Kingham Hill CCF Cadets join RAF Brize Norton for Unforgettable Experience

The School’s convoy of vehicles was met at Brize Norton and all of the hard work in planning and preparation was proved by the way that booking in and processing all went to plan. By 0815hrs the aircraft was fuelled and loaded with all of the cadets and ready to go.

The weather on the ground looked grey and overcast with a blanket of cloud covering much of England. The passengers hoped that this would have no impact on the flight or affect the observations that we would be able to make.

Take off was impressively smooth and the Voyager from 10 Sqn, laden with fuel, curved up into the cloud-base and entered a new domain of bright clear blue skies and superb visibility. The air-to-air refuelling mission met with its first recipient aircraft over the North Sea. The sight of the Typhoons closing up and then behind the Voyager’s wings was incredible and unforgettable to anyone who has never witnessed it before.

The refuelling probes connected seemingly effortlessly as the drogues reached out to the receiving aircraft and just minute adjustments were made to fully connect. The skill of the aircrews became further apparent as the aircraft moved completely synchronised in close formation, even into banking turns, with little discernible movement of the hose.

The cadets were also treated to the sight of F-35 aircraft joining the Voyager for refuelling. This really made it extra special. The flight lasted for five hours, which seemed to go by incredibly quickly. Watching the fighter aircraft in such close proximity was something that never became dull. The Voyager aircrew were very hospitable and we are very grateful to everyone who made the whole experience completely unforgettable.