Flight Sergeant Nigel ‘Morty’ Mortimer has celebrated 6000 operational flying hours as a helicopter crewman in the Royal Air Force.
His 6000 flying hours have been spread over 3 different types of helicopter in 3 different roles. FS Mortimer spent 12 years (and 3000 hours) on Chinooks with 7 Sqn at RAF Odiham and went on to serve for 4 years with 84 Squadron at RAF Akrotiri where he flew 1000 hours on Griffin Mk2 helicopters as a Search and Rescue Winchman. He has spent the last 7 years (and 2000 hours) as a Search and Rescue Radar/Winch Operator and is currently a Rearcrew Leader and Radar Operator trainer at A Flight 202 Squadron RAF Boulmer.
Nige said:
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed an incredibly varied and challenging flying career and am privileged to have worked with immensely professional aviators with whom I’ve shared loads of laughs and more than a few scary moments. I’ve been involved in rescues in jungles to rescuing a horse in Northumberland; I continue to learn something new everyday and I hope that never changes’
FS Mortimer joined the RAF in April 1990 and has served on numerous detachments in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Kurdistan, Bosnia, Macedonia, Albania, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Beirut and the Falkland Islands.
He has participated in exercises and training in the USA, South Africa, Norway and the Middle East to name a few.
To celebrate his 6000 flying hours Nige was presented with a bottle of champagne by Squadron Leader Emma Landy, Officer Commanding A Flight 202 Squadron.
Squadron Leader Landy said:
“It is not often you get to witness a milestone such as 6000 flying hours. Morty is one of the most experienced aircrew on 202 Sqn, and has years of varied operations behind him- and 18 months of SAR in the UK and Falklands still ahead of him! Cheerful, enthusiastic and energetic, he is both an asset to A Flt and a pleasure to have on shift.”
Source: RAF
Author: Anne Russell
Photo: RAF