Morgan Ashurst worker in jet fighter 'loop-the-loop' - PHOTO

A Morgan Ashurst worker got the chance to do a 'loop-the-loop' in a fighter jet while working on the £20m extension of the RAF Valley facility in Anglesey.

Senior site engineer Gary Simister, 34, who is helping to build a 12,000m2 hangar, training suite and squadron building, jumped into the passenger seat of a Hawk T Mark 1 plane as pilot flight lieutenant Steve Eccles carried out a ‘white-knuckle’ training exercise.

Below: Gary Simister in front of the Hawk T Mark 1

The exercise is designed by the Ministry of Defence to give trainee pilots the chance to practise death-defying manoeuvres. The duo flew at speeds of up to 500mph at around 14,000ft.

At one point, Gary was invited to take to the controls and performed a loop-the-loop and a barrel roll.

 “It felt like being on the world’s most amazing rollercoaster; it was absolutely superb. At one point, we waved to a group of plane spotters who were standing on a ridge taking photographs – and the views were beautiful.

“I honestly was not scared but after an hour of experiencing huge G-forces, I was ready to come down! This is something that I have always wanted to do so I feel really privileged to have had this opportunity,” Simister said.

Squadron Leader Mark Byrne at RAF Valley said: “We felt it was important that the team from Morgan Ashurst experienced that same feeling as they build our new facilities,” says

“Gary was very brave. A lot of people get very, very sick on these flights. Anyone who gets remotely car sick normally ends up re-visiting what they had for lunch. The flights are also extremely tiring due to the G-forces involved.”

The contract is being carried out as part of the UK Military Flying Training System programme for VT Support Services, part of the VT Group.  It is being delivered under a 25-year, £635 million private finance initiative to improve aviation training capability by Ascent,  a joint venture between VT Group and Lockheed Martin UK.