Squadron Leader Simon Meade is the new Squadron Commander and Team Leader of the Red Arrows. He previously served with the Team in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

Simon, 35, was educated at Ifield School, Crawley and he served in the local Air Training Corps Squadron, No 19. In his time with the ATC he flew gliders with No 618 Volunteer Gliding School at West Malling. He joined the RAF in 1979 and following commissioning and flying training he was posted to No 4 Squadron at Gutersloh in Germany where he operated the Harrier GR3. During his time at Gutersloh he was detached for duty in the Falkland Islands and in Belize, Central America. He later trained as a Hawk Weapons Instructor at the Tactical Weapons Unit at RAF Chivenor in Devon.

In 1988 and 1989 Simon was solo Hawk aerobatic display pilot. In his second year he won the prestigious Superkings Trophy for the best solo jet aerobatic display at the 1989 International Air Tattoo at Fairford. At the end of his tour he was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. In 1990 he returned to Harrier flying, this time the GR5 version on No 1 Squadron at the Home of the Harrier, RAF Wittering.

During his final year with the Red Arrows, when he was Leader of the Synchro Pair, Simon was promoted to Squadron Leader. He was then posted back to the Harrier aircraft and served as Flight Commander on No 4 Squadron at Laarbruch in Germany.

Simon is married to Amanda. Their daughter, India Rose, could hardly wait to arrive. She was born in the Special Care Baby Unit at the Royal Hull Hospital on 10th December 1995 weighting just 2lb 11oz (1220 grams) but is now doing very well.

Simon is the complete sportsman. He enjoys running, rugby, cricket, skiing and weightlifting. He was in the UK National Bobsleigh Team from 1986 to 1989 and he was in the British Olympic Squad for the 1988 Olympic Games. In 1993, his final year of his first tour with the Red Arrows, he found time to train as a rally driver and he entered the Network Q RAC Rally in the autumn of 1993 as a Novice Driver, finishing in 5th place in his class, a quite remarkable achievement. As a result of his drive he raised over £ 26,000 in sponsorship money for the Child Line charity.

During his first tour with the Red Arrows Simon said that he was avoiding golf and such was his commitment to other activities that he succeeded. “Now I am failing to avoid it”, said Simon. “Occasionally I am accused of playing a golf-like stroke”.

Simon has known for 18 months that he was going to be the 14th Leader of the Red Arrows. “There were three of us on the short list. We each had an interview with our Air Officer Commanding. Mine was at Laarbruch in Germany. It was probably the first job interview I’d had since joining the Air Force and it was a 40 minute grilling. I came out of it thinking I had done very badly but a week later I got a call to tell me the job was mine.”

As Red 1 Squadron Leader Meade not only leads the Red Arrows in the air but he is Squadron Commander for just under 100 pilots, technicians and support staff.

Flight Lieutenant Ian S Smith, 32, was born in June 1964 in the RAF Hospital at Nocton Hall near Lincoln. At that time his father was a flying instructor at nearby RAF Cranwell which is now the home of the Red Arrows.

Ian was educated at St Hugh’s Prep School in Oxford from the age of 8 and later at Hinchingbrooke School, Huntingdon. Whilst living in Huntingdon Ian served with No 73 Squadron of the Air Training Corps. He joined the RAF in 1983. “As my father was a flying instructor in the RAF, I was fortunate to be exposed to flying at a very early stage. The decision to join the RAF as a pilot was easy thereafter.”

After commissioning, Ian went first to RAF Swinderby near Lincoln to attend an elementary flying course on Chipmunks and then moved to No 7 Flying Training School at Church Fenton near York where he continued his basic training on Jet Provosts. He later earned his coveted pilot’s wings at Shawbury in Shropshire after which he was posted to No 18 Squadron in Germany where he flew the giant Chinook helicopter.

On return home from Germany he followed in his Father’s footsteps by qualifying as a flying instructor. A tour of duty at No 1 FTS at Linton-on-Ouse followed. At the end of that tour he started a conversion onto fast jet aircraft. He was a student on the final course at the Tactical Weapons Unit at Brawdy in South Wales before that station closed down and was then posted to Coltishall in Norfolk to fly Jaguars. Before joining the Red Arrows in October 1996, Ian had completed a tour on Jaguars with No 41 Squadron also based at Coltishall. “I applied to join the Red Arrows as soon as I had the necessary qualifications and I was fortunate to be selected first time.”

Ian, who is single, is very keen on sports and is even taking up golf, almost a pre-requisite for being a member of the Red Arrows. He has a special interest in motor bikes and sports cars and, if he cannot get enough aerobatic flying with the Red Arrows he can return to Coltishall where he has his own aeroplane, a Christen Eagle fully aerobatic biplane.

In his first year with the Red Arrows Ian will fly as Red 2, which is the position immediately to the right of the Leader.

Flight Lieutenant Gary Waterfall, 29 (Jan 67) comes from an RAF family. He was born in the RAF Hospital at Wegberg in Germany. His father retired from the RAF as a Warrant Officer engineer and is now a Civil Servant at the Headquarters of RAF’s Logistics Command at Wyton near Huntingdon.

Gary was educated at Kings School, Grantham and he was a member of that school’s Combined Cadet Force. “I always wanted to join the RAF,” said Gary and he did so at the age of 18, in September 1985.

After commissioning and pilot training Gary joined the Harrier Force, serving 4 years in Germany on No 3 Squadron at Guttersloh and Laarbruch. He then completed the Qualified Weapons Course at Wittering before returning to Germany for another tour of duty with 3 Squadron. On return to the UK in 1994 he started a tour as an instructor on the Harrier Conversion Unit at Wittering.

In 1996 Gary was selected to be the Solo Harrier display pilot, a highly prestigious and much sought after appointment. The Harrier display is always one of the most popular solo aircraft displays with crowds at air shows. Gary flew 64 displays in the UK and in Cyprus, Poland and France.

Gary is married. He and his wife, Yvonne, have a daughter, Alex, who is two years old. He is not madly keen on sport but “I do play a bit of bad golf!”

“Being selected to join the Red Arrows is the fulfilment of a life-long ambition,” said Gary. In his first year with the Team he will be Red 3 flying immediately to the left of the Leader.

Flight Lieutenant Andy Cubin, 34, (Oct 62) was born in Lerwick in the Shetland Islands where his father was serving as the airport meteorological officer. He was educated at Stowmarket High School, Suffolk, and served in No 1331 (Stowmarket) Squadron of the Air Training Corps.

He joined the RAF in 1981 and since completing his pilot training has flown five consecutive tours on the Jaguar aircraft and has now amassed well over 3,000 hours on type. His second Jaguar tour was on loan service with the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force; he served with 20 Squadron on Masirah Island and on 8 Squadron in Thumrait, a desert air field in the south of Oman. For the last three years, whilst an instructor on the Jaguar Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Lossiemouth in the north of Scotland, he was also the solo Jaguar display pilot and has flown over 150 displays in all parts of Europe.

“Dad took me to see an air show at Turnhouse near Edinburgh on 25th May 1971 – when I was a very young lad,” said Andy. “The Red Arrows were performing in the show. I thought ‘That’s for me.’ And here I am!”

Andy has a black belt in Tae Kwon-Do, likes water-skiing and is a keen drummer. He accepts that as a member of the Red Arrows he will have to take up golf and so is about to start taking lessons.

In his first year with the Team Andy will fly as Red 5, immediately to the left of Red 3.

Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Russell, 31, is the new Junior Engineering Officer for the Red Arrows. Jon, aged 31, 6ft 4in tall and single, was born in a married quarter at RAF South Cerney in Gloucestershire and comes from an RAF family. His father was a flying instructor with the RAF Central Flying School and Jon’s sister Alison, herself a former RAF officer, is married to former Red Arrows pilot, Squadron Leader Benny Ball. Jon was educated at Westwoods Grammar School, Northleach and later studied at the Brunel Technical College and the Gloucester College of Art and Technology. He spent two years in the Air Training Corps with No 125 (Cheltenham) Squadron.

In spite of the family background, Jon did not join the RAF straightaway. For 2 years he worked for RGV Aircraft Services at Staverton and ended up as their Senior Licensed Engineer. He had, however, always wanted to join the RAF and he did so in 1990. “I knew in my heart of hearts that I did not have the necessary co-ordination to be a pilot, so I came in as an engineering officer.”

After training Jon served at RAF Honington where he was in charge of the General Engineering Flight. He later moved to the Tri-Service Tornado Training Establishment at RAF Cottesmore where he had various appointments connected with the servicing of the Tornado aircraft. Amongst the many Tornados he was responsible for at Cottesmore was the solo display aircraft in 1995 and 1996.

“Being with the Red Arrows has to be the best engineering job in the RAF,” said Jon. “I was one of several engineers short-listed for the job but I was the only one interviewed by the Team. I am looking forward to the challenge of being responsible for the engineering team which provides such excellent support to the Red Arrows.”

Jon lists amongst his sporting activities cricket, football and tennis. However, he is now learning to play golf – almost a pre-requisite for all Red Arrows’ Team members.