Civvy Life – Flying high with the National Police Air Service

Off By Ed Hanna

A long career, fixing and flying helicopters, was the ideal preparation for Rick London to join NPAS.

What’s your Military background?
So, in September 1986 a young 17 year-old joined REME as an aircraft technician and went on to do an apprenticeship for two years, fixing helicopters for 10 years. Along that journey I realised the Army has got loads of opportunities and I eventually transferred to the Air Corps in 2003 after I’d been flying for a little while. I left in 2010 after Serving in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq as a Warrant Officer Class One. I tried to get the most out of being in the Military as I could, but 24 years is a good stint.

I was a pilot, so I was flying Gazelles in anti-tank and surveillance. That was my main role but like all things in the Military, you reinvent yourself several times, so I’ve been an Electronic Warfare Officer, I’ve been an Operations Officer and Operations Warrant Officer.

How was resettlement?
I knew I had to plan. I was about to be streamed to do more staff jobs and more office jobs and I was being taken away from flying. I had to think about my long term goal. I can do sitting behind a desk but fundamentally, I’m a flyer. While you think you have a couple of years left, the time comes up on you rather rapidly, and I ended up having to speed up my resettlement plans. Then the job opportunity with NPAS came up, just as I was about to be posted. I saw the job advert and it seemed I’d be literally walking from one side of the airfield to the other. It seemed the right thing to do and it has worked out really well for me.

Did you ever read Civvy Street Magazine during your resettlement period?
I’d flick through the magazine. It was informative, helping explain the process of resettlement and what I might need to do. Seeing the success stories of others provided a good insight into the opportunities out there.

What are your current duties?
I’m a senior pilot for our base in Almondsbury. I’m also the human factors and CRM manager for the National Police Air Service. I supervise the four base pilots and I am responsible for the human factors training within the organisation.

I make sure pilots abide by CAA rules and I roster them. It’s basically being that guy at hand in the unit. There’s something about the engineering part of me where I like to make sure that things are in the right place. The whole point is to be that role model, which is not unlike being in the Military.

Do you enjoy the similarities to the Military?
I’m comfortable, because I think the roles and the training I had in the Military make this job easier – with all the stress, the command courses and the skillset you develop in the Military. I jokingly say to my airline friends that I walk to the aircraft, not knowing where I’m going!

Just as no plan survives first contact with the enemy, it’s the same with policing; there’s no straight line on the map such as the airlines follow.

What other attributes do Service-leavers bring to policing?
The police national decision-making model has ethics at its heart. And for Service-leavers, ethics are important. Part of the attraction of this job is that you can do good. I think that people who do a long time in the Army, have a ‘stick of rock’ approach to ethics and a moral compass that translates really well.

What do you miss from the Forces and what do you most appreciate in your current role?
In the Military, one moment you’re in North America and the next you’re in Iraq, or the Balkans, or the Falklands. When you are in the thick of it, that spirit of adventure you experience can be fun at times. And you’re working with lifelong friends who will support you. You miss that.

This job is more about working and doing, whereas the Military was a lot more about training. I’ve got over 1,600 days on operations but I had 24 years in the Military, whereas in the police, every day is an operation, so it is absolutely the reverse.

For people who are considering the role, this is the nearest you’ll get to flying in the Military and you get to go home at night!