This week saw the last flight of Lieutenant Commander Ross Spooner, a stalwart of Merlin Helicopter Force and a former squadron commanding officer.
Having grown up in Gweek and going to school in Helston, both on the doorstep of RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, Lt Cdr Spooner joined the Royal Navy in 1987 at the age of 16. He began his career as an apprentice aircraft artificer, learning how to maintain Sea King helicopters.
Five years later, he commissioned as an air engineering officer and then began aviation training as a maintenance test pilot, a career he continued for around 10 years, converting to the Merlin helicopter.
Having qualified as a helicopter instructor, he moved over into frontline aviation. He said: “I wanted to stay flying and stay at Culdrose as I really enjoyed it.”
Lt Cdr Spooner’s flying career saw him serve in Iraq and Sierra Leone. He was appointed the senior pilot of 814 Naval Air Squadron and then was promoted to commander, leading 820 Naval Air Squadron between 2014 and 2016.
“For me, being the commanding officer of 820 was the best job in the world. I’d still be there now if I could,” he added.
Having briefly left the Royal Navy in 2017, Lt Cdr Spooner dropped down a rank and rejoined RNAS Culdrose as a Royal Navy reservist. He has spent the last seven years as an instructor with 824 Naval Air Squadron, teaching trainee aircrew how to fly and fight the navy’s submarine hunting Merlin Mk2.
“It’s still a joy to see the next generation coming through,” he said. “Teaching and flying is just fun. If you can look out at the flight line, strap one of those aircraft to your back, and not feel excited, then you’re in the wrong job. I genuinely believe that.”
On Wednesday, Lt Cdr Spooner took his last flight and his pictured with his fellow aircrew. His last sortie was a training flight, taking in some confined area landings on Tresco in the Isles of Scilly and a winching exercise to drop their aircrewman on the top of Wolf Rock Lighthouse.
Within the next few weeks, he leaves 824 Naval Air Squadron and then retires, although he said he will continue to serve in the Royal Navy Reserves.
