Whilst the emotional roller coaster of driving lessons with a parent or child will be familiar to many of us, not many can claim the same experience in the air. So, taking his daughter for her first sortie in a Tutor aircraft as a University Air Squadron Cadet was a very special event for one of RAF Leeming's most experienced pilots.
With 38 years in the Regular RAF under his belt, and a new Reservist career underway, it's fair to say that Flight Lt James has done a lot of flying. Starting his career on the Tornado GR1, James spent significant time on 100 Squadron and squeezed in exchanges in Pakistan and South Africa. Now part of Yorkshire University Air Squadron, his time is spent teaching the Next Generation of potential pilots.
James said: " I try to impart some of the experience that I've learned over the years because you can't get it from a book. It's rewarding just when you fly someone who's never even flown in anything before, and they're absolutely thrilled by it. Some are really nervous, some aren't at all. Some yelp with joy and others hardly say anything."
This week's lesson was different as James briefed his daughter Emily, who joined the Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron earlier this year, before taking to the skies together. He said: " It's different when you fly with your own child. It will be a privilege, and we'll get a job done. We'll make it business as usual."
Emily added: "I was definitely inspired by my dad to join the University Air Squadron – I wouldn't have known about it otherwise. I'm still not sure what I want to do, but dad being in the RAF has like made me think about it as an option. It's more than just a job.
"I'm really, really excited about the flight – a little nervous, but not too much. My dad taught me how to drive a car, and he's a very good teacher - very relaxed. He has a lot of trust in me, which is good, but it's a bit scary sometimes!"
