Todays lesson children is on the wildcat

Children at a Devon Primary school had the Purrfect surprise when a Wildcat Helicopter from Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton landed outside their classrooms on the school playing field.

Pupils of St Christopher’s Primary and Nursery School received a visit from 825 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) based at RNAS Yeovilton giving 90 pupils the opportunity to get up close and personnel to the newest helicopter in the Fleet Air Arm, Wildcat HMA.

Each and every pupil had the opportunity to sit in the Pilot seat and have a really good look around the aircraft as Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr) Mark Jones and Lt Chris Rebbeck explained to the pupils how it works and the role it carries out.

Ben Cottell, bursar at the school, himself a retired Fleet Air Arm Lynx Observer, said; “Pupils were very lucky to receive a visit from a Royal Navy Wildcat Helicopter all of our children were given the chance to look around the aircraft and sit in the pilot’s seat despite the torrential rain.

“It was a wonderful start back the second half of the summer term and was a great opportunity for the school to see what the Royal Navy does close up.”

The excited children waved a rainy goodbye on a memory made for life and who knows, the Fleet Air Arm of today may have just met the Fleet Air Arm of tomorrow on the day the Wildcat came to play.