RIAT

Hi all
Is any one thinking of going to air tattoo at Fairford this year?

[jims-terrano]

Nope but I'm off to Waddington this Satdi

Just to rub salt in, my eldest who's in Air Cadets is off down to help out for several days Lucky sod.


Jim T

[ssteve]

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

Nope but I'm off to Waddington this Satdi

Just to rub salt in, my eldest who's in Air Cadets is off down to help out for several days Lucky sod.


Jim T

my youngest daughter (lucy) did RIAT while doing basic training at halton ,(at marham now) your son will love it, will meet loads of foreign service personel and scrounge loads of badges /stripes/insignia etc
yes he is a lucky sod cos they have access all areas

[jims-terrano]

Tell me about it.......... his dad is sooooooo jealous

Jim T

[forbefor]

Originally Posted by sprokit

Hi all
Is any one thinking of going to air tattoo at Fairford this year?

Hopefully we will be going,went last year but it got rained off travelled all the way down there on the Friday then found out they had cancelled it due to the heavy rain,so fingers crossed this year we will be ok .Brilliant event our daughter is also in in the ATC she went in uniform previous year and was given VIP treatment by some of the crews.

[jims-terrano]

If you want to see the Vulcan check before you set off as they announced Sat morning whilst I was queueing that it wasn't flying

Trouble is they knew Friday!!!! it's CAA permission to fly ran out Friday and they didn't say owt until Sat morning, money me thinks

www.tvoc.co.uk

Jim T

PS still made the best of it and had a good day out and met up with Tubbs

[Deleted account DD]

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

If you want to see the Vulcan check before you set off as they announced Sat morning whilst I was queueing that it wasn't flying

I would love to see one flying again. I was part of a parade in early 1983 where they did a flypast (I think it was the last time could be wrong) before they lost their squadron status and disbanded.

It was excellent, noisy but great from what I could see as right marker not daring to look up.

All the seniors, particularly the Air Vice Marshall & Station commander who flew them looked pretty nostalgic.

I was going to offer my (fading ) skills to the team near us who were restoring one when they were wanting volunteers but I just didnt have the time or the money to cover travel.

[jims-terrano]

Hi Dave, I can't see it being long before it gets it's Cert from the CAA. Have a look on their web site as I'm sure they are flying at an air show near you, is it sunderland or somewhere like that?

Jim

[Deleted account DD]

Yes it was the Sunderland project. I always said if I won an y dosh on the lottery they'd benefit because they always seemed to be teetering on the edge of folding.

Its a funny old world, I'm not particualalry into classic or old cars but its completely the other way round with aircraft. I worked mainly on jet provost 3 & 5 then Tornado F3.

I hated the Tornados but loved the JP's and of course the V bombers.

[jims-terrano]

Saw the one remaining Vampire at Waddo one heck of a whistle from those

Also found out that the Lanc they taxi round at East Kirkby, they are doing it up back to flying condition and all being well will be displaying with the BBMF Lanc

Jim

[Deleted account DD]

Excellent stuff.

I was dead chuffed to see a pic of the spitfire gate guard from church fenton after it had been restored and was flying again. Unfortunately I didnt get a copy that pic but this it during my acquaintance.

I worked for a chief tech who started off on spits, didnt believe in ejector seats and told pilots so because "in his day men were men and had parachutes strapped to their arses"

[Deleted account DD]

The only aircraft I really really wanted to go on ever since I saw it air testing over cumbria in the late 60's (early 70's??) and never managed it was concorde.

The very first time it landed at Leeds Bradford , it was going into circuit and came through our airspace. Our air traffic asked the pilot if he would be good enough to do a fly past for us.

He duly did and flew the length of the flight line then circled the airfield , it was amazing. It was that low and slow with the undercarriage down you could see all the detail (mind you it was that bloody big you could see it miles off ).

No one had a camera though because we didnt even know it was in our area.

Brilliant bit of engineering

[jims-terrano]

So where were you based?

I still like the Reds "wing line and nut" they don't have none of that fly by wire rubbish.

Saw concorde loads of times at Yeadon (Leeds Brad), I am that sad I have a recording that I downloaded of the last 30 mins of the last "Speed bird" flight radio comms.

OK so I'm a complete anarak, radio ham, plane watcher and vintage steam and tractor lover. Fred was my hero

Jim T

PS it's a shame there's no Elvington this year

PPS Just found this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8lI1fpnhvU&NR=1

[Liam]

If I remember correctly, we had a few Vampires in the Irish Air Corp. Think they were the first jets we had and were most likely ex RAF planes. Air Corp then upgraded to the Fouga Magister and even had an aerobatic team for a while. Don't think we have any jets now, only Marchettis and a few helicopters.

http://www.military.ie/aircorps/fleet/pilatus/index.htm

[Deleted account DD]

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

I still like the Reds "wing line and nut" they don't have none of that fly by wire rubbish.

Agreed another one I got to play with was the old Hunter. As far as cogs and cables went it reminded me of an oversize jet provost

I was mainly at Church Fenton when it was 7FTS and then Leeming on 23Sqn which formed up from the old Phantom squadron in the 80's prior to disbanding in the early 90's with the post cold war changes. I was supposed to be on my way to Germany but they started winding down over there and instead of posting us places just sent us on detachments as required, money saving I guess. I was also scheduled to do another stint this time in the Falklands but they put me down for April, completely missing the fact I was leaving in the January

I've never been to any of the air shows in my civilian life, I think its a hang up from when I was made to work my weekends at them

Had some good fun at them mind that you wouldnt get away with these days. A German Transall C160 (baby herc) pilot who whilst sipping the jack daniels sitting on the cockpit roof with us told us how he was the best going at short take offs and would happily demonstrate for us...........he did.

A Jag went u/s after one show and was in our hangar, the pilot was a decent bloke and when he left he did the obligatory fly past/beating up the flight line. Very low and very fast. Via air traffic we wished him well and jokingly asked if he could manage any lower..............he did, so low he had to bank to avoid the flood light towers. I understand he spent some time grounded after that

Then my ex missus wondered why I was bored when I left and worked for a hydraulics company