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Yeovilton Visiting Aircraft Section efforts recognised
23 November 2017
The Visiting Aircraft Section (VAS) at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton has been recognised for their endeavour by the Commanding Officer.
Commodore Nick Tindal presented the VAS Team with the air station’s Recognition of Team Achievement through Endeavour (ROTATE) certificate.
Commodore Tindal said, “With their wealth of experience and support over and above this team are a crucial conduit for all visiting aircraft, support to Air Traffic Control and vital in the support they bring to key events such as the delivery of Air Day.
“As experienced Royal Navy Ratings they continuously demonstrate their professional knowledge and ability and are able to manage their workload with little direction from their superiors. Their performance and conduct has been exemplary throughout and is worthy of recognition.”
The VAS team at RNAS Yeovilton is a vital part of the Air Department and is adeptly run by Leading Airman (Aircraft Handler) Kevin Gregory and ably supported by Naval Airman (Aircraft Handler) Andrew Storer and Air Engineering Technician Tobias Stirk.
Their performance and conduct has been exemplary throughout and is worthy of recognition
This enormously experienced team has proved invaluable during the last eighteen months. When called upon to undertake extremely important and complex tasks and whole station evolutions they have always stood up to the plate and delivered.
Enjoying the full confidence of their Officer in Charge, they often work autonomously producing excellent results. They have not only shone a positive light over the Air Department but they have provided an exceptional example of team ethos and a can do attitude in the best traditions of the Service.
The VAS team routinely step outside their area of responsibility in support of other departments, not only within airfield operations, but throughout the station as a whole.
They have all been comprehensively involved in three major public facing events, the Winkle Brown Commemoration, Station Families Day 2017 and RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day.
Faced with many challenges throughout, they have provided sterling service delivering a safe and expeditious response enabling RNAS Yeovilton to enhance its public profile.
On top of this, VAS acts as the conduit between a huge number of visiting handling teams and Air Operations.
Their local knowledge is essential in facilitating the movement, stowage and positioning of in excess of 100 visiting aircraft in the days leading up to, during and after Air Day.