Pedro celebrates 40 years of flying

MEPT QFI, Peter (Pedro) Trainor, started his flying career in a Chipmunk on 19 May 1983. Forty years later, to the day, his friends and colleagues at RAF Cranwell were on hand to help him celebrate hitting an unbroken four decade milestone in military aviation.

Acting Pilot Officer Trainor flew from RAF Swinderby on 19 May 1983 in a Chipmunk, on the first sortie of a career which has included operational and instructional flying on a wide variety of aircraft types.

Pedro flew Nimrod for many years, and as a Qualified Flying Instructor he flew the King Air with 45 Squadron at RAF Cranwell.

This was followed by a period operating the Reaper unmanned aircraft, stationed at Creech US Air Force Base in Nevada.

On leaving the RAF, Pedro joined Ascent Flight Training as a MEPT QFI, once more flying with 45 Squadron at RAF Cranwell, this time operating the Phenom T Mk 1.

MEPT Chief Pilot at Cranwell, Nigel Scopes, was one of many at the morning Met Brief at Cranwell on Friday 19 May celebrating Pedro’s 40 years of military flying. He was delighted to mark the milestone achievement with the presentation of a bottle of champagne.