Yes I remember our PAR course. Talk about a 'crash' course what was it, about 3.5 days?
Trickett got enamoured with that female RAF instructor; one of the RAF guys got into a drinking session with us and we were all OK next day but he had a raging hangover.
Re John Gardiner. We did a 4 week Initial Course basically to prepare us for the PPL Course which came next. We were all stunned on the last day when Mike (teeth 'n trousers) Hunt came in and read us John's letter of resignation. His wife was staying with him on the mainland and we wondered if that was the problem.