Members of the Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display Team have visited a primary school in the West Midlands during a break in their display training.
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Members of the team paid students at Shireland Hall Primary Academy in Smethwick a visit to give the pupils an insight into what life is like in the Royal Air Force Parachute Display Team.
Sergeants Doug McAall, Andy Lynch and Greg Ashelby showed the students at Shireland Hall videos from the previous display year, showcasing the incredible locations and events the team displayed at in 2022, before talking to them about how the team train and display all over the UK and the world representing the Royal Air Force. They gave the students a chance to get up close with some of the equipment the team use, including the chance to try on the famous red, white and blue parachutes the team wear during their displays.
Oliver Norman, Deputy Headteacher at Shireland Hall said:
“What a fantastic opportunity it has been for the children at Shireland Hall to have members from the RAF Falcons come down to deliver an assembly today. The instructors answered all the questions the kids could throw at them and showed off all the equipment they use to train our Armed Forces and perform their amazing displays. The messages about teamwork, being safe and looking after each other resonate with the messages we talk about on a daily basis in school. Thanks so much to the RAF for an amazing experience”
Oliver Norman
Deputy Headteacher, Shireland Hall
The pupils had prepared questions in class with their teachers before the team visited and asked about the places the team visit, how often the parachutes are used, and how to become an RAF Falcon, among many other insightful questions.
Sergeant Doug McAll, who is now in his third and final year as a display parachutist said:
“The visit to Shireland Primary Academy was a very successful and rewarding one. It was excellent to be able to show the children a small part of the RAF's capability and important contribution to the UK's defence. It's of high importance for young people to have a broad level of exposure to all opportunities open to them to take advantage of. I really enjoyed answering some great questions from the students and hope they got a lot out of our visit”
Sergeant Doug McAll
Royal Air Force Falcon
The RAF Falcons are about to deploy on their next training trip ‘Exercise Falcon Stack’ to prepare for the 2023 display season.
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