E48 - Personal Stories: Squadron Command!

After more than 4 years on the ground, it was time to return to flying and this time as a Squadron Commander!  Command of a front-line flying squadron is something that is pretty much at the top of the wish list for every career minded fighter pilot, and I was immensely privileged to take command of Number 6 Squadron at Royal Air Force Coltishall in July 1999.

This episode covers the high points of that tour both from a flying perspective and, just as importantly, from a leadership angle as well.  It was a really critical tour for me in terms of my own leadership development and also presented me with a whole range of amazing flying opportunities that I will never forget.

Although I did have a few Jaguar flights as a Station Commander in the years ahead, this tour marked pretty much my final chapter with the Jaguar, the aircraft that had dominated my flying career, so it was certainly a bittersweet moment to fly my final sortie as an operational Jaguar pilot in January 2002.  However, the memories I have will last me a lifetime, and I feel hugely privileged to have had so many wonderful experiences and opportunities in this amazing aircraft.