A day in the life of a trainee fast jet pilot…

My alarm is usually set for quarter past seven in the morning. Most of the pilots going through training here at Linton-On-Ouse live on the station, so after a quick shower and shave I’ve enough time to go to the dining room to grab a bite to eat before heading off to work- flying on a empty stomach can be dangerous as well as uncomfortable. On an average day, work starts in earnest at eight o’clock, when all the pilots assemble in a briefing room to find out how many aeroplanes are available to us, and what the days forecast weather will be- usually instigating a rapid re-plan of the previous days efforts.

After the briefing, the pilots disperse to their individual squadrons. In all, we have four squadrons here at Linton- two are used to train student pilots like myself, one is used to help train new instructors, whilst the fourth deals solely with trainee navigators. On arrival, I was posted to 207(R) Sqn so it’s there I head off to for the first coffee of the day. First things first, a quick check of the flying programme to see what the weather has done to yesterdays “master plan”. Damn, I was supposed to be flying at twelve but now it’s come forward an hour- that’s gonna make things tight and a coffee’s certainly out of the question.

I’m going to have to start briefing my instructor an hour before take-off, so I’ve got to have my plan together and sorted by ten. It’s half eight now, so I’ve not got long to get some new maps drawn up and photocopied. Not long enough, I’d say, so it’s time to start grovelling to a course mate or two. With any luck, someone who’s not flying until the afternoon will sympathise, if not I could be in trouble. Fortunately, someone helps out and I’m finished in time to find my instructor, who’s well into his third cup of tea and is discussing the finer points of the telegraph crossword. How the other half live…

We talk about the route and my plan for about half an hour. There won’t be any time to discuss it once we’re flying so all the questions he has come out here. It’s quite a grilling, but I seem to have said the right things and it’s time to go strap in. Even now, it’s half an hour before I’ve planned to take-off as it takes time to put on our flying kit and get the aircraft started up. It’s a familiar routine by now and we get to the runway without any major hiccups, now for the real work.

Today, it’s low level navigation in preparation for my final navigation test, I’m getting close to the end of the course so I’m keen to impress. The first couple of turning points go ok- a big wood on a hill, then a four mile long lake. Easy. Next turning point is small mast-what was I thinking?! There are four others (all look similar) along the way and I’m not sure how I’m going to pick them apart. It all seemed so straight forward in the planning room but I’m not so sure now. Ok, stay calm, use the clock-you can do this. Yes, there it is, not sure it’s the right one but I’m gonna sound like I’m certain. It’s going to be hard to fool the instructor as he’s got the maps and isn’t flying, but it’s always worth a go…

I spend the next few minutes trying to work out where I’ve flown us to, and how to get back on the correct track. Doesn’t look too bad, I’ll see how it goes at the next turning point. This process continues for the next forty five minutes, I’m sweating for Britain but I think it’s gone ok - I guess I’ll find out in the debrief. Finally, we’ve landed-must remember not to switch off until the prop has stopped. There’s still plenty of time to embarrass myself between now and then, I learned that the hard way!

Back at the squadron, it’s time to see how I got on. This can take anything between 2 minutes and an hour-my little excursion half way round should see it’s closer to the hour mark though. We’re done talking at around one- time to grab a bite to eat and see what the afternoon has in store. It doesn’t look like the weather is going to be good enough for any more flying today, so I take the chance to get planning for the next few trips; after all, you can never have too many plans…

I’m all done by five and it’s time to unwind with a quick beer in the bar. My instructor’s got there before me and is regaling a small audience at my expense. It’s light hearted banter though, and all part of life on a flying station. I’ll get him next time…