Flight Lieutenant William ‘Bill’ Kenrick has been celebrating recently after clocking up a staggering 7000 flying hours, equivalent to over 9 months in the air

7000 Flying Hours

22 April 2013

Flight Lieutenant William ‘Bill’ Kenrick has been celebrating recently after clocking up a staggering 7000 flying hours, equivalent to over 9 months in the air

Bill is currently based at RAF Benson as a Training Officer with the Operational Conversion Flight of 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron. His day job sees him training Royal Navy pilots to operate the complicated, state-of-the-art Merlin helicopter ahead of the transfer of the aircraft to the Commando Helicopter Force.

52 year old Bill joined the RAF as a pilot in 1979 and has since undertaken numerous tours flying a variety of helicopters including Pumas at RAF Benson and RAF Odiham, Gazelles at RAF Shawbury and Merlins at RAF Benson. Due to his expertise, he has also completed two tours at RAF Benson as part of Joint Helicopter Command’s Standards and Evaluations Flight that ensures the highest standards of airmanship are maintained across the Joint Helicopter Command fleets.
As well as UK tours, Bill has also completed operational deployments to Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot, as well as environmental training in areas such as Belize in Central America and Norway. In 2010 his contribution to the Royal Air Force was recognised by a Personal Commendation from Commander Joint Helicopter Command.
Bill, who celebrated his Silver Wedding Anniversary with his wife Rosalind in September 2012, hails from Abingdon in Oxfordshire and has two grown up children, Peter (23) and Lucinda (19). Prior to joining the RAF, he attended Kingston Grammar School in Kingston-upon-Thames before completing a BSc (Hons) in Electrical Engineering at Bath University. Whilst his day job requires him to be confined to a cockpit for relatively long periods of time, Bill is also a keen motorcyclist and cyclist and regularly attends Abingdon Airshow.
Bill was greeted by colleagues and RAF Benson’s Station Commander, Group Captain Nigel Colman, as he landed at RAF Benson after clocking up more than 7000 flying hours. Bill commented, “I am proud to have been a part of the successes of the Support Helicopter Force over the years and I hope that my teaching and examining has helped people stay safe in some fairly hostile environments. I’ve managed to have a great deal of fun along the way, but this is tempered by the realisation that I’ve spent the equivalent of a fortnight Instrument Flying!”
Photograph: SAC Phil Major RAF
Flt Lt Kenrick (right) is presented champagne by Gp Capt Colman (left) after achieving 7000 flying hours
RAF/MOD Crown Copyright 2013