A 54-year-old flying instructor at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall has joined a select few who have reached a very important aviation milestone.

Stephen Beirne, who grew up in Leigh, Greater Manchester but lives now in Cornwall has clocked-up an impressive total of over 5,000 flying hours, the equivalent of nearly 210 days in the air during his 29 year flying career. Stephen began his time with the Royal Navy back in 1986 when he walked through the gates of Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) at Dartmouth in Devon.

Joining as an Observer for initial officer training be began his specialist flying training on Jetstream aircraft, before moving on to serve with Sea King Helicopters on some of RNAS Culdrose’s Anti-submarine Naval Air Squadrons, both as an instructor and on operations including the first Gulf War between 1990 - 1991.

He also was part of the Royal Navy’s specialist Search and Rescue Force with 771 NAS at Culdrose. In 1998 Stephen joined 750 NAS who has the responsibility for training observers in the Royal Naval and is now a civilian flying instructor on the Beechcraft, King Air Avenger Mk 1.

At a small ceremony at the squadron’s morning briefing, the Commanding Officer of RNAS Culdrose Captain Ade Orchard OBE presented Stephen Beirne and Lieutenant Richard Thorpe who was celebrating his 1000 flying hours with a surprise cake.

“I would recommend joining the Royal Navy to anyone,” said Stephen. “I’ve had a wonderful career, done and seen amazing things whilst in the company of the most fantastically funny people. To have achieved 5000 hours flying is quite surreal, it’s something I’ve love doing and long may it continue”.