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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Blind pilot guided to land by RAF | Blind pilot guided to land by RAF |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A pilot who suddenly went blind while flying his plane at 15,000ft was guided in to land by an RAF plane. | A pilot who suddenly went blind while flying his plane at 15,000ft was guided in to land by an RAF plane. |
| A team was scrambled from the RAF base at Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire to help stricken pilot Jim O'Neill, 65. | |
| He was flying a two-seater Cessna plane from Prestwick airport in Scotland to Colchester, Essex, when a medical condition caused him to go blind. | He was flying a two-seater Cessna plane from Prestwick airport in Scotland to Colchester, Essex, when a medical condition caused him to go blind. |
| The RAF plane flew alongside Mr O'Neill and the crew shepherded him to their base with instructions over the radio. | The RAF plane flew alongside Mr O'Neill and the crew shepherded him to their base with instructions over the radio. |
| Mr O'Neill, who has 18 years' flying experience, sent a mayday alert and attempted to land his plane near Full Sutton Airfield near York when disaster struck on Friday. | |
| Shepherding aircraft in this way is something we do from time to time, but this is a very strange case Gp Capt Mark Hopkins | Shepherding aircraft in this way is something we do from time to time, but this is a very strange case Gp Capt Mark Hopkins |
| Despite the efforts of air traffic controllers he was unable to land the plane safely and the Tucano T1 was sent to help him. | Despite the efforts of air traffic controllers he was unable to land the plane safely and the Tucano T1 was sent to help him. |
| Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Gp Capt Mark Hopkins, said: "The Royal Air Force has the best pilots and air traffic controllers in the world. This team effort from Linton-On-Ouse lives up to that reputation. | Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Gp Capt Mark Hopkins, said: "The Royal Air Force has the best pilots and air traffic controllers in the world. This team effort from Linton-On-Ouse lives up to that reputation. |
| "Shepherding aircraft in this way is something we do from time to time, but this is a very strange case. | "Shepherding aircraft in this way is something we do from time to time, but this is a very strange case. |
| "I'm proud we could get him to the ground safely." | "I'm proud we could get him to the ground safely." |
| Mr O'Neill was checked over by RAF medics before being transferred to Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex where he is believed to be seriously ill. |