Merlin helicopters to fly from RAF Shawbury during training exercise
Residents living near the north Shropshire air base RAF Shawbury as well as other areas of Shropshire may notice some unusual aerial activity next week.
RAF Shawbury and the Defence Helicopter Flying School are assisting with preparations for front line operations when ex-students come back to the unit with No 78 Squadron. The Squadron, based at RAF Benson, will be operating from the airbase from next Tuesday including day and night flying.
The helicopters will arrive on Tuesday morning. From Tuesday to Thursday they will also complete night flying until 2am each morning.
The Squadron regularly prepares for front line operations by operating from other units around the country, but this is the first time they will have operated their Merlin helicopters from the North Shropshire airbase for a longer period. All the crews have previously trained at the unit at the Defence Helicopter Flying School and are all used to operating from the airfield. The flying they will be doing includes operating within the Shawbury low flying area as well as utilising the Mountain training areas in North Wales.
