After being promoted in 2009 I was posted to XV(R) sqn which at the time was the Tornado GR4 OCU. I had never worked on first line at the time and it was certainly an eye opener with around twenty aircraft out on the dispersal and a few more in the hangers.
After learning the more simpler tasks on the aircraft I was put forward to complete an aircraft assisted escape system (aaes) first line course up at RAF Lossiemouth. I always enjoyed the technical aspects and high standards that working on ejection seats required. I was lucky in the time that I spent on Tornado that there was plenty of opportunity to travel to the world and durning my time I deployed on OP HERRICK in Afghanistan with 617 sqn and exercise green flag with 13 sqn as well a great deal of deployments and exercises with XV(R) including Cyprus, Norway, Italy and U.S.A.
As an Armourer in the Royal Air Force with over twenty years experience I can easily say that the time I spent working on Tornado was the most fulfilling of my career. With the highlights of loading a multitude of munitions and working on the Mk10 seat.
