Two New Pilots Chosen Following Rigorous Selection Process

Flight Lieutenants Matt Masters (pictured, right) and Si Taylor (left) are the latest recruits to the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team. They are now embarking on six months of intensive training and practice sorties in preparation for the 2016 display season.

The pilots are joining the team after impressing during a tough selection process that involved flight tests, interviews and other exercises.

Flt Lt Masters, who joined the Royal Air Force in 1998, said becoming a Red Arrows pilot was a long-held ambition.

The 39-year-old said: “It has been a childhood dream that I have wanted to become a reality. The Red Arrows’ legacy of precision flying and striving for excellence, combined with the overall popularity amongst the British public, were all key factors in inspiring me to join the team.

“I will be extremely proud to be part of a team that can, and has, influenced so many people around the world.”

Flt Lt Masters was brought up in Southampton and was awarded an RAF Sixth Form and Flying Scholarship at King Edward VI School.

He obtained his private pilot’s licence before his driving licence and went on to gain a Master of Engineering degree at the University of Bristol.2016 Matt Masters

During his Royal Air Force career, Flt Lt Masters flew the Tornado F3 operationally – helping to secure the skies of the United Kingdom on Quick Reaction Alert – and, more recently, he has flown the Hawk T1 while based at RAF Leeming.

Flt Lt Masters, who will fly in the Red 2 position in 2016, said: “Flying in the Red Arrows will be very different to my previous operational flying. While it will still be challenging and very rewarding, there is nothing better than ‘raw’ flying especially in formation with eight other aircraft. “The winter training is going to be intense and I am most looking forward to putting together all the parts of the jigsaw and displaying as a nine-ship formation for first time.”

The Red Arrows consist of nine display pilots flying Hawk fast jets in precision formations and dynamic loops, rolls and close-passes. Each year, two or three experienced Royal Air Force pilots join the team, succeeding the same number leaving the Squadron. To be considered for selection, a pilot must be rated as the very best in terms of flying ability, have previously flown operationally and have 1,500 fast jet hours. On completion of a three-year tour with the Squadron, the pilots either return to the frontline, instructional or staff duties.

Flt Lt Taylor, 35, was born and brought up in Leeds, where he attended Allerton High School. He then went on to study ergonomics at Loughborough University and graduated in 2002. He joined the Royal Air Force in 2003 and has deployed on numerous occasions, flying both the Tornado GR4 and Typhoon aircraft operationally.

Flt Lt Taylor, who will be Red 3 for the 2016 display season, said: “I can’t imagine a bigger professional honour than putting on a red suit and flying as part of the team. It still hasn’t sunk in yet to be honest.”

He added: “I’ve been going to air shows and watching the Red Arrows since I was a small boy. Everyone in the crowd looks forward to watching the team display because they are exciting and always put on a great show. “Like every pilot in the RAF, you always want to be the best you can and for me the Red Arrows always epitomised the height of professionalism and flying ability.”

After flying the Tornado, Flt Lt Taylor was selected for the Typhoon FGR4 in 2012.

Following a conversion course he joined 3 (Fighter) Squadron at the end of 2012 and spent two years back on the frontline at RAF Coningsby. During this time, he deployed to the Falkland Islands and took part in exercises in Oman, UAE and Poland.

At the end of 2014, Flt Lt Taylor was posted to 29 (Reserve) Squadron at Coningsby as an instructor on the Operational Conversion Unit. He said: “Aerobatic display flying will be a very different but no less difficult challenge to operational flying. I actually think this will be the hardest flying challenge I’ve faced.

“Flying training prepares you for tactical frontline flying whereas the discipline of formation aerobatics isn’t something that you touch. For me, I think most of the pressure will be self-induced. It’s about not letting the team down.”

Before the pilots can officially wear the team’s famous red flying suits and perform aerobatic displays for a public audience, they will have to complete winter training. Pilots fly three-times-day, five-days-a-week with each sortie filmed and scrutinised in detail.

The team hopes to gain Public Display Authority in April and begin its 2016 season shortly afterwards.

(Top image from RAF Association Facebook page. Bottom image from file)

FMI: www.raf.mod.uk