First Jet Solo
As one half of the latest Ab Initio course on 208 Sqn I have
been asked to write a short article to give a student’s perspective of their first solo trip in a Hawk. I think the best way to start is by giving a short history of my RAF career to date. Having joined a ‘surge’ course of 150 students on IOT in 2009, a significant percentage of which were recruited as pilots, all was looking good for my chosen profession. Approaching five years later I have completed elementary flying training at RAF Cranwell on the Tutor and basic fast jet training on the Tucano at RAF Linton-
Being on ground school as a course of two has benefits and drawbacks: on the plus side it guarantees focused tuition however, it does also guarantee you getting asked at least 50% of the questions, so there really is nowhere to hide! Following five weeks of tech lectures, introductory sims, advanced aerodynamics and being unceremoniously dumped in Holyhead harbour, Flt Lt Steve Iwanek and I left the classroom and moved over to the Sqn. Day one on 208 we got kitted up in our immersion suits for the first time and clambered into the back of the jet for our familiarisation trip around North Wales including low level battle turns and formation aeros. After an hour of being baggage we both arrived back hot, sweaty, slightly nauseous and under no illusions as to what we faced before completing the course.
Following our rather leisurely progress through flying training so far, we were slightly shocked to arrive on Monday morning to find ourselves feature for three sorties in a day. This tempo turned out to be the norm and after four sims and five flights during our first four flying days on the Squadron we found ourselves prepping for our first solo flights! Now comes the slightly awkward sortie brief where the same QFI who so confidently cleared you solo on the previous sortie has to put his career on the line and actually stick his initials in the authorisation sheets to clear you off on your own. With a gin clear February afternoon waiting for us (a precious rarity in North Wales) and having warned the other Squadrons at Valley, we crewed in for our first solos.
We taxied out 
and set off in ten minute trail for the obligatory high speed trip around the island followed by climbing for some aeros in the local area. Once clear of GA traffic in the Menai Straights there was a quick chance to fully take in your new surroundings and you suddenly realise the jet is eerily quiet without a QFI onboard. Luckily the rest of the Station got the memo and had the good sense to stay on the ground as the two of us recovered to terrorise the circuit. Following demonstrations of our best Ryanair style landings we taxied back in after our first solo jet flights. The experience was well worth five years in the RAF along with a considerable amount of hard work and it won’t be something either of us will forget in a hurry. We count ourselves lucky to have been given the opportunity to join 208 Sqn and train on the ‘Classic’ Hawk. After chatting with some Hawk T2 students who had been on course for almost a year, we worked out we achieved nearly 20% of their total trips in just one week on the Squadron!
Flt Lt Stu Roberts
V147 AFT 208 Sqn