New Commanding Officer for 824 Squadron

Commander Nick Gibbons Takes the Helm at 824 Naval Air Squadron. A helicopter tactical maritime observer, Nick joined the Royal Navy in 1988 and has spent the majority of his career flying with Culdrose-based Squadrons.

Having recently completed staff appointments in Portsmouth and a period deployed in support of Middle East maritime operations, Nick has returned to flying duties as the Commanding Officer of 824 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), the Merlin Helicopter Training unit.

He joins the Squadron at a time when the Merlin helicopter is undergoing a significant mid-life upgrade, and he is looking forward to the challenge of bringing in this new capability

Commander Gibbons said:

“I am proud to be taking Command of 824 Squadron at such a key time. The Merlin Mark 1 provides us with an excellent capability, but time is marching on and we are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the Merlin Mark 2. 824 Squadron will be key in ensuring that all aircrew and engineers, whether they are converting from Merlin Mark 1 or new staff completing training, become proficient in the operation and maintenance of the Mark 2 aircraft.”

Nick’s grandparents lived in the Porthleven area and he has relatives on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly. His son is in a local school, and he and his family are delighted to be back in Cornwall where they play a full part in community life.