Letter from the Squadron - 2012

LETTER FROM THE SQUADRON - 2012

I signed off last year’s letter to the association in the sincere hope that I would be able to update you again in 2012.  It is my pleasure that I am able to do so after another busy year on 208 Sqn. The first half of 2011 was largely consumed by the fallout from the Strategic Defence and Security Review with 16 students removed from flying training at RAF Valley. In April 2011, all Hawk T1 flying training activity at RAF Valley was merged, under my command on 208 Sqn. Thus, since early April 2011, 208 Sqn has been responsible for training ab initio students from the end of Tucano training to the entry standard for the Tornado GR4 or Typhoon OCU. The merge of T1 flying in April saw the number of pilots on 208 Sqn jump from 57 to 95 which almost certainly made 208 Sqn the largest fast jet unit in the RAF, if only for a few months. In its new guise 208 Sqn has completed just over 6500 hrs spread over 6400 sorties and in the process 64 students have completed various courses from the full ab initio package to pilots refreshing before proceeding to 100 Sqn or the Red Arrows.

Since the last update the Sqn has completed the training of 10 Algerian QFIs with the last course graduating in October; while in the same month 3 Kenyan ab-initio students arrived to start their Advanced Flying Training before their return to Kenya to convert onto the F5. Apart from the increase in numbers with the merge, we have not seen any postings into 208 Sqn in the last 12 months and as such the Sqn numbers have continued on a steady decline in line with the gradual reduction of the task. Over the last year we have seen members of 208 Sqn depart for exchanges to fly the Alpha Jet in France, the Hawk in South Africa and the F-18 in Australia. Flt Lt Fred Wigglesworth was promoted to Sqn Ldr and has been sent to Las Vegas to be a flt cdr on the Reaper. The Sqn has continued to support current operations with 2 members of staff undertaking out-of-area detachments to Al Udeid in Qatar and Gioia Del Colle in Italy in support of Op HERRICK and Op ELLAMY respectively.

During the 2011 display season Flt Lt Jules Fleming represented 208 Sqn at air shows throughout the UK and Europe and in the process raised money to support the Royal Air Forces Association. On completion of the season Jules was awarded the Wright Jubilee Trophy for her excellent flying display season after beating off stiff opposition from the Tucano and Tutor displays. Jules has since departed the Sqn on posting to RAF Cranwell. Flt Lt Phil Bird has been selected to display the 208 Sqn Hawk T1 for the 2012 season and he is currently busy working up his display ready for a hectic few months flying.  

Despite being a tumultuous year for both 208 Sqn and the RAF there have still been plenty of opportunities for members of the Sqn to get away from home base with detachments to Tours and Cazaux in France and Skrydstrup in Denmark along with overseas training flights to Gibraltar and Berlin. During any quiet periods in the flying training task the Sqn has made the most of adventure training opportunities with QFIs and students taking part in alpine skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, sailing, windsurfing, and hiking both in the UK and abroad.

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