Unfair that things went as bad as they did It's not like just because he knew the risks, and took the risks, that he deserved the worst possible outcome at this age = unfair. If he had been a Red Arrow's daredevil for the last 50 years or so, well maybe then you could say he got his fair share of fun before things went pear shaped.
BBC's saying he steered away from a residential area before ejecting too late. He probably saved lives, sacrificing his own. Definitely one of the best.
RIP Red 4. A shame indeed. Combat jet pilots are some of the fittest people in the world, both physically and mentally. To be chosen as one of the VERY few to fly in performance crews makes you the cream of the crop. The BBC reporting that he still pulled away from a residential are before crashing shows the stuff these guys are made of. Some air squads to a maneuver to commemorate those lost where they do a flyby (with the replacement), and the position then breaks away from the squad and leaves in a different direction. I've seen a group of civilian pilots do that around here. Knowing what it mean makes it a sight that's somewhat hard to swallow.
Watching that makes me wonder what went wrong with the craft. Can see it in trouble as soon as the camera pans back to it. The pilot would have known that as well, can only praise him for having the ability to stay in a doomed craft long enough to avoid a residential crash, especially as he'd have known the risks to himself.
Drove past the crash site today as I have to pick up a client who lives a matter of a few hundred metres away from it. The area itself is scattered with houses here and there so he did incredibly well to miss all of them; a very selfless sacrifice. Not so impressed at the taxi driver asking if I'd "seen any planes 'round here lately".
Books of condolences are available to sign this week in Bournemouth Town Hall, and Library. Have a look here for Opening times, as well as other methods. Sam
