A Royal Navy helicopter pilot has passed his Yachtmaster theory exam while on military duty in landlocked Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Gareth Plunkett, a ‘Jungly Pilot’ with the Commando Helicopter Force, decided that his downtime during three months of intense operational flying presented a good chance to study for the RYA exam.

Conveniently the Commando Helicopter Force’s chaplain, Reverend John Morris, is a Yachtmaster instructor and examiner and could supply exam papers, training charts, and course notes.

Although Lt. Plunkett (pictured above right) was in Kandahar and Rev. Morris was in Kabul, the two established email correspondence and in the final days of his tour Lt. Plunkett flew to Kabul for two days of final revision and the exam.

A couple of hours later Rev. Morris informed Lt. Plunkett that he had passed with flying colours.

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