COMMANDO HELICOPTER FORCE

Presentation Of Wings To Commando 2 Merlin Mk4 Course

On Thursday 25 May 2023 the Commando Helicopter Force’s 846 Naval Air Squadron held a Wings Parade for the presentation of Wings to pilots and aircrewmen on Commando 2 Merlin MK4 Course.

The Wings were presented by the Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Connell CBE who is responsible for the delivery of the RN’s future capabilities, strategy and longterm programme and is the RN’s Principal Personnel Officer.

After graduating from Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, Fleet Air Arm Student Pilots are trained initially on light fixed-wing aircraft at RAF Cranwell. They then complete their Basic Flying Training on helicopters at RAF Shawbury flying the twin-engine Juno helicopter before continuing their training on the Commando Merlin MK4 at RNAS Yeovilton.

To be awarded their Wings, Pilots complete an extremely demanding course using the most modern and advanced simulator facility and flying the real aircraft, all from RNAS Yeovilton. The Operational Conversion Flight of 846 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) provides a tailored course that results in a graduate being able to competently operate as part of a frontline crew with minimal further training. After learning the handling skills required to safely conduct flying by day, night and when in cloud, they move on to undertake all the disciplines required on operations. This involves low level navigation, night vision goggle flying, load lifting, mountain flying, gunnery, formation and embarked operations; all of which culminates in an exercise in field conditions with real time tasking and an operational overlay.

Merlin Student Commando Aircrewmen come from the Royal Navy or Royal Marines. After basic and advanced rotary rear crew training on the Juno helicopter at RAF Shawbury, students selected for the Commando Merlin role join the

Operational Conversion Flight at 846 NAS. The course follows the same syllabus as the pilots, demanding a high degree of knowledge and crew cooperation. Aircrewmen are instrumental in the role of the Commando Merlin Mk4 for undertaking operational capabilities including Load Lifting, Winching, Fast Roping, Gunnery, Search and Rescue, Trooping and Confined Areas.

Of those on parade, Leading Aircrewman James Hammond received his Wings in the presence of his father

Lieutenant Commander

Tregaron Hammond, who joined the Royal Navy in 1989 and who is still serving.

The recipients on parade:

Pilots:

Lieutenant Aaron Dempsey RN

Lieutenant Joshua Gallimore RN

Lieutenant Charles George RN

Lieutenant Oli Gordon RN

Captain Ashley Guest AAC

Lieutenant William Price RN

Aircrewmen:

Leading Aircrewman Callum Bell

Leading Aircrewman

David Gardiner

Leading Aircrewman

James Hammond

Leading Aircrewman

Benjamin Thompson

Leading Aircrewman David Tranter

Leading Aircrewman Jacob Webb