AN 18-year-old from Taunton has been awarded a trophy rom the Aircraft Handlers’ Association as the best student in her class at a recent ceremony.
Naval Airman Eva Alcock, aged 18 from Taunton, was handed the prize by Falklands’ veteran aircraft handler Nick Martin from Helston, accompanied by the school’s commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Phill Yates.
Newly-qualified aircraft handlers will join the busy flight decks of ships across the fleet after completing their training.
Most of this latest intake of 21 men and women will serve on the navy’s two aircraft carriers while others will work on the flight decks of frigates, destroyers or Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships.
Alcock said: “I always knew I wanted to join the navy since I was six. I knew I didn’t want an ‘ordinary’ job – I wanted a job that is going to push me.”
As aircraft handlers, they have learned how to move aircraft on the flight deck and how to deal with emergency incidents, such as crashes or fires.
They have all spent the last year in training, first at HMS Raleigh and then at the Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations at RNAS Culdrose. A short ceremony was held at the Cornish air station in February.
“During the training, I’ve done lots of things that I am really proud about,” NA Alcock added. “With the firefighting, I didn’t think I would be able to do that – like being in confined spaces. I imagined I couldn’t do it, but I have.”
She will now join aircraft carrier HMS Prince Of Wales and said: “I am really looking forward to going to sea. When we joined, we were told everything that we had to do, and, little by little, we’ve got to know more. Now we’re expected to know what to do and we’re going to be put in situations where you’re not told and you’re going to have to use your training and do it yourself.”
Also completing his training was Naval Airman Owen Giles, 21 from Sittingbourne in Kent.
He said: “We’ve done lots of firefighting using breathing apparatus, cutting up cars and putting out aircraft fires. We’ve also learnt how to manoeuvre aircraft. Now is the time to put all that training into practice.”
He now joins 1700 Naval Air Squadron, which provides small teams of specialist sailors to allow flying operations on warships and support ships. The squadron supports ships on operations across the globe, from the Arctic Circle to the Caribbean and the Middle East.
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