Eaglescliffe RAF veteran, 90, jumps out of plane for birthday

An RAF veteran has taken part in a skydive to mark his 90th birthday.

John Dyer, from Eaglescliffe, served from 1951 until 1969 but never got to jump from a plane during his service.

“I’ve had it at the back of my mind all these years,” he said, but later added that he would only do it again if he could avoid the freefall.

His daughter, Clare Sullivan, said her father was a “real inspiration” and she had been trying to “put aside” any worries she had about the jump.

The skydive took place at Shotton Airfield, near Peterlee, on Sunday.

Mr Dyer said: “I liked the parachute bit, but didn’t like the freefall as it hurt my ears.”

Asked if he would do it again he said he would if he could just do the parachute part and avoid what came afterwards.

Mr Dyer was born in Kent, but his family moved to London when he was a baby and he was evacuated from the city during World War Two.

He joined the RAF at the age of 16 and worked mostly in airfield construction so was not able to jump. Mr Dyer said his parachutist colleagues used to “wind him up” about it.

He served in Egypt, Iraq, Libya and Singapore, before leaving the RAF in 1969.

Mr Dyer started to plan the jump after the Covid pandemic as a joint celebration of his 90th birthday and daughter’s 50th.

“I thought it would be a lovely dad and daughter thing to do,” Ms Sullivan said.

“And then I realised actually it’s not for me, I’m too scared. But I also wanted him to have the moment, have the limelight.”

Mr Dyer, who turned 90 in January, obtained a certificate from his GP to say he was healthy and fit to do the jump, which is also raising money for the Royal Air Forces Association.

“He’s got a real zest for life, he’s a real inspiration to me,” Ms Sullivan said.

“He’s always up for a challenge, always setting goals.”

Mr Dyer said he had no further adventures planned.

“I think perhaps I’ll go for a quiet life,” he said.