An RAF helicopter instructor with Maltese roots, Flight Lieutenant Mike Cauchi, will be one of the pilots flying to Malta on a Royal Air Force Merlin HC Mk 3 helicopter to take part in the airshow being held at Malta International Airport this weekend.
Flt Lt Cauchi is one of the co-pilots flying the Merlin. The rest of the crew include Squadron Leader Mark Beardmore, pilot; Sqn Ldr Al Dale, co-pilot; Flt Sgts Graeme Longmuir and Martin 'Topsy' Turner as crewmen; and Master Air Loadmaster Paul Couchman.
Flt Lt Cauchi's grandparents were from Gozo, emigrating to Tunisia and later to Plymouth in the UK.
He joined the RAF as an Air Engineer in 1978 and was commissioned in 1985. He gained his pilots' wings in 1986.
Flt Lt Cauchi has specialised in helicopters and has served at RAF Odiham, Gutersloh (in Germany), Aldergrove, Shawbury and Benson.
Since joining the RAF, he has logged 3,570 flying hours in helicopters. He has flown the Wessex with 72 Squadron; the Puma HC1 with Nos 33 and 230 squadron; the Gazelle with the Central Flying School and the Bell 412 Griffin with No 60 (R) Squadron.
He is now employed as a qualified helicopter instructor with No 28 (AC) Squadron Operational Conversion Flight.
Flt Lt Cauchi has been involved with the Support Helicopter Force since 1987 and has been deployed to various locations around the world, including RAF Belize, Norway and Northern Ireland. He even spent nine weeks in the Gulf during the Gulf War.
He is married to Natalie, who has a Maltese mother living with her English husband in St Paul's Bay.
Natalie also served in the RAF as a flight lieutenant for some eight years. She was employed with the RAF Supply Branch dealing with personnel welfare and logistical problems including support of deployed aircraft.
She met him while they were both studying at RAF College, Cranwell to become RAF officers.
Natalie was also deployed for five days to Dhahran air base in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, at the time when her husband was also there. Natalie left the RAF after becoming pregnant.
Flt Lt Cauchi and the other members of the crew are expected to arrive at Malta International Airport tomorrow at about 3 p.m.
They left RAF Benson on Wednesday at 8 a.m. and on their way to Malta made several stops in the UK, France and Italy. This will be the first time that an RAF Merlin helicopter will be visiting Malta.
A naval version of the Merlin is expected to be seen in Malta on board the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal which is due in Grand Harbour this morning. There are four Merlin HM Mk 1 deployed aboard the aircraft carrier.
No 28 Squadron RAF was reformed with the Merlin HC Mk 3s on July 17, 2001, at RAF Benson with A, B and C Flights. C Flight acts as an operational conversion unit.