Volume
48, No. 8, May 18, 2006
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| STAR STUDENT: PLTOFF Shannon McGuckin with his former high school teacher, FLTLT Mike Hill, before they hit the skies in the Hawk with PLTOFF McGuckin behind the controls. |
| Photo by LAC Allan Cooper |
FLTLT Mike Hill, an Active Reserve OPSO with No 25 (City of Perth) Squadron had the controls switched on him recently when he was given a flight in a Hawk 127.
One of his former pupils was his pilot.
In his civilian employment, FLTLT Hill is an aviation teacher at Kent Street High School.
He sought permission to conduct a familiarisation flight with 79SQN to gain a better understanding of fast jet operations.
When the flight was approved, he was surprised to learn that one of his former aviation students, PLTOFF Shannon McGuckin, would be at the Hawk’s controls.
“It’s really humbling to see students to whom you taught the basics [of flight] shoot ahead and achieve such a great thing,” FLTLT Hill said.
“Shannon has been able to do this himself, but it’s nice to think that perhaps you played a small part in helping your students along the way to become pilots.”
PLTOFF McGuckin, who has been in the Air Force for four years, said he knew that he would be taking his teacher for the flight.
“It was great. It’s not every day that we get to share the experience and take civilians with us but he [FLTLT Hill] is also a Reservist so this was different,” PLTOFF McGuckin said.
“We flew out over Rottnest Island, up to an exercise area and back to Pearce. The flight lasted about fifty minutes. He [FLTLT Hill] really enjoyed himself.”
