848NAS win Breitling trophy

On 30 Aug 848 NAS, based at RNAS Yeovilton, were presented with the Breitling Trophy by Mr Gavin Murphy, Sales Director, BreitlingUK. This prestigious award is presented annually to the Naval Air Squadron achieving the best overall assessment during a Naval Flying Standards inspection. It recognises the professionalism and excellence within the squadron, marking them out as the best in the Fleet Air Arm. 

The award of this trophy is testament to the high level of flexibility demonstrated by all members of the Squadron in surging to meet the required output placed upon them whilst still maintaining the highest possible standards within the Fleet Air Arm. 848 NAS were inspected in November 2012, having just completed the Olympic Security Task throughout the summer and ongoing student pilot and engineer training commitment. Despite being denuded of summer leave, the whole Squadron worked together as a team to ensure that safety, standards and practices continued throughout the whole of 2012. The Navy Flying Standards Flight Report specifically noted that professionalism and skill were clear across a broad range of flying and ground disciplines. To win the award amongst such strong competition within the Fleet Air Arm is a real honour and recognition of the continued hard work, dedication to excellence and the exemplary ethos within the Squadron.

The Commanding Officer of 848 NAS, Cdr Rich Sutton MBE RN said “As an ex Naval Flying Standards Officer, I am acutely aware of the fierce competition and the high standards that need to be achieved to be awarded the Breitling trophy. 848 NAS has been the largest Squadron in manpower terms within the Fleet Air Arm for several years and to consistently operate with such high standards and practices, meet it’s own operational tasks and train the next generation of Junglies is a fantastic achievement of which all Squadron personnel should be very proud”.