By this time I was probably flying in the
2-seater more than anyone. I was being used as safety pilot for squadron pilots practicing for their Instrument Rating Tests (IRTs). If it wasn’t being used for pilot checks, I would ask to take technicians flying. During the year the pilot who had his name on the side of T7 went home. On enquiring as to whose name I should paint on, there was a reluctance by the junior pilots to commit. They were all waiting for single-seaters to become available. While they were dithering, I wheeled the 2-seater away, and had my painters put my name on. I put ENG OFF underneath, so as not to offend the pilots too much.
I left the Sqn in December 1965 with 51.30 Hunter flying hours, together with 9 Hunter simulator hours. My total flying time was 478.50 hours. As was often pointed out to some junior pilots on the Sqn, “the bloody engineer has got more flying hours than you have.”
- Andy Wright
208 Sqn 1963-1965
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