High flying Ambassador unveiled

Red Bull Air Race pilot and aerobatic flying ace Ben Murphy will be helping the RAF's leading welfare charity reach more people this year, as an Ambassador for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The Ambassadorship was announced as the Blades aerobatic flying team launched their 2018 season and with it, its fifth year of working in partnership with the RAF Benevolent Fund. The arrangement sees the team of pilots, many of whom are former Red Arrows, fundraise for the charity and also spread the word about its mission when visiting air shows and events throughout the summer.

Ben Murphy said: "The majority of our team are former RAF Red Arrow pilots and we have directly felt the warmth and benefit of the RAF Benevolent Fund. Within our team and throughout the RAF we have seen first-hand the positive effects and the meaningful difference this unique charity has brought to numerous families. This is our fifth year proudly associated with the charity and it is a privilege to raise awareness and let people know the fund is there for them when they need it the most."

The Blades Aerobatic display team are now entering their 13th display season, with over 25,000 hours of flying between them, they are among the most experienced display pilots in the world. The team are the only aerobatic airline in the world, flying passengers in close formation, with the same safety standards as the key European airlines.

Race pilot Ben Murphy is the only British pilot in the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship Master Class. Ben applies his precision flying and valuable experiences as leader of the RAFAT 'The Red Arrows' to fly the challenging race track only 25 metres from the ground, against some of the most talented pilots from around the world.

RAF Benevolent Fund Director of Fundraising and Communications John Trampleasure said: "Working with high flyers like the Blades has been incredibly rewarding for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Their support means we can reach out to new audiences and let those people know that the RAF Benevolent Fund has been side by side with the RAF Family for almost 100 years. We wish Ben all the luck for his season ahead competing in the Red Bull Air Race and look forward to introducing him to our beneficiaries and supporters."