Shot down and taken prisoner in the Gulf War, my hero father inspired me to join the Red Arrows
The first woman to join the Red Arrows talks about growing up in an RAF family, and the trauma of seeing colleagues killed in accidents
4 March 2021 • 8:05pm
Kirsty with her father Robbie, who was shot down and captured during the Gulf War
In 2007, RAF pilot Kirsty Murphy found herself flying at around 14,000ft over the Iraqi desert on her first mission in the country. Glancing at her Tornado’s navigation system she realised she was directly above the Tallil Air Base – the exact spot where, during the first Gulf War in 1991, her father Flt Lt Robbie Stewart had been shot down and captured.
World Championship Air Race to launch in 2022
24th February 2021 8:21 Europe/London
Missing the Red Bull Air Race series? Well, it’s back… without the Red Bull involvement. The World Championship Air Race (WCAR) has agreed a partnership with FAI, the World Air Sports Federation, to stage an international series of air race festivals starting in the first quarter of 2022.
The FAI will provide sporting governance and contribute to the safety oversight for the new series, while granting WCAR exclusive staging rights on a range of piloted air vehicles flown on air-gate courses. WCAR’s headquarters are in the UK.
WCAR will build on the legacy of the Red Bull Air Races using the experience of its production team and competitors gained from their involvement in over 90 races in 34 different cities around the world.