FEATURES
901 Expeditio M
eet some of the personnel of 901 Expeditionary Air Wing out in the Middle East. The Wing supports UK operations by providing a base for tactical air mobility for
UK personnel in the Middle East, as well as air transport into and around Afghanistan.
901 Expeditionary Air Wing (901 EAW) maintains two flights at separate locations in the Middle East.
901 EAW ‘C’ Flight is based in the Middle East, and supports a detachment of BAE 146 and HS 125 aircraft from XXXII (The Royal) Squadron. These aircraft provide tactical air mobility for UK personnel based across the Middle East, as well as providing VIP and command support air transport in to and around Afghanistan.
UK Forces are deployed to Afghanistan and the Broader Middle East in support of the UN-authorised, NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission, and as a part of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.
Corporal Neil Howlett from the RAF Police Flight “For me, what is most satisfying is making sure people are safe. Going out and talking to people like security managers at hotels and the airport is key. If there is a good working relationship they will let us know about things and we can keep people safe.
“What I like about small detachments is you get to know people from different sections and you mingle with people from other trades. It’s busier than I had expected but I have made friends for life from my tour.”
Flight Lieutenant Zoe Lindley, Chief of Staff at 901 EAW C Flight
“I get a big kick out of helping VIP’s. I really enjoy providing a service and meeting different people. You get a wider view of what people are doing and the VIP’s are both interesting themselves and interested in you. I like making sure I am one step ahead of their needs. It’s a big challenge managing so many different trades. I have to know everything that’s going on and have been learning a lot. The challenge is to try and understand a bit from each section and be there for them.”
Sergeant Richard Mitchell, an Airframe Propulsion Technician with 32 (The Royal) Squadron “A good day is a mix of being on the flight-line and seeing aircraft off and doing maintenance and fault finding. I enjoy fault diagnosis. I was in the RAF full-time from 2000 to 2012 working on Harriers and Merlin, after a year out I fancied getting back in uniform, which is what I do as a sponsored reservist, I would recommend it. I feel the difference I make is getting an aircraft in the
air safely, supporting the Expeditionary Air Group’s role. It’s busy, demanding, it’s rewarding. The biggest challenge is being away from home, I’ve been away for 34 weeks out of the last 52. It’s been 14 weeks here at 901 EAW, 12 weeks at 904 EAW in Kandahar, followed by eight weeks here.”
Supporting UK ops fr It’s busy, it’s deman
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