Overview

Chris Burwell charts one man's career in aviation from joining the RAF in 1969 aged eighteen, to having responsibility for training pilots for the world's major airlines nearly fifty years later. After training at RAF Cranwell and RAF Valley and a tour as a flying instructor on Jet Provosts, he joined the Harrier Force, flying on front-line squadrons in the United Kingdom and Germany during the Cold War and as an instructor on the Harrier Conversion Unit. Detachments to Belize in 1977, the Falklands (twice), ejection from a Harrier GR3, introducing FLIR and NVG to the Harrier front line and operational missions in Northern Iraq are all covered in detail. After thirty years of service, he spent twelve years with Cobham, managing their Teesside base and flying the Falcon 20 on operational training for the military and the King Air 200 on international flight calibration tasks. Finally, he spent four years in Spain with Flight Training Europe (FTE) Jerez training a new generation of pilots. Through his experience as a pilot, leader, and manager gained over many years, his valuable insights into military and civilian flying operations are both engrossing and noteworthy.

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Chris Burwell joined the RAF in 1969. His first tour was as a flying instructor on Jet Provosts before joining the Harrier Force. During this time, he served on squadrons in the United Kingdom and Germany, and as an instructor and display pilot on the Harrier Conversion Unit. He commanded the Harrier flight at RAF Stanley in the Falkland Islands twice. Following two tours at the RAF Personnel Management Centre, Chris took command of No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron flying missions into Northern Iraq and leading the introduction of night operations to the Harrier front line. Following a tour as the station commander of RAF Scampton, higher staff training and two years in a Command HQ, Chris left the RAF in 1999 to join Cobham. He spent ten years as manager of their Teesside base before joining Flight Training Europe (FTE) Jerez in Spain as head of operations in 2014. Returning to the UK after four years, Chris now lives in Wiltshire. Peter Noble, an Earphones Award-winning narrator, grew up in South Africa and studied drama and music at the University of Cape Town. He has worked extensively as an actor, touring South Africa with a small repertory theater company, as well as working on radio, TV, and film.

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