Schools Aerospace Challenge builds relationship with RAF Valley

Flight Lieutenant Dave Davies and his Hawk display aircraft at RAF Valley

One of the very popular items during the week at Cranfield is the annual visit of a Hawk from RAF Valley when everyone has an opportunity to look over the aircraft, sit in the cockpit and talk to the crew.
I am particularly pleased the SAC is building on its relationship with RAF Valley and is now associated with the stations display Hawk because I was posted there to fly Vampires after getting my wings in June 1957. Later in August 1974 I had the privilege of flying the photo chase on Duncan Simpson when he did the first flight of the Hawk at Dunsfold. For that we used the two seat Harrier G-VTOL so it was able to fly formation on the Hawk both in the air and as it slowed to a stop after landing!
At Cranfield we also use the Hawk as the subject for a talk on the process by which such aircraft are designed. The RAF of today is getting an updated version of this very successful aircraft which has been exported all round the world including to the USA where the USN use it for pilot training on their carriers.

John Farley