Flightline UK - RAF King Air Display Team

RAF King Air Display Team

The Beech King Air B200, the newest training aircraft in the RAF inventory, is a twin-engine turboprop monoplane, which first entered RAF service in 2004. It is used as an advanced, multi-engine pilot trainer by No 45(R) Squadron, which is part of No 3 Flying Training School based at RAF Cranwell, in Lincolnshire. It is a well liked aircraft by it's crews and trainees.

No 45 Squadron formed at Gosport on 1st March 1916. During it's history it served in France during the first world war, Egypt and Iraq between the wars and the western desert and far east during the second world war. After the second world war the squadron stayed Asia seeing action in Maylaya. The sqaudron then reformed back in the UK with Hunters in 1970 before moving on to the Jaguar and Tornado.

In 1992, the squadron plate moved on the Jetsream multi engined training aircraft at Cranwell before converting onto the King Air in 2004.

The King Air display is flown by Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) from 45(Reserve) Squadron based at Royal Air Force Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

The 2010 King Air display will be piloted by Flt Lt Leon Creese and Flt Lt Dave Mason.

Leon was born in Salisbury and raised in Ringwood, Hampshire. After education at Ringwood School and Brockenhurst College he joined the RAF as a direct entrant at the age of 19. After graduating from Initial Officer Training, Leon remained at RAF Cranwell where he completed flying training on the Jet Provost T5. On completion of multi-engine advanced flying training on the Jetstream T1 at RAF Finningley, he commenced the first of two operational tours on the C130K Hercules at RAF Lyneham in support of global operations including Kuwait, the Balkans and Sierra Leone and he also flew a season dropping the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team. Following a short ground tour in support of Headquarters Training Group, Leon commenced training as a King Air QFI. Leon is one of the RAF’s most experienced King Air instructors having served for six years on 45(R) Sqn where he has been responsible for the training and assessment of student pilots and, as a Central Flying School (CFS) Standards Flight instructor, the type conversion and continuation training of qualified flying instructors. This is Leon’s third year as King Air display pilot. He is married to Nicole and his son Oliver was born in January 2010

London born Flt Lt Dave Mason grew up in South Africa and Kent and has had links with flying from an early age. His first taste of display flying was on the European hot air balloon display circuit for the family business in 1988-89. He joined the RAF as a pilot in 1992 from the University of Birmingham, where he studied geography. After training on the Tucano T1, Hawk T1 and Tornado GR1, Dave re-roled to multi-engine flying and was posted to the Nimrod MR2 in 1999. Following his tour on the Nimrod, which included combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, Dave was posted to RAF Linton-on-Ouse as a flying instructor where he instructed pilots, weapons systems operators and trainee flying instructors on the Tucano T1. Dave joined 45(R) Sqn as a full-time reservist in June 2009. Away from work, Dave enjoys cycling, skiing, snowboarding and the occasional skydive. He is participating in the London Triathlon this year for 'Help for Heroes', and is marrying his fiancée Elaine this August on the Greek island of Kefalonia.

Official Website: http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcranwell/events/45sqndisplays.cfm