Ostensibly it was a ground tour, writing the
aircrew manuals, handling notes, cockpit
checklists and emergency procedures.
However, the terms of reference allowed me
to fly my project aircraft – the Jet Provost,
Phantom and Tornado GR1.
I regularly flew the first two but the
Tornado was still to enter service. However,
British Aerospace (later BAE Systems)
agreed that I could fly it. Unfortunately,
the Aircraft Development and Production
Management Agency (NAMMA) for the three
nations said otherwise. Nevertheless, it was
a most interesting tour.
I spent a large portion of my time with
the Tornado test pilots and navigators, flight
test engineers and technical publications
departments of all three nations – UK,
Germany and Italy. By the time the aircraft
entered service at the end of 1981, I knew
more about the aircraft than any other
RAF pilot. I was, therefore, in an excellent
position to fly it when my tour ended in May
1982.To be among the first 50 RAF pilots to
fly the Tornado GR1 was very satisfying. I
was posted to help form 27 Sqn, the third
RAF Tornado squadron. Training was at the
Tornado Trinational Training Establishment
(TTTE) at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland. Only
there could you, as an RAF pilot, fly with an
Italian navigator in a West German aircraft.
The RAF chose its crews from Buccaneers,
Jaguars, Lightnings, Phantoms and first
tourists. The Italians were very light on
experience. My navigator throughout that
course was an ex-submarine navigator.
In those early days, the Tornado had not
been cleared to carry any external stores,
or use its terrain following radar (TFR) in
auto mode (hands off). These were phased
in gradually and by the end of May 1983
our squadron had formed at RAF Marham,
Norfolk.
It was an exciting venture for us all,
operating out of hardened aircraft shelters
in a new aircraft with aircrew of varying
backgrounds but little experience on type.During our work-up, we deployed to Oman
and Saudi Arabia for a couple of weeks,
flying the marketing flag for the UK. But, for
the rest of the time, it was learning our new
trade and the aircraft’s capabilities, utilising
the combined skills that each brought from
previous tours.
I well remember flying auto TFR at 250ft
(76m) at night in cloud down the Welsh
valleys, occasionally breaking cloud cover
to see car headlights above on the hillsides.
In 1985 I was one of six of the squadron’s
pilots, plus navigators, selected to compete
in that year’s USAF Strategic Air Command
bombing competition (the RAF called the
deployment Prairie Vortex). The task lasted
six months, including three in the USA. The
sortie profiles were about six hours each
during which we saw much of the USA at
both high and low levels. We went on to
win all the trophies available to overseas
contenders, beating the likes of the B-52 and
F-111. It was a resounding success, repeating
617 Sqn’s achievements of the previous year.
Those successes were so important both for
the RAF and British Aerospace, contributing
greatly to the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF)
Tornado procurement.
The bombing competition had effectively
taken the squadron out of the NATO front
line for six months. Upon return, numerous
experienced officers were posted out and
many first tourist crews came in. The wheel
had certainly turned full circle from my arrival
on Lightnings 17 years earlier.
The new boss, a navigator, chose me as
his ‘chauffeur’. From then on it was up the
front of every 2/4/6 ship that he chose to fly
in. He was an excellent crewman and leader
and I always enjoyed flying with him.
At that time, I was also the air refuelling
instructor and instrument rating examiner,
so, when I was not leading I was in the
back seat. It was a busy, and at times
very stressful job. After two years, I was
promoted to squadron leader but by then I
could feel my flying days were numbered.
I was frequently grounded because of my
previous ejection injuries.
On one occasion the medical staff
withdrew my flying category for more than
three months. Following many discussions
with the RAF career management staff,46 Aviation News incorporating Jets January 2018Above and below: A flight control systems failure in Phantom FG.1 XV571/A during take-off at RAF
Leuchars on November 21, 1977 forced the author and the navigator to eject. Crown copyright 1977A pair of 43 Sqn Phantoms standing QRA at RAF Kinloss in 1979 while the runway at RAF Leuchars was being
resurfaced. Aircraft XV585/P in this photo was assigned to the author and had his name on the canopy rail. Steve Gyles42-47_raf_close_encountersDC.mfDC.mf.mfDC.mf.indd 46 30/11/2017 13:41