Mansfield man joins the Red Arrows this year and hopes to fly over hometown
Flight Lieutenant Rob Thomas, from Mansfield, eagerly anticipates flying over his hometown as he joins the Red Arrows this year.
Flight Lieutenant Rob Thomas has joined the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team.
When he was younger, the now 41-year-old enjoyed using a flight simulator on his computer, which sparked a lasting fascination with aviation.
At Trent College, he participated in a combined cadet force and at 14 years old, he travelled to RAF Newton to gain flying experience.
Subsequently, he studied aeronautical engineering at Loughborough University and joined the RAF in 2006.
Training started for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team in 2024 at the team’s home base of RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.
Flight Lieutenant Thomas, who was joined by Flight Lieutenant Andrew McEwen, said he is looking forward to the day he flies over Mansfield.
He said: “When I found out I’d been selected to be part of the team I was so incredibly pleased and I couldn’t wait to share the news with my family. I am still buzzing. I am looking forward to many aspects of my new role in the team.
“The flying element will be challenging but also rewarding and I’m really excited at the prospect of meeting so many people at air shows across the UK.
“The team inspired me to join the RAF and I would love to be part of inspiring the next generation too, through our displays and ground events.”
Flight Lieutenant Thomas previously flew the RAF’s Typhoon aircraft on operations and exercises around the globe, including providing Quick Reaction Alert to safeguard the skies in the UK and the Falkland Islands.
He described how the new role, at the controls of the Red Arrows’ BAE Systems Hawk T1, will compare with this previous type of flying.
He explained: “The skill set of close formation flying is used regularly on the frontline and is a vital tool to be able to employ in various situations.
“My experience will help to some degree but the precision, teamwork and trust required to fly in large, dynamic formations close to the ground is a totally new skill, almost like learning to fly again.”
Up to three new pilots join the Red Arrows each year, succeeding those who leave following completion of their tours at the end of a display season.