FOUR students from 750 Naval Air Squadron based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall have graduated from Basic Flying Training and continued their journey towards the Front.

Lieutenant Mark Finnie (27), Lieutenant Keith Webb (27), Lt Alan ‘AJ’ McInnes (28) and Sub-Lieutenant Tom Wilson (26) passed the 16 week course on 18 January.

The course enables them to begin their operational training on the Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control helicopter, Merlin Anti-Submarine helicopter or Lynx Maritime Attack helicopter.

This is the first course to complete training on the Royal Navy’s newest fixed wing airframe, the King Air Avenger.

This is a successful collaboration between the Royal Navy and Ascent Flight Training which is part of the new ground breaking Military Flying Training System that is aimed at improving the flying pipeline for all military aviators.

70 years after the Battle of the Atlantic, and 60 years since the genesis of military search and rescue in the UK, this newest generation of Observers – the Navy’s airborne warfighters, have passed the first stage of training in the Fleet Air Arm and are setting off on the journey that their predecessors took in the aircraft of the same name during World War II.

The new Avenger is a twin turbo-prop aircraft with a state of the art mission system and extended range. The Grumman Avenger of World War II fame was a single engine Torpedo Bomber used extensively and successfully by the Royal Navy and United States Navy – almost 10,000 were built.

Mark Finnie, from Bo’ness near Falkirk said: “The course has been a steep hill to climb which has made it all the more rewarding to pass.”

Tom ‘Tug’ Wilson added: “I am looking forward to returning to Somerset when I move to Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton to train on the Lynx, and after that, who knows where I will be!”

Keith Webb, from the Withington near Manchester added: “Military Aviation is a challenging profession, which makes success in this service all the more satisfying.” ‘AJ’ McInnes, also from Manchester, thought the course was “one of the toughest hurdles I have ever faced”.

The training for the four has been rigorous and demanding.

After being selected from the many who apply to fly for the Navy, they have undertaken officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, as well as the Basic Flying Training course at 750 Naval Air Squadron – reputed to be one of the toughest in the Royal Navy.

Here they have learned to take command of an aircraft (and on occasion several aircraft) to achieve a mission safely. Royal Navy aircrew undergo one of the most intensive selection and training processes in the world, and after 750 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, they move on to either the Merlin anti-submarine helicopter, Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control helicopter or Lynx Maritime Attack helicopter.

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Students from a Culdrose training Squadron swapped their aircrew suits for gardening togs to help re-open an overgrown pathway to Predannack airfield near the Lizard.

The four students, Lieutenants Mark Finnie (27), Keith Webb (27), Allan ‘AJ’ McInnes (28) and Sub Lieutenant Tom ‘Tug’ Wilson (25) train on the Navy’s new ‘Avenger’ aircraft.

Later they’ll be learning how to fight the Sea King, Merlin or Lynx helicopters.

At Predannack the unlikely landscapers were faced with a very different challenge.

They faced a vicious wall of thorns and trees, and had to clear a path wide enough for walkers and vehicles to pass through safely.

Lieutenant Mark Finnie said: “The work was hard but rewarding.

“I’d like to thank Darren Neville from the National Trust for his patience and pasties!

“We’d also encourage anyone interested in helping the National Trust to get in touch with them.

“They’re always looking for more volunteers and it’s an excellent way to spend a day.”

Photo shows L to R: Lt Keith Webb, Lt Mark Finnie, S/Lt ‘Tug’ Wilson and Lt ‘AJ’ McInnes.

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The Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose Warrant Officers and Senior Rates mess have been recognised for supporting a Cornish charity.

Warrant Officer Steve Cass, President of the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose Warrant Officers and Senior Rates mess, was delighted to receive a certificate from the charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) in recognition of their fundraising donation of £701.13.

The money was raised from a social event “The St Piran’s Party” and raffle hosted by the mess.

The evening was an enjoyable celebration of all matters Cornish, and included participation of the Mousehole Male Voice Choir, some of whom are also members of the Air Station.

Steve Cass said: “The event succeeded in its aim of reinforcing the link between the Air Station and local community as well as raising money for a worthy cause which connects those groups.

“As a proud Cornishman who is equally proud to serve as President of RNAS Culdrose Warrant Officers and Senior Rates Mess, it was particularly satisfying to see locals and those from ‘up country’ enjoying the atmosphere and entertainment.”

CRY is a national charity, but the mess specifically raised money in aid of the Debbie Rendle Memorial Fund.

So those who generously donated prizes are pleased to know that this money will help towards medical screening of Cornish men and women in the affected age group.

In the photo are Leon & Sylia Pezzack, the parents of the late Debbie Rendle and WO Steve Cass.

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A team of Royal Navy Aviators rescued an injured man from his 20ft yacht yesterday evening in very difficult conditions – a Sea State 8 and 40ft swell.

The duty crew of 771 Naval Air Squadron, based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Helston, carried out the risky operation after a ‘scramble’ to a lone sailor in difficulties shortly before 20:00hrs.

Having conducted a visual search of the area for over an hour, 70 miles out at sea in very poor visibility, the team located the sailor when he lit a flare.

The Navy team then had to work out the safest way to get the man away from his yacht, up into the helicopter and away from the scene.

The duty crew, on-call at 15 minutes notice, were:

Lt Cdr Adam Jones (Aircraft Captain and Pilot)
Lt Cdr Florry Ford (Observer)
Lt Cdr Andy Knight (Flying Pilot)
Corporal Justin Morgan Royal Marines(Aircrewman)

The Aircrewman, Corporal Justin Morgan was winched down to rescue the sailor.

Cpl Morgan said: “We received a call that there was a lone sailor in difficulties about 70 miles out to sea, just before 8pm last night.

“The 40ft waves made it very difficult to search for him and using a manual search in very poor visibility, we located him in about an hour and half.

“The sailor had fallen over on his 20ft yacht whilst trying to fix his masts and rigging. He slipped and injured his ankle.”

The crewman went on: “We lowered a hi-line to him, which should enable the winchman to be lowered safely onto the deck of the boat.

“However, the sailor was so desperate to get off the yacht that he tied the hi-line around his waist and jumped into the water.

“We then had to act very quickly to ensure his safety.”

Justin was then lowered down into the water by Lieutenant Commander Florry Ford.

He explained: “I knew that I couldn’t let go of the 200ft rope, even though it was very heavy, or we would lose the sailor.

“It was really difficult to pull him towards me though due to the extremely high waves.

“Eventually I had to inflate my own lifejacket to make this easier and I managed to get the strop around him so that the crew on the helicopter could winch him to safety.

“However the 200ft rope was tangled all around us, so I had to cut this from us first.

“When we were eventually both safely back in the helicopter, we both lay on the floor thinking about what we had been through. It was an ‘epic’ job.”

The casualty was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

By the way…

2012 is a very big year for Justin, who was one of the crew who transported the Olympic Flame from RNAS Culdrose to Lands End at the start of the torch relay.

Justin will soon be attempting to cycle 3100 miles across the USA in 17 days.

The trip, which will take him from San Diego to New York, begins on the 22nd August and will raise money for the Children’s Hospice South West and the Royal Marines Benevolent Fund. For more information, please visit 3100miles

Pictures show
1. Corporal Justin Morgan Royal Marines (Aircrewman) winching (CU110221005 (MoD Copyright))
2. Corporal Justin Morgan Royal Marines (Aircrewman) in the back of the SAR helicopter (CU110221022 (MoD Copyright))

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This weekend at Culdrose was our busiest of the year so far.

And there was a record number of call-outs as the Summer Holidays got underway.

The duty crews of 771 Naval Air Squadron were called out a total of six times between Friday and Sunday.

They took part in rescues around the county, one of which involved winching a four year old boy who had fallen onto rocks on Whitsand Bay.

The increase in work came as no surprise to the men and women who fly and maintain the distinctive red and grey Sea King helicopters based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, near Helston.

771 CO Lt Cdr Martin Shepherd said: “The summer season always brings an increase in the number of jobs, as the schools break up and the weather improves.

“We train every day, and we tailor that training to the types of job we expect to get called out to.

“To illustrate that point, Friday’s duty crew had just returned from a beach landing, winching and cooperation exercise with the RNLI when they were called out to the first of three rescues that would see them in the aircraft until late into the evening.

The pilots, Flight Lieutenant Jon Owen and Lieutenant Jon Duke, along with their Observer Lieutenant Commander Paul Robertson and Aircrewman Petty Officer Shaun Knights, were the same crew that responded to three more callouts on Sunday.

“In total, the four men spent nearly ten hours in their aircraft over their two days on shift.”

Pictures show Pilots Jon Owen and Jon Duke, and the winching of a casualty into the helicopter

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Commander Ben Franklin has recently taken Command of the Merlin Helicopter Force based at RNAS CULDROSE, Cornwall.

Ben’s an experienced aviator who’s notched up more than 3,000 flying hours. And he was one of the inaugural Merlin Mk1 aircrew way back in the day.

The rest of Ben’s military CV includes service in all three of the Royal Navy’s “Invincible” Class Aircraft Carriers, Second in Command of the first Merlin equipped front-line unit 814 Naval Air Squadron, and Command of 829 Squadron.

829 Squadron is the parent unit for all of the Merlin helicopters that deploy onboard Frigates and Destroyers.

Commander Franklin said: “I’m Fleet Air Arm through and through and am extremely proud to have been selected to Command the Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk1 Helicopter Force. 

It is a privilege to now be in charge of a Force that delivers integrated maritime aviation world-wide.“

Ben’s settled in Cornwall where his two children by wife Heather go to Penryn College.

Did you know?

One of Europe’s largest helicopter bases, RNAS Culdrose delivers highly capable Helicopter Squadrons specialising in Anti-Submarine Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare and Airborne Surveillance and Control.
Its frontline Squadrons are deployed to ships all over the world to support the Royal Navy in its global operations.
Back at the Air Station, trainee Aircrew, Engineers, Air Traffic Controllers, Fire-fighters and Flight Deck crews undergo intensive training prior to joining Naval Air Squadrons for duties at sea.
Additionally, the ‘Search and Rescue’ Squadron is on constant standby 365-days a year to react to emergencies throughout the Southwest region.
Its red and grey helicopters can be seen braving all types of weather responding to calls for help on land and sea.

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