Royal Navy air engineer reaches rare flying hours milestone with the Merlin Mk2

It is not unusual for aircrews to rack up 400 hours of flying time - however it is rare to find a Royal Navy air engineer with that amount of flying time under their belt. 

But engineer Chief Petty Officer Gary 'Disco' Furneaux has passed that milestone. 

CPO Furneaux serves with RNAS Culdrose’s Flight Test Department and has flown every Merlin Mk2 helicopter in the fleet.

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Speaking about his role in the Royal Navy he said: "It's such a privilege not only to see the aircraft actually flying from an operator's point of view, but also to know that the testing work that we do is so vital in ensuring they stay safe."

His milestone of more than 400 hours was congratulated by Lieutenant Commander Sam Kingdon, the officer in charge of the test department, who added: "It is brilliant to be able to celebrate this significant achievement with Disco.

"The flying hours he has amassed are nearly all while conducting very complex and critical test flights. His knowledge and experience have been key to delivering hundreds of test flights and depth output deliveries.

"His direct impact on the forward fleet should not be underestimated."