Success for RAF pair in helicopter contest
Sunday 12th June 2011, 11:30AM BST.
A team of helicopter instructors from a Shropshire airbase can now officially call themselves the best pilots in Britain after showcasing their skills on the national stage.
Members of the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury were successful in the annual Helicopter Club of Great Britain Air Games in Northampton last Saturday.
They had to perform a series of special manoeuvres in their helicopters and tackled various courses including a slalom.
The team, comprising of “JJ” Jackson, of 705 Naval Air Squadron and Squadron Leader Craig Finch, Officer Commanding DHFS Standards, achieved first and second places and were crowned overall winners.
As a result of their success, DHFS have been invited to represent Great Britain in the forthcoming World Helicopter Championships to be held near Moscow in 2012.
The first event was the navigation exercise, timed arrival and load drop-off. The second event was the parallel slalom, a 200 metre by 50 metre course with 12 by one metre wide gates.
The Shropshire-based team was victorious in the first event and progressed through the knockout phase of the second event before finishing second.
Squadron Leader Neil Hope, RAF Shawbury spokesman, said: “JJ and Craig first crewed together several years ago when they served on the Central Flying School and often returned victorious.
“Due to their usual strenuous work commitments the pair only managed a limited amount of practice, but nevertheless managed to get on the nerves of all in the air traffic control tower for the week prior to the event.”
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