2017/05

Pairs Take-Off

Summer has finally arrived! Well, the air temperature has got into double digits and over at the Mighty IV (R) Squadron we are all looking forward to the sea following suit, when we will finally be able to get some respite from our immersion suits for a couple of months. April has seen a commendable amount of flying over at the Moran building, with not one, but two courses coming to the end of their time on the island of dreams (for now anyway). Course 18, featuring our first two students from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia along with the two Craigs, Whyatt and Allison, all completed the course and have all been sent to the Typhoon, we wish them all the best. At the time of writing the majority of course 19 have also finished and are eagerly awaiting news of their next posting. Will any of them be lucky enough to be selected for their raw skill and ability to remain as Creamies? Who knows…

Ramp

On the Ops assistant front, we say goodbye to Alex De-La-Mare-Norris, who has left us for the wonderful world of ATC (he must have lost his mind), and welcome back Lockey, who has recently returned from a short holiday in the sand, where he spent most of his time productively in the Gym so he can get a back seat (finally!). In place of Alex we welcome Daz, who has seen the light and left ATC for the far more interesting world of the IV (R) Sqn ops desk.

The instructional staff over at IV (R) has also seen a few changes, with Fit Lt Will Collins driving off into the sunset in his enormous RV for a couple of years career break (but everyone knows you never truly leave the island) and Fit Lt Bob Bailey leaving Valley for Oman, until he returns and stays until he, in his own words, “starts to smell like Broughy”. Various members of QFI courses 11 and 12 have completed their training and commenced the only sometimes terrifying teaching of actual students, and we congratulate PT on his move into Bob’s shoes as he takes over in T2 Stanat. We also partially wave goodbye to Fit Lt Al Spence who leaves us for Boscombe Down, but I hear he loves us so much he will still come up to visit and give out some high scores to some lucky B Flight students every now and again.

Singleton

Coming up, the Squadron has the glorious Anglesey summer to look forward to, along with graduations for courses 19 and 20, the Summer Ball, and various social events. Squadron TACEVALs are now commonplace, with the latest exec, Sqn Ldr Altoft taking a ribbing for his huge selection of kids toys (we know they aren’t all for your children Pete), but earning huge praise for his garlic bread and beer selection. We note with dread that we will be dining out our dear leader, Wg Cdr Mounsey at the next Station Dining In Night, and whilst we will obviously be sad to see him go, we will be devastated by the departure of Mrs Mounsey, who along with her unpaid servants (sorry, offspring) have kept everyone over at the Moran building well fed with homemade treats so often over the last couple of years.

In Futurum Videre