A COUNCIL chairman has taken to the skies to finds out what life as an RAF pilot is like.

Councillor Rob Johnson, chairman of Richmondshire District Council, spent just under an hour with an instructor in a Grob Tutor plane - even taking the controls himself for part of the flight.

The flight, from RAF Leeming, gave Coun Johnson an insight into the rigorous training pilots go through to "earn their wings".

It was arranged following a chance meeting at the district council’s civic dinner.

Coun Johnson said: "At the dinner, I was sitting next to the High Sheriff of North Yorkshire, who was talking about how he had been for a flight in a jet aircraft.

"I told him how jealous I was of him.

"By chance, sitting opposite us was the Wing Commander from RAF Leeming.

"The council received a phone call extending an invitation for me to fly with the RAF.

"Of course, I jumped at the chance.

"I had wanted to join the RAF when I was at school and being a pilot had always been a dream of mine.

"My instructor was superb – a retired RAF Harrier pilot – and I was able to fly the plane myself for 15 minutes.

"The whole experience gave me a real appreciation of what the RAF do for our country, and an understanding of the exhaustive training that young airmen and women go through."