IN TAMWORTH as part of Exercise Golden Guitar is RAAF reservist Squadron Leader Phil Frawley, the oldest operational fighter pilot in the world.
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At 61 years old, Squadron Leader Frawley has been a fighter pilot for 40 years, now as a reservist and civilian jet fighter pilot at Cessnock. Squadron Leader Frawley said the reason why most RAAF pilots his age were no longer flying fighter jets was because they were often promoted and no longer had flying roles. He left the RAAF in 1997 and went to Saudi Arabia, teaching fighter pilots there for five years, then returned to the air force in 2002 as a reservist.
“I’m still flying, because I love instructing,” he said.
“While ever you love what you’re doing, there’s no point giving it up.”
* Get the full story on Exercise Golden Guitar in tomorrow’s The Northern Daily Leader.