New formation for Red Arrows 05.03.12
11The first woman to fly with the Red Arrows display team is to move to a ground-based role.
Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Stewart joined the Lincolnshire-based unit in 2010. The 33 year old is to be reassigned after the deaths of two Red Arrows' pilots last year. The "tragic events" of 2011 had an "adverse effect" on her, a defence source said.
The Ministry of Defence said: "The Red Arrows will conduct aerobatic displays with seven aircraft rather than the usual nine in 2012 due to the unavoidable posting of one of their pilots."
In August, Flt Lt Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, died in an air show crash near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset.
Three months later, Flt Lt Sean Cunningham, 35, was killed after being ejected from his Hawk T1 while on the ground at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.
Flt Lt Stewart, who flew as Red 9, will not fly for a period yet to be agreed by RAF bosses. She will be posted to another role within the RAF.
It is understood that her departure is not the subject of any disciplinary issues or related to her gender.