Red Arrows pilot special guest at Air and Defence College webinar

Flight Lieutenant David Simmonds, joined the Air and Defence College’s (A&DC)‘virtual’ open day live on Wednesday, where he spoke about life in the RAF, his role with the Red Arrows, and what it’s like to have the job he loves.

Speaking from a hanger at RAF Scampton, with a Red Arrows jet behind him, he was joined by colleague Flight Lieutenant Ben Ireland. Former A&DCstudent Abigail Britt-woodalso spoke at the event. Abigail, who is serving in the RAF, is about to go on her first deployment.

See the full webinar here:

Flt Lt Simmonds has been in the RAF for 18 years and says he’s loved every minute of his time in the service, and gave a presentation to all those who attended the event and was on hand to answer questions in a special Q&A session.

He spoke about his love for his job and the number of different roles within the service that play a vital part behind the scenes.

“I’ve been in the RAF for 18 years and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. There are many roles in the service – it’s not just about nine red suits that get airborne and form a display, it’s a team effort involving all of the different jobs and roles behind the scenes.”

The webinar proved to be a fantastic opportunity for students looking to join Lincoln College’s (A&DC), which trains people up to for roles within the RAF and the wider defence sector.

Ross Tarnowski, Head of Department at the Air and Defence College, said: "It was fantastic to have Flight Lieutenant David Simmonds as our special guest. He gave a great insight into what life is like as a Red Arrows pilot and provided a fascinating insight into the wider roles available to people wishing to pursue a career in the RAF and wider defence sector."

Visit our website for more details on courses at Lincoln College’s Air and Defence College