Royal Navy’s newest sailors from the aircraft handling branch at RNAS Culdrose spent the last six months preparing for their roles on the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers.
The motto that they will have to work towards every day of their aircraft handling careers is: Nostris In Manibus Tuti” – “Safe In These Hands”.
Having undergone training at the Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations, they are keen to get on with their frontline duties and join the new aircraft carriers being built for the Royal Navy.
They have completed the final stage of basic training and are now moving on to further firefighting courses at Culdrose and in time, their first frontline units.
Much of their course has taken place on the ‘fire ground’ at the air station, where they have learned to use fire rescue equipment designed to save lives on the flight deck in the case of emergencies at sea.
They have also worked on the Royal Navy’s own unique ‘Dummy Deck’ which is an exact replica of a real aircraft carrier’s flight deck, complete with moving Harrier jets, real Merlin helicopters and other training aids which look and feel like current and future aircraft.
Here they have operated with aircraft safely day and night in different landing configurations and emergency scenarios.