RAF Serviceman from Plymouth begins first year on RAF Falcons Parachute Display team
A Royal Air Force (RAF) Serviceman from Plymouth, Devon, is about to commence his first display season as part of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team.
On the 29th October 2017, Sergeant Shane Phipps, 32, a former pupil of Plymstock Secondary School, began his first display season part of his three year tour with the RAF Falcons, who are based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
Shane said: “It is an honour to have been selected for the RAF Falcons, and it will undoubtedly be the pinnacle of my career to have the opportunity to be part of such a pretigous and professional organisation performing displays with my team mates in the UK and abroad.”
For over 50 years, the UK Military’s Parachute Display Team, the RAF Falcons, have delivered fast paced, high profile displays from up to 12,000ft across the UK and abroad. Each member of the RAF Falcons has been specially selected for their role, and as well as putting on spectacular displays for the public to enjoy, they also undertake training to prepare them for advanced Parachute Jumping Instructor roles, where they will be responsible for the delivery of operationally focused parachute training for the entire UK Military.
Sergeant Phipps joined the RAF in June 2008 as a Physical Training Instructor, In 2014, he chose to specialise as a Parachute Jumping Instructor (PJI). Shane successfully completed his PJI course and was subsequently posted to No 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Brize Norton.
Due to his highly skilled parachuting ability, Shane was then selected for his current role on the RAF Falcons in 2017. The RAF Falcons have completed their winter training in preparation for the 2018 display season, which commences on Friday 27 April 2018 with the Team’s Launch Day at RAF Brize Norton.
If you would like to find out more about the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team, their latest news, and upcoming displays near you, please visit www.raf.mod.uk/falcons. You can also keep up to date with the Team by following them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
