’s wife, Dr Emma Egging, watched her husband perform with the Red Arrows just minutes before he crashed to his death. Witnesses described seeing the aircraft flying low before smashing into a field and coming to a standstill with its nose in the river Stour near the village of Throop. The full service inquiry into the crash is expected to last months. Investigators have released no details about their initial findings. The Red Arrows have used the dual control BAE Systems Hawk T1, which has a top speed of Mach 1.2, since 1979. Hawk T1s are also used for training fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, and RAF Leeming, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Military guardian.co.uk

Posted by on August 25, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.