Exclusive: Meet the new pilots joining the Red Arrows who both have a unique past
The Red Arrows have welcomed two new pilots onto the team – and each has an interesting past, as they told BFBS Forces News in their first interviews.
One piloted Royal Navy ships, while the other is a multiple applicant who has tried to get onto the team before.
Flight Lieutenant Rob Thomas takes the position as Red 2 and Flight Lieutenant Andrew McEwen as Red 3.
For both men, joining the RAF aerobatic team is a lifelong dream.
"I still don't believe it to be honest. I'm still in a bit of shock," said Flt Lt McEwen, Red 3.
Flt Lt Thomas, Red 2, added: "I'm absolutely buzzing. It's something that I've always wanted to do.
"It's taken me a few times to try and get in, so on my third shortlist I got onto the team. I still can't believe it."
Red 3 joined the RAF in 2009 but took a secondment to the Royal Navy between 2012 and 2014 to pilot warships instead of planes.
He trained as a Royal Navy Officer of the Watch to gain a Navigational Watchkeeping Certificate. He spent a year at sea on board the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and Type 45 destroyers HMS Dragon and HMS Dauntless.
He told BFBS Forces News that it was the "non-standard approach to getting your pilot licence in the RAF".
During a gap in training to become a fast jet pilot there was an opportunity to "do something different".
"Me and a buddy went and joined the Royal Navy for two years learning to drive ships," he explained.
"That was an interesting sideways step to doing something completely different and then coming back to aviation with the RAF."
Flt Lt McEwen was only five years old when he was first inspired by the RAF and was introduced to the iconic Red Arrows.
He said he saw the Red Arrows painted on the wing of a Concord as it flew over his grandmother's garden.
"Although I didn't understand it contextually at the time, I just looked up and I remember thinking 'that's what I want to do'.
"As I got a bit older, I looked a bit more into the RAF, which made me think, actually, I want to be an operational pilot as well."
Red 3 added that his ambition to join the Reds steered his education and joining the RAF.
Meanwhile, Flt Lt Thomas was inspired by the team at an airshow at RAF Waddington.
He said: "I saw the Red Arrows perform with the Diamond Nine going up into the vertical and the sun reflecting off the back of the aircraft and it just sent shivers down my spine.
"My hairs all stood up and I just thought 'that's what I want to do'. From that moment on it was what I dreamt of doing."
Red 3, Flt Lt McEwen, completed his fast jet training at RAF Valley, flying the Hawk T1, the same aircraft the Red Arrows fly.
From 2015 to 2018 he joined the United States Marine Corps, operating the Harrier AV-8B.
Later he moved to the F-35B Lightning II, the fifth-generation multi-role aircraft.
He headed to the Operational Conversion Unit and then to the frontline in 2022 as a member of 617 Squadron – The Dambusters.
As part of 617 Squadron, he flew on operations and multiple Nato exercises around the world, including operating from HMS Queen Elizabeth.
For Red 2, Flt Lt Thomas, he was selected for fast jet training at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and RAF Valley.
He was then put forward to become a qualified flying instructor on the Hawk T1 because of his advanced flying skills.
He then joined 3(F) Squadron at RAF Coningsby to fly the Typhoon FGR4.
During his frontline tour, he flew multiple exercises and operations, including providing Quick Reaction Alert to safeguard the skies in the UK and the Falkland Islands.
He then returned to the Typhoon Frontline with 3(F) Squadron where he continued to deploy across the Middle East, Europe, North America and the Falklands.
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