The Red Arrows engineer killed in a crash in Wales has been named as Corporal Jonathan Bayliss, who colleagues said had “fulfilled a schoolboy dream” by joining the aerobatic display team.

The Hawk T1 crashed at RAF Valley in Anglesey at 1.30pm on Tuesday.

The pilot, Flight Lieutenant David Stark, survived the crash after ejecting from the jet and is receiving medical care after sustaining non-life threatening injuries.

Colleagues paid tribute to Corporal Bayliss, 41, describing him as “dedicated, skilled and experienced”.

Sergeant Will Allen, a close colleague of Cpl Bayliss and leader of the Red Arrows’ group of travelling support engineers, known as the Circus, for 2018, said: “Jon had the ability to motivate and inspire a team and those around him – no matter the rank, role or person.

“He was so proud to have been chosen to join the Circus team for 2018 and, in being one of the small group of engineers whose job it was to fly in a Red Arrows jet, had fulfilled a schoolboy dream.”

Squadron Leader Richard Bland, senior engineering officer of the the Red Arrows, said: “Jon was the ultimate professional and embodiment of excellence.

“As the leader of a team responsible for replenishing the jet’s dye systems last year, he led exceptionally well, looking after his team mates selflessly and was a true inspiration.”

Cpl Baylis, who was born in Dartford, Kent and grew up in nearby Hartley, completed a course in engineering management at the University of Greenwich and worked at the Brands Hatch motor racing circuit before joining the RAF in 2001.

A helicopter is seen at RAF Valley after a Red Arrows Hawk jet crashed (Deno James / SWNS.com)

Before becoming a member of the Red Arrows team in January 2016, he worked on squadrons at RAF Coltishall and RAF Coningsby as well as overseas deployments.

As an engineer with the Red Arrows he had supported the team in tours of China, the Middle East and Europe.

In 2017 he worked as a leader of the Red Arrows' dye team - responsible for refilling the jets' smoke systems when they landed.

Earlier this year, he was promoted to the Circus team - the small group of highly trained engineers who travel with the aircraft and provide technical support to the Red Arrows when the aircraft operate away from their home base.

A police investigation and a full service inquiry into the crash has been initiated, the Ministry of Defence has said.