RN air ace is first Brit in US Top Guns

[FODPlod]

Bearing in mind that the FAA inspired the Miramar set-up during the Vietnam war (link (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/5032158/American-Top-Gun-fighter-pilot-academy-set-up-by-British.html)), is this really the first Brit to do this?Royal Navy air ace is first Brit in US Top Guns (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/4915492/Royal-Navy-air-ace-is-first-Brit-in-US-Top-Guns.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Our+Boys)


ROYAL Navy fighter pilot Stephen Collins is to become the first Briton to train as a Tom Cruise-style Top Gun.

Lieutenant Collins, 27, was picked after impressing while he served on aircraft carrier USS Stennis.

His piloting skills flying sorties over Afghanistan caught the eye of American Navy top brass, who offered him a place on the world’s most exclusive fighter pilot course...

[54Phan]

Well it is The Sun, the home of Page 3 girls. I do not think they get Top Gun.

[Finningley Boy]

How very "The Sun" the whole passage reads like a comment on an X Factor contestant. I wonder if Stephen will be lucky enough to be mentored by Tom at some stage?

FB

[deltahotel]

Or, well done fella! Wish I was that good.

[500N]

Mentored by Tom ?

I am sure he would much prefer being mentored by Kelly :O


Question for those in the know. They mentioned he has already
been on exchange for 5 years and with this course likely to be
more.

This seems an incredibly long time for an OS exchange.

[WhiteOvies]

500N- it's an investment in the future. Seedcorn guys have been told to expect similar timeframes. By the time training on type is complete there is then still a useful period of return of service. They're not seen as one off 'exchange' type tours.

Eventually I would expect Lt Collins to get an F-35 slot at Eglin (which is the point of keeping a group of fixed wing trained FAA pilots), hence extending his time in the US even further.

There are RN and RAF engineers who have been working on F-35 in the US for nearly 5 years now.

[500N]

OK, thanks :ok:

I did see the ref to the future UK carriers.

[Finningley Boy]

deltahotel

It does say he will be trained in the Tom Cruise style, so does that mean he'll be shown how fly with his oxygen mask constantly trailing off the side of his helmet and how to tap frantically at cockpit instruments when trouble arises.

Otherwise, The Sun's cringeworthy headlining and reporting format and style apart, yes I'm sure he is a thoroughly adept individual behind the wheel... Sorry control column.

FB

[Runaway Gun]

Well done that man, I bet his father is very proud.

[Wholigan]

I know a Brit who spent several days at Navy Miramar taking part in the "1 versus many" scenarios of Top Gun, where about 60 aircraft were involved and anybody who was not "your type" was an enemy. That was back in about 1975/76.

But of course that wasn't the whole course.

[CoffmanStarter]

Well done young man :D:D:D:D

[GreenKnight121]

FODPlod... he is the first to be accepted as a student.

The ones you refer to in your "link" helped create the course... therefore they were instructors, not students.

[ricardian]

A bit of history. FltLt Peter Maillard and his team (i.e. yours truly) won the FAC phase of BULLSEYE69 at RDAF Skrydstrup in 1969, beating teams from Denmark, Italy, Germany & USA. Smoke markers were prohibited but the Danish team tried using a flare which just happened to produce a lot of smoke; the flare was attached to their 3-tonner and set fire to the canvas tilt!

[SASless]

Flying American Aircraft in an American Squadron from an American Carrier...then off to an American Top Gun School....if he marries and American....there might be a place for him in the American Navy.

Only question really is how he became an "Ace"?

Is he related to Sharkey?

[FODPlod]

FODPlod... he is the first to be accepted as a student.

The ones you refer to in your "link" helped create the course... therefore they were instructors, not students.

Granted so even more surprising that it has taken 50 years for a Brit to be invited on the course.



...Is he related to Sharkey?

No, that's Kris. However, he is the son of retired Sqn Ldr Pete Collins, Flight International's UK test pilot, so he appears to be another 'chip off the old block':Flying the Sea Harrier: a test pilot's perspective (http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/flying-the-sea-harrier-a-test-pilots-perspective-325254/)

[Eclectic]

Top Gun at Mirimar was created by graduates on exchange from the intense Air Warfare Instructors school in Lossiemouth, Scotland.

The original instigators included Lt Commander Dick Lord, Lt Cdr Paul Waterhouse and Cdr Doug Macdonald.

[P6 Driver]

As if the course wasn't demanding enough to start with, the'll probably make him "oil up" and play volleyball half naked as well.

[Finnpog]

Congratulations Mr Collins.
:ok:

[seadrills]

Well done Jumper - good flying pal

[Jayand]

27 and he's been there five years? Does that sound feasible?

[Bastardeux]

From what I've heard, Lothar and the other brit in his carrier air wing won nugget of the cruise and runner-up nugget of the cruise...don't know which way round though.

Jolly good show!

[Bob Viking]

Jay.
Absolutely legit. I was one of his TW QFIs in 2007-8. He was chosen due to his youth. I can assure you there were no jealous people at his role disposal whatsoever.
BV

[West Coast]

Unless someone knows the specifics, what operational experience would someone his age by the age of 23-24ish in Brit aircraft?

[5 Forward 6 Back]

West Coast,

None; as BV alludes to above, he was role disposed directly from the end of FJ TW to the US. The long exchange was to allow him to complete T-45 training, carrier training, get his USN wings, and then complete the Hornet FTU before starting a full tour.

[Farfrompuken]

Nice one Stevie.

That quality instruction you received from me must have made all the difference....

I'll get my coat.