"I’m an adrenaline junkie" – flying high as a female fighter pilot

“My dad gave me my first flying lesson on my 17th birthday. He was a keen amateur pilot and because he lived in Doncaster and we were in Suffolk, he used to fly down at weekends to see us.  I used to love sitting up there in the front of the plane with him.

“After two lessons I caught the flying bug and loved being up in the air. I was nervous when I first flew but once you start gaining confidence you can push your boundaries further.

“I then applied for a flying scholarship and got my private pilot’s license a year later. I was convinced about a career in flying.” 

“I wanted a chance to do things that you wouldn’t get to do in ordinary life. Flying gave me such a buzz so I decided to apply to the RAF.”

“It was very in-depth. I took part in a day and a half of aptitude tests, medicals and interviews. They ask a lot of questions about motivation, about me as a person and what I knew about the RAF and the military. There was a fitness test as well. If you pass this process, you go on to another day and a half of leadership exercises.”

“I joined the RAF at age 20, on an officer training course. First you do six weeks of ground school covering the theory of aerodynamics before you even go near an aircraft. It sets you up well for the other courses that follow.

“I was streamed into fast jet and continued my training on the Tocano aircraft, followed by advanced fast jet training on the Hawk aircraft. At the end of this I was one of the few retained on the squadron to become an instructor. My training took nearly four years.”

“I remember sitting at the end of the runway and when the engine started, I thought ‘wow’. It’s an incredible feeling when you release the brakes and get going. I was excited but nervous at the same time.

“Sometimes you forget how fast it is. When you’re actually in the aircraft it’s relatively quiet, so you get used to the speed. I remember 120 knots feeling quite fast to begin with. Now 300 knots feels quite slow.” (300 knots is equivalent to 345 miles per hour.)

“In October 2008, I completed a six-week detachment to the Gulf on frontline operations, flying the Tornado GR4 on close air support for ground forces. We are the eyes in the sky for guys below. We scout ahead for any potential threats.”

“I was really excited about it and keen to get out there. I joined the RAF to fly on the frontline and it’s what I’ve been waiting to do since my fast jet training.

“Being in the Gulf was everything I expected – hot humid conditions, long exhausting night shifts, but a very rewarding experience. Knowing that we were helping to protect personnel on the ground and were there for them in the event of an emergency was a good feeling.” 

“Our squadron was not involved in direct combat as our duties mainly involved surveillance. You always have to be aware of potential threats, though. 

“You hear of people on the ground launching missiles into the air, so we do practice for that. It’s always a reality in the back of our minds.”

“They are absolutely fine about it. My husband does the same job, so he understands what I’m going through and vice versa. We support each other.”

"Everyone is really friendly and supportive in the squadron and I don’t feel as though I’m treated any differently to the men. I’ve never encountered any sexism in my career.”

"Just be yourself, make the best of what you have got, and have the confidence that you will succeed. I left school with mediocre A-levels but I didn’t let that stop me and now I’ve achieved more than I could have ever anticipated.   

“A military career also offers opportunities for sport that most other jobs wouldn’t. For instance, I’m a keen showjumper and recently represented the RAF as part of a team competing in front of the Queen at Windsor. It was a fantastic experience.”