Panavia GR-1 Tornado

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Panavia Model: GR-1. Nickname: Tornado
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Tactical Jet
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane ME Land
> Engine Description: two Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk 103 afterburning 3‑spool turbofan engines

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 10/30/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: F2, GR-1

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 84
> Date First Flown: 5/16/1996
> Location First Flown: Boscombe Down, UK
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Empire Test Pilot School (ETPS), Schuster

Recollections: I flew the Tornado during a DT-2, while serving as USNTPS Chief Flight Instructor (CFI).  I really loved my trips to the UK and to our sister school, Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS).  

My flight in the Tornado was, as all flights in the UK, memorable.  Everything is somewhat similar to “back home” but–at the same time–somehow strangely different.  The beer is good, but not cold, for example.  The flight gear, when you’re getting “kitted up to fly” is just enough different as to be noticeable.  The countryside is gorgeous and the airplane was a lot of fun to fly. The GR-1 is the ground attack version of the Tornado and so we did a low-level across southern england.