Serviceman from Newark ready for RAF Falcons role

A Royal Air Force Serviceman from Newark is about to begin his first season as part of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team.

Corporal Chris West, 31, a former pupil of the Minster School, Southwell, has started his first display season as part of a three-year tour with the RAF Falcons, who are based at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.

Chris said: “It is an honour to have been selected for the RAF Falcons, and it will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of my career to have the opportunity to perform displays with my team-mates around the world.”

The RAF Falcons have delivered high-profile displays from up to 12,000ft across the UK and abroad for more than 50 years.

Each member of the RAF Falcons has been specially selected for their role. They undertake training to prepare them for advanced parachute jumping instructor roles, where they will be responsible for the delivery of operationally-focused parachute training for the entire UK Military.

Corporal West joined the RAF in 2008 as a physical training instructor.

In 2014, he chose to specialise as a parachute jumping instructor (PJI).

He successfully completed his PJI course and was subsequently posted to No 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Brize Norton.

Due to his highly skilled parachuting ability, Chris was then selected for his current role on the RAF Falcons.

The RAF Falcons have completed their winter training in preparation for the 2018 display season, which starts on Friday, April 27 with the team’s launch day at Brize.

Visit www.raf.mod.uk/falcons for more information.