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We were very lucky to be invited to join in the celebrations of the 90th anniversary of Sixty Squadron at RAF Shawbury in North Shropshire . This was a private celebration not open to the public, just the staff and their families.

Sixty Squadron is part of the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) which is located at RAF Shawbury. The DHFS is a tri-service organisation which trains ALL military helicopter pilots.

Sixty Squadron teaches at the advanced end of the syllabus. The students earn their Wings & Brevets on Sixty having passed through:

1.) Basic Single engine training on 660 Sqn (An Army Squadron) on the squirrel.

2.) Advanced Single engine training on 705 Sqn (A Navy Squadron) on the squirrel.

The Students then go on to do...

3.) Advanced Multi Engine training on Sixty Sqn (An RAF Squadron) on the Griffin (Bell 412). (see picture on the left)

For more information go to www.shawbury.raf.mod.uk

The crew in front of the Chinook		Neil Airey & Steve Hartley in the Wessex Helicopter

Neil and I flew down there with our crew Simon Johnson and Steve Hartley on a beautiful spring day. We arrived just after 10am and received a very warm welcome from everyone there. The huey was parked up for display and it was great to be able to show all the RAF students around the machine.

The celebrations began with a fly past by the Battle of Britain Flight. They then parked up and we were able to have a close up look of their machines.

Bell 412 Load carrying

Also on display were the Gazelle, Chinook and Wessex helicopters, the Merlin, the RAF parachute display team and the RAF students displayed the Bell 412 low lifting. They also performed a battle reenactment and an air-sea rescue display.

We were made very welcome and were allowed to look at and sit in all the aircraft and chatted to the crews.

Army Gazelle	Students with the HUEY 509

Neil especially had a great time as he did his helicopter training at RAF Shawbury.

We would like to thank Harry Palmer (Squadron Leader) for inviting us and very much look forward to going back sometime!

Sorry if we made a lot of noise on our departure!!

Phil