Inquest takes place into the death of a Red Arrows engineer
Corporal Jonathan Bayliss from Ingham died when the Hawk T1 jet he was travelling in crashed at RAF Valley in North Wales in 2018.
Last updated 5th Nov 2021
The inquest has been taking place into the death of Corporal Jonathan Bayliss of Ingham who was an engineer with the Red Arrows.
The 41 year old died when the Hawk T1 jet he was travelling in crashed at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, on March 20 2018.
However pilot Flight Lieutenant David Stark survived after ejecting moments earlier.
His sister yesterday told the inquest changes by the Reds following his death showed how much was wrong at the time.
An inquest in Caernarfon on Thursday was told 25 recommendations had been made following a Defence Safety Authority Service Inquiry into the crash.
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.
Corporal Bayliss's sister Gayle Todd, watching via videolink from the US, 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 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 feasibility study was completed by Martin Baker and it was deemed yes, it could be incorporated into the aircraft."
He said the improvements were expected to take between two and three years once the business case was approved.
He said 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 which began on Tuesday, was listed for four days, but acting senior coroner for North Wales (West) Katie Sutherland indicated she would give her conclusion in one or two weeks time.