The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight are delighted to announce the appointment of Squadron Leader Simon Jessett who will become the Officer Commanding in October 2027 ahead of the 2028 – 2030 display seasons.
The role of Officer Commanding for the BBMF requires four years of voluntary service on the flight in advance to gain the necessary experience and training required to fly the BBMF’s fleet of Chipmunks, Hurricanes and different marks of Spitfire. During this period, Sqn Ldr Jessett will continue with his primary duty elsewhere in the RAF however will support the flight with its annual display taskings throughout each display season, as well as gain the relevant experience and qualifications to allow him to train future BBMF pilots, conduct air tests and be able to run the Flight in its entirety.
Sqn Ldr Jessett joined the RAF in 1990, flying the Harrier until its retirement in 2012. He then left the RAF to fly the Falcon DA20 as a civilian, before realising the grass was greener in the Service, soon re-joining to fly the Typhoon FGR4. Sqn Ldr Jessett is currently serving on 3(F) Squadron at RAF Coningsby. Speaking about his future appointment, he said:
“I am delighted to be joining BBMF. These iconic aircraft remind us of our nation’s finest hour, and flying them will be a boyhood dream come true.”
The current OC BBMF, Sqn Ldr Mark Sugden is about to enter his final year of command on the flight, with Sqn Ldr Mark Long due to take the reigns in October 2024.
