A ROYAL Air Force serviceman from Bury is about to commence his second display season as part of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team.

Corporal Mark O’Brien, aged 30, a former pupil of Bury College, has commenced his second year with the RAF Falcons who are based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

For more than 50 years, the UK Military’s Parachute Display Team, the RAF Falcons, have delivered fast paced, high profile displays from up to 12,000ft across the UK and abroad.

Since joining the RAF in April 2007 as a physical training Instructor, Mark completed his initial training but in 2011, he chose to specialise as a Parachute Jumping Instructor (PJI).

Mark said: “It gives me great pride to be under the famous red, white and blue canopy of the RAF Falcons.

“I have gained valuable knowledge and experience from my first year and looking forward to another successful season”.

Mark successfully completed his PJI course and was subsequently posted to No 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Brize Norton.

Due to his highly skilled parachuting ability, Mark was then selected for his current role on the RAF Falcons.

This year will see him undertake parachuting displays in front of the UK public and overseas for selected international audiences throughout the fast paced, 2016 display season.

Mark can expect to serve with the RAF Falcons for a three year period, during which he will gain his Military Accelerated Free Fall Instructor qualification, enabling him to take his career to the next level by providing specialist parachuting training to Army, Navy and Air Force personnel.

The RAF Falcons have completed a busy period of winter training in California and the UK in preparation for the 2016 display season, which commenced on April 29.

Over the summer months the team will conduct around 70 displays throughout the UK and Europe.