Present Day
In April 1997 the station started providing training for helicopter pilots for all three of the UK's armed services, being home to the Defence Helicopter Flying School. Currently the Squirrel HT1 (Eurocopter AS350BB) helicopter operated by (660 and 705 Squadrons) and the Griffin HT1 (Bell 412 EP) helicopter operated by No. 60 Squadron RAF is used by the School and is maintained by the contractor, FB Heliservices Ltd, who also provide 40% of the flying instructors. It is also home to the Air Traffic Control School and the RAF Aircraft Storage flight.
Shawbury is home to the 'Assault Glider Trust', building a non-flying replica Horsa glider for museum display.
The station's new physical recreation training centre, named the Jubilee Hall Sports and Fitness Centre to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, was opened by Prince Michael of Kent on 24 April 2012.
Read more about this topic: RAF Shawbury
Famous quotes containing the words present and/or day:
“yet when all is said
It was the dream itself enchanted me:
Character isolated by a deed
To engross the present and dominate memory.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“It was a day of cold
Raw silence, wind-blown
Surplice and soutane:
Rained-on, flower-laden
Coffin after coffin
Seemed to float from the door”
—Seamus Heaney (b. 1939)