An early, unsuccessful, application to the Royal Air Force seemed to beckon a life firmly anchored to terra firma entailing crossing the Irish Sea to the fair city of Edinburgh to study Architecture.

 

Suffice to say, my time with the EUAS, 1955-57, was intensely enjoyable and memorable due to the dedication and patience of the 'Boss', Sqn.Ldr. Peter Blackford, and instructors, Flt Lt's Bennett, Maule, Park and the formidable Billing who were instrumental in my attaining a PFB and a sufficient standard to enter the Royal Air Force in 1957. After nineteen years flying in Photo Reconnaissance, V Force and Flying Instruction roles, further aspirations to a second career in civil aviation came to naught on failing a CAA medical.

 

However those 'happy days' were an invaluable precursor to my time in the Service, the combined experience again invaluable on re-qualifying for another twenty years in the managerial world of commerce. Recently, on gleaning current information on University Air Squadrons, it would seem that the choice of opportunities, and the ethos we all absorbed in those far off days is still very much in evidence.