Ex Red going down.

[Tin basher]

Following on from Wiggy's letter training has recently happened at Scampton (and elsewhere)

Red Arrows pilots given 'consent' training sexual assault allegations

The training was given to the RAF's aerobatic team at RAF Scrampton and included the Red Arrows, days after 40 personnel gave 250 hours of evidence in an enquiry into the 'toxic' unit.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"The non-statutory inquiry has so far documented at least 13 alleged incidents of sexual harassment, assault and sexual assault, bullying, intimidation, indecent exposure, victimisation, 'misunderstanding of consent', misogyny and isolation. "

That's quite a list and "Pilots also allegedly got so drunk playing 'Met roulette', which involved drinking heavily if they think their flights would be called-off due to bad weather," Obviously not connected but "The unit was forced to pull out of Sidmouth airshow yesterday due to 'engineering issues'."

 

[Late & Tired]

I sense that after 647yrs+ as OC, Monty may need to be looking for another aircraft type (or even a desk at High Wycombe)...

 

[Tin basher]

I sense that after 647yrs+ as OC,

647 years + that's way back to when Pontus was a pilot and Ben Hur was MTO

 

[vim_fuego]

I wonder what it’s like within the Sparrows HQ right now? How awful it must be pitching up to work in the midst of all this, now knowing what allegedly has gone on? Knowing that many have given evidence against others, some of which might be your pals.

 

[Oldstacker]

I wonder what it’s like within the Sparrows HQ right now? How awful it must be pitching up to work in the midst of all this, now knowing what allegedly has gone on? Knowing that many have given evidence against others, some of which might be your pals.

Pretty awful, I guess. Depends how widespread was knowledge of the alleged wrongdoings and whether there was a happy or unhappy atmosphere prior to the public revelations. Either way, the officers and SNECs are going to have to show some leadership skills going forward...

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

Pretty awful, I guess. Depends how widespread was knowledge of the alleged wrongdoings and whether there was a happy or unhappy atmosphere prior to the public revelations. Either way, the officers and SNECs are going to have to show some leadership skills going forward...

Problem is they have already failed and have a toxic mentality. No doubt the excuse for the continuous poor behaviour was "I was only joking!"! In my experience the only way for the culture to change is a clear-out (this is normally through postings in of good people, postings out of the toxic people but this is more through accident than design) BUT the military is always slow to react with this as the Officer Corp need to be given the opportunity to show how they can develop their subordinates. This despite again...THEY HAVE ALREADY FAILED.

 

[Stevienics]

I wonder what it’s like within the Sparrows HQ right now? How awful it must be pitching up to work in the midst of all this, now knowing what allegedly has gone on? Knowing that many have given evidence against others, some of which might be your pals.

Difficult to know which room to hide in, what with the Pilot training farce and the recruiting debacle.

 

[Late & Tired]

I'm guessing the cubicle walls of the RAFAT crappers are being painted again...

 

[norfolkred1]

One in a million photo catch of the bird strike that recently grounded them.

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

Good pic!!! The 5H1t hitting the fan :-D!!!

 

[Oldstacker]

Great pic, but no doubt someone somewhere will demand a vigil to remember the bird and the grounding of the RAFAT to protect other birds....

 

[Allflapnofly]

A feather in his cap for recovering from that incident and for getting his jet back on the deck.....

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

Only to face an Inquisition as to his/her conduct while p15hed when they land.....

 

[norfolkred1]

Good pic!!! The 5H1t hitting the fan :-D!!!

TBF I thought it was another excuse not to fly due to the current shite hitting the fan episodes. The photo says different.

 

[4mastacker]

There's a photo on tw@tter showing his helmet which took a hit. Lucky man!!

 

[Cat Techie]

Why one always has a visor down, especially low level.

 

[muttywhitedog]

There is no real reason why those percentages should weaken the service at all or have any impact on standards or operations PROVIDED the people being recruited meet the appropriate standards the same as any other recruit. What weakens the service is lowering recruiting standards specifically to fill quotas or, just as bad & perhaps worse, leaving 'spaces' unfilled because the only potential recruits coming forward are the wrong colour or gender.

He certainly stands accused of the latter if the media are to be believed and that would be a failure to fulfil his duty.

Perhaps he should feel the pain and be stripped of his minions and staff officers, so the front line doesn't suffer because of his failed policy. In my experience, When the person implementing a policy personally suffers the consequences of failure, that policy tends to get re-drafted bloody quick

 

[Tin basher]

I wonder what it’s like within the Sparrows HQ right now? How awful it must be pitching up to work in the midst of all this, now knowing what allegedly has gone on? Knowing that many have given evidence against others, some of which might be your pals.

The report is in and it's conclusions probably won't improve the mood amongst the special people still at sparrows HQ.

"An investigation into a toxic culture in the RAF's Red Arrows display team has found predatory behaviour towards women was "widespread and normalised". Examples included unwanted physical contact, sexual texts, invitations to engage in sexual activity, and women being seen as "property"..........Chief of the air staff, Sir Richard Knighton, said he was appalled by the findings and "unreservedly" apologised................The RAF admitted part of the problem may have been a view that members of the display team were "special"..........The RAF said the "high profile of the team, their regular exposure to VIPs, celebrities and an admiring public… promotes the view among some personnel that they are special and that normal rules and behaviours do not apply to them".

Red Arrows: Predatory behaviour widespread and normalised - RAF

Women in the team were seen as "property", and a "bystander culture" meant this went unchallenged.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[4mastacker]

Nothing new in that report about the Red's attitude. They always considered themselves a cut above the rest.

Prior to their move from Kemble, when AOC 1 Group announced at a briefing in the cinema at Scampton that the Reds were moving to the station , he said that one of the reasons for the move ( apart from Kemble closing) was "to bring them back into the Royal Air Force". He mentioned the 'private flying club' attitude that had prevailed at Kemble and that by bringing them onto a station which was also going to house the HQ of CFS, would bring improved oversight and supervision of the team's activities. The move still didn't stop them acting like prima donnas and they had a direct line to the top of the RAF if they didn't get their way on various "pet" projects.

A jaundiced view? - Yes, having encountered them several times before they arrived at Scampton, when stations I was based hosted an airshow in which they were taking part.

 

[Dan_Brown]

I've said it before - i found most of them to be arses.

Stood on a gate checking ID's was always met with "don't you know who i am?". They answered the phones, Red 1, Red 2 etc - who the actual feck am i talking to?

But whenever we deployed with them, they always got the best hotels, functions and were happy to splash the cash!