Hard luck.-

The Red Arrows pilot killed on 09-11-11, when he was ejected from his Hawk T1 has been named as Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham.

Flt Lt Cunningham's aircraft had not left the ground when the incident happened at RAF Scampton. The RAF suspended all non-essential flights of aircraft with the same type of ejector seats linked to the death. It was described as a precautionary measure while investigations were carried out.

Red 5 - Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, 34, was born in South Africa, and moved to the UK in 1986 at the age of nine. Although a profession in football was a possibility, he followed his dream to become a fast jet pilot when he joined the RAF in 2000. On completion of his flying training, he was posted to the Tornado GR4 aircraft serving on 617 'The Dambusters' Squadron at Royal Air Force Lossiemouth. During his three years on the Squadron, Flt Lt Cunningham completed several operational tours of Iraq as part of Operation Telic, flying close air support missions for coalition ground forces.

After completing exercises in America, Canada, Romania and France, Flt Lt Cunningham joined XV (R) Squadron as a Qualified Pilot and Tactics Instructor. He continued his instructional role when posted to the Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) Training Unit at 100 Squadron, RAF Leeming, before being selected to fly for the RAF Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, in 2010.

 The Commandant of the RAF's Central Flying School,  Group Captain Simon Blake, said:

"Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham joined the team in October 2010 and flew for his first year as Red 3. This year, Sean had commenced training as Red 5 and was the senior member of the 'front 5', affectionately known as 'Enid', and thus had the unofficial mantle of 'Uncle Enid' - a key position in mentoring and helping to train the new pilots to the team. His constant smile, energy, and joie de vivre was infectious, and he will be sorely missed by his fellow pilots, the entire Red Arrows team, and his many colleagues and friends in the wider Royal Air Force. Our heartfelt sorrow and sympathy go out to his family and all those whose lives he touched."

On 20-08-2011, three months before, Flt Lt. John Eggin "Egg Man" died Whilst flying back from an airshow in Bournmouth.

I was lucky enough to fly with the Reds during pre-season training on 28 Feb 11 at their home, RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire. I flew with Kirsty Moore and it was only following the sad news about Jon's crash that I reviewed the footage and realised that Jon Egging, Red 4, featured heavily in the shots.

It was a gloomy day and the team only practised their flat (low cloud/poor weather) display and even then only in bits but even this small amount blew my mind. The footage may not be as eye pleasing as some of the other blue sky highly dynamic opposition synchro pair stuff but to me it stands a testament to the skill of these guys. Little did I realise at the time that the guy taking off next to us and swooping across our canopy would tragically no longer be with us 6 months later.

I didn't chat to him much that day, but he had always said a polite hello at breakfast in the mess or during the crewroom at Valley before he joined the team while refreshing on the Hawk in 2010. I'm nearing the end of my RAF flying training, if I can near 1/10th the skill of him, I'll be a happy man!

The audio track is the theme from the film 'Kick Ass', an upbeat track I thought fitting, as this is what this bunch do every time they fly! Moreover, watch the first 50 seconds to see Jon racing over the countryside only a few hundred feet off the ground before joining the rest of the team with ultimate precision. He died what he doing a job he no doubt loved. As a professional pilot, being in the Reds was as good as it gets, and he, like the rest, kicked ass! RIP dude.

                                                                                               Torque Of The Devil