Strange military careers!!!
Posted: 07 Aug 2009, 18:27
I came across the AAC historic flight web pages (on the Sioux trail) and came across this biog! This guy (who flies the Beaver at displays) must have had one of the wierdest flying careers in HM forces, perhaps he will soon join the RN as a submarine captain next!! When he first joined the RAF he must have about 45 years of age!
Squadron Leader Kevin Emmerson - Beaver Pilot
Squadron Leader Kevin Emmerson joined the Army in 1973 and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery. Whilst at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was awarded a Flying Scholarship and then served as a Troop Commander in Germany & Northern Ireland before graduating from the Army Pilot Course in 1979. His first flying tour was as a Gazelle pilot with HM Royal Marines. He has subsequently served throughout Europe and in Canada, USA, Hong Kong, Brunei, Croatia, Norway, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
After transferring to the Army Air Corps, he commanded 659 Sqn as an anti-tank Lynx pilot in Germany. He fought in the liberation of Kuwait before training as a helicopter instructor and then spent 4 years teaching at Middle Wallop. After Commanding the Blue Eagles display team for two seasons, he ended his Army career as the Regimental Helicopter Instructor of 4 Regiment at Wattisham. Leaving for a short career as an airline pilot on Boeing 757s, he joined the RAF in 2001 and conducted operational tours in Northern Ireland and Iraq flying the Puma helicopter. During this career, Kevin has been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service for flying duties and has qualified on the Bell-47, Chipmunk, Gazelle, Scout, Lynx, Boeing B757, Chinook, Puma, Squirrel, Firefly and now the Beaver - in addition to a handful of civilian aeroplanes.