Red Arrows crash: Changes prove wrongdoing, sister says

Cpl Jonathan Bayliss joined the Red Arrows team in January 2016

Changes made by the Red Arrows after an engineer died in a plane crash highlight how much was wrong at the time, his sister has told an inquest.

Corporal Jonathan Bayliss died when the Hawk T1 jet he was travelling in crashed at RAF Valley in Anglesey.

Pilot Flight Lieutenant David Stark survived after ejecting moments earlier.

The inquest was told 25 recommendations had been made following a Defence Safety Authority Service inquiry.

Group Captain Mark Jackson said there were plans to change the ejection system in the jets so pilots could eject rear seat passengers and more engineers were being employed to deal with staffing shortages.

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Corporal Bayliss' sister Gayle Todd said: "I am glad to hear of all the changes but it does highlight how much was wrong at the time of Jon's death."

During his evidence to the inquest on Wednesday, Flight Lieutenant Stark said it was his "eternal regret" that he was not able to eject Corporal Bayliss at the same time as he exited the plane.

The Red Arrow's display team jet crashed at RAF Valley on Anglesey in March 2018

The ejection systems in the planes only allow the rear seat passenger to control ejection for both seats, as the planes were used for training with an instructor who would sit in the back.

But Group Captain Jackson said a feasibility study had been carried out and confirmed the system could be changed so pilots in the front seat could eject a passenger.

He said the improvements were expected to take between two and three years once the business case was approved.

'Lack of manpower an issue'

He added that analysis was being done on fitting an artificial stall warning into the aircraft after Flight Lieutenant Stark said he had not realised the plane was stalling before the crash.

There were also plans for cockpit voice recorders to be fitted, he said.

Group Captain Jackson said a review of the Red Arrows engineering team found the workforce needed 23 additional staff.

Mrs Todd said manpower had been raised as an issue in the engineering team a number of times before in previous years.

She said: "I don't know why the MoD never gave them the extra manning they required."

Corporal Bayliss, who was born in Dartford, Kent, joined the RAF in 2001 and in early 2018 was promoted to the Circus team, a small group of highly trained engineers who travel with the Red Arrows and provide technical support away from its base.

The inquest continues.