Female pilot ‘affected by deaths’

Britain’s first female Red Arrows pilot is to move to a ground-based job after two of her colleagues were killed in separate tragedies last year.

Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Stewart, 33, is to be given a new role in the RAF after the “tragic events” of 2011 had an “adverse effect” on her, a Ministry of Defence source said.

In August, pilot Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, died in an air show crash near Bournemouth Airport.

Three months later, Sean Cunningham, 35, was killed after being ejected from his Hawk aircraft while on the ground at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

Flt Lt Stewart, who flew as “Red 9”, will stay grounded for a period yet to be agreed by RAF bosses, but it could be for up to six months, reports say.

She will be posted to another role and it is understood that her departure is not the subject of any disciplinary issues or related to her gender.

A defence source said: “Not many people outside of the Red Arrows will understand the pressure and busy schedule that the team endure through a normal season.

“These factors have been exacerbated by the tragic events of 2011. This has had an adverse effect on Kirsty.”