Father and daughter duo navigate pilot training
There was a special break from tradition for former Feilding High School student Flying Officer Molly Alcock, one of five pilots who received their wings at Base Ohakea on Thursday after completing the 24/1 pilot training course.
17 December, 2025
Flying Officer Alcock’s father, Squadron Leader Matthew Alcock (a Reservist), is an Air Force flying instructor.
In recognition of that, Squadron Leader Alcock was allowed to present his daughter with her wings at the graduation ceremony - an honour usually reserved for the graduation’s reviewing officer.
Squadron Leader Alcock said the moment brought him to tears.
“I’m incredibly proud of my daughter and what she’s achieved, and as an instructor I know the thousands of hours and hard work each student puts in to get their wings.”
While he hadn’t directly taught his daughter, Squadron Leader Alcock was able to catch a few key moments during her journey including her first solo flight.
“I just happened to be the duty officer in the Air Traffic Control tower that day observing students, and I was able to enjoy – both as fellow instructor and as a dad – one of the biggest moments in any pilot’s training.”
Flying Officer Alcock said she felt nervous as she walked up to the plane for that first solo flight.
“Once I began moving through the take-off checklist, the nerves disappeared,” she said.
“I had a few butterflies attempting my first landing - it was a go-around as I banked a bit steeply - but the following landings were great. I know now that I could have made that landing and the Texan could have easily handled it.”
Upon landing she was given a can of the soft drink “Solo” – it’s a tradition for students to drink one after their first solo flight.
“I looked over and saw my dad – he had tears in his eyes and this huge smile on his face.”
Squadron Leader Matthew Alcock presents his daughter, Flying Officer Molly Alcock, with her wings
Five graduating pilots framed by five Texan aircraft which put on an aerobatic display at the end of the ceremony
Flying Officer Molly Alcock (right) on the tarmac after completing her first solo flight at Base Ohakea
During her course, Squadron Leader Alcock only flew with his daughter on one of the 150 sorties she took part in.
“I left flying with Molly until the end of the course, so I could see what sort of pilot she was going to make. I was really impressed with her ability, and halfway through the exercise I looked at her and thought – that’s my little girl.”
He said then it was back to business and he used the sortie to teach her two new aerobatic manoeuvres.
“Not too many parents can say they taught their daughter how to do barrel rolls in a military aircraft.”
While Flying Officer Alcock didn’t grow up wanting to be a military pilot like her dad, she turned her eyes skyward after graduating from Otago University with a degree in mathematics and science.
She said the almost two-year pilot training course had been extremely challenging.
“The course work itself is not that hard, it’s the pace. But that’s balanced by the excitement of flying solo for the first time, flying tactically at low altitudes and learning aerobatics.”
Squadron Leader Alcock said the course progressed students from having no flying experience at all to learning how to take off, land, fly level and conduct circuits, all the way through to aerobatics and formation flying which require a great deal of skill under pressure.
Flying Officer Alcock said highlights of her training included circling Mt Cook and flying low level in formation down Franz Josef Glacier.
She will now move into the next phase of her career and learn to fly the twin-engine MC-12K King Air, before progressing to the much larger P-8A Poseidon.