His Royal
Highness Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh made an official visit to RAF
Northolt on Friday 17 March.

The Duke
made the visit in his capacity of Honorary Air Commodore for the unit, which is
home to 33 units from across Defence and wider Government.

As part
of the visit programme The Duke received an update on operations on the unit
and met 120 personnel from all three Armed Services and Civil Servants. Corporal Loz Prior, who works on the unit as
a Physical Training Instructor was part of the group that met The Duke, he
said: ‘I felt immensely proud to be part
of the occasion. A big part of my role
is to ensure that our people are fit to do their job, and His Royal Highness
was very interested in the various ways we manage to achieve that. It was a real honour to meet and speak with a
member of the Royal family.’

The Duke
last visited RAF Northolt in March 2015, when he awarded a new standard to 32
(The Royal) Squadron as part of the unit’s centenary celebrations.

Editor: Squadron
Leader James Tenniswood

© MOD Crown Copyright 2017

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

RAF SPORTSWOMEN TOP OF THEIR GAMES

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

A glorious day in Wellington, New Zealand, provided the perfect backdrop for the RAF to show-off the Airbus A400M ‘Atlas’ to the Royal New Zealand Air Force as part of a prestigious partnership between the two nations.

The A400M, based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire is the newest aircraft in the RAF’s fleet. It boasts cutting edge technology, combined with sheer brute strength to make it a formidable strategic and tactical air lift platform. Able to deploy globally, it specialises in carrying over-sized loads and can transport a load of 25 tonnes over a range of 2,000 nautical miles.

The A400M combines huge lifting power with agility, with manoeuvrability akin to a fast-jet rather than an Air Transport Aircraft. It is a phenomenally capable aircraft and able to fly at a staggering 170 degrees angle of bank.

Number 70 Squadron demonstrated the aircraft to Air Commodore Darryn Webb, the New Zealand Defence Force Air Component Commander on a short flight around New Zealands’ stunning islands.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

This year marks the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s 80th anniversary and the RAF is proud to have been invited to take part in the celebrations at the Ohakea Air Tattoo.

The Airbus A400M ‘Atlas’, the RAF’s cutting-edge tactical and strategic airlift aircraft, impressed the public, international air forces, and defence chiefs alike in New Zealand this weekend.

The highly-capable aircraft, which provides a wealth of options in both operational and humanitarian environments, played host to a meeting between the Chief of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Chief of the Royal Air Force. Later, gifts were exchanged and both thanked the crew and engineers for bringing the aircraft 11,600 miles from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, to Ohakea to celebrate a great partnership between the two nations.

Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Hillier, Chief of the Air Staff, said: “As Chief of the Air Staff I am delighted the Royal Air Force has been able to come to New Zealand to help celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. We have a long and rich history together going back over decades, going back over operations, and everything we do today.

“It’s a fantastic new capability for the Royal Air Force, showing our ability to deploy all the way from the UK to the other side of the world really underlines the Air Forces Global Mobility capability in support of operations, wherever they might be. We get here quickly and effectively in this fantastic new aircraft.”

The A400M Atlas is the newest aircraft in the RAF’s fleet. It boasts cutting edge technology, combined with the ability to move outsized loads vast distances, making it a formidable strategic and tactical air lift platform. Able to deploy globally, it can transport a load of 25 tonnes over a range of 2,000 nautical miles.

Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies Chief of the Royal New Zealand Air Force said: “I did get to see the aircraft and have a good introduction with it last July, when I was kindly hosted by 70 Squadron. I got to fly the simulator and go flying in the aircraft, which was really impressive. Great range and payload. I am really envious that you’ve got them. This one has a lot of capability and a lot of credibility.”

“We have a huge shared history together, our roots are from the RAF. It is very meaningful that in our 80th year the RAF is first and foremost the prime guests at our own party. To take the time and effort to come out here, especially for your Chief of the Air Staff, is really meaningful.”

© MOD Crown Copyright 2017

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Lone Airman in Desert Rescue

A lone airman saved the life of a wounded soldier by flying
him directly to a field hospital 45 minutes away – a journey by land that would
have taken days across hazardous desert terrain. Remarkably, this flight took
place 100 years ago on 19 February 1917 and was the first recorded aeromedical
evacuation.

Lance Corporal MacGregor of the Imperial Camel Corps had
been shot in the ankle as his unit advanced towards Bir-el-Hassana in Egypt. Forty
four miles from the nearest medical facility in El Arish, it was felt that L/Cpl
MacGregor’s best chance of survival was to be flown there in the observer’s
seat of a Royal Flying Corps B.E.2c biplane.

One hundred years on, and still one year away from its own
centenary, the Royal Air Force remains at the forefront of this life saving aviation
capability.

The heroism of the RAF’s Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERT)
became synonymous with recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hundreds of
injured servicemen today owe their lives to the RAF helicopter aircrew, Flight
Doctors, Flight Nurses and Flight Medics who risked their lives to recover
them, sometimes while still under enemy fire.

Specially adapted RAF C-17s and Voyagers, manned by aeromedical
evacuation (AE) flight doctors, nurses and medics, provide the next step of the
journey home for injured and ill servicemen, wherever they may be in the world.
Critical Care Air Support Teams (CCAST) move critically unwell patients, while
general AE teams move general ward patients.

The RAF currently has one Regular AE squadron and two
Reserve AE squadrons. Squadron Leader Sarah Charters ARRC, has served as a
Reservist with 4626 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron for 27 years and has deployed
to two Gulf wars and twice to Afghanistan. She said: “It is an absolute honour
to be a part of this fantastic service which has such a rich history of saving
lives.

“My squadron’s motto is ‘Safely Home’ and this neatly sums
up the role of Regular and Reserve aeromedical evacuation personnel. We provide
high quality clinical care in the air, all the way from point of injury on the
battlefield back to the UK.”

Later this year, a re-enactment of L/Cpl MacGregors historic
flight in a B.E.2c will further mark this milestone for aeromedical evacuation
services. More information on medical roles in the RAF, either as a Regular or
Reserve, can be found here
or by searching ‘RAF medical careers’.

Editor: Flt Lt Peter Lisney

© MOD Crown Copyright 2017

Let’s block ads! (Why?)