Sqn Ldr Roger Cruickshank describes his time flying as a frontline RAF Eurofighter Typhoon pilot and how he overcame bleak periods in his life to ultimately forge a successful career
Above: The view from a USAF KC-10 while refuelling during an Operation Shader mission over Syria.Crown copyright 2019.
Above: Leading a four-ship visual run in and break to land at Butterworth Air Base, Malaysia during Exercise Bersama Lima. Crown copyright 2019.
So, I’ve had a few bumps along the road, but hasn’t everybody?
We all carry a form of psychological baggage from our life’s journey, but my choice has been to share mine, in the hope it will help others. I lost a close family member to suicide, something that changed my perspective on mental health forever. I nearly let the grief overcome me and suffered through many dark times including a cloud of depression. But I had the support of so many good people around me, that I came through and became stronger for it. Maybe these experiences are what gave me the resilience to go on and become an RAF Typhoon pilot – an ambition that was always present in my upbringing, ever since I learned about this new, futuristic aircraft that was in the making.
The need for speed
However, my first ambition was …
