RAF News

[JessTheDog]

Is it just me or are the editors at RAF News either continually p!ssed or stoned?

The spin cycle used on the litany of bad news this year would make the Labour Party washing machine look inefficient. And I have seen no letters page for some time, since the CT with no rankslides letter.

Any thoughts?

[Father Jack Hackett]

"I just think that more could be achieved by giving the troops proper toilet paper................soft, strong and thoroughly absorbent".

CAPT E BLACKADDER circa 1917

[whowhenwhy]

And what is it retailing at at the moment? 60p isn't it? A tad on the expensive side methinks :confused:

[Scud-U-Like]

Yeah, an absolute fortune.....:rolleyes:

[artyhug]

I always thought its only job was to lie around the crewroom so on black flag days you could look at the piccies and have the 'How many people do we each know' competition whilst waiting for the inevitably delayed decision to stack to the bar.

How wrong you can be.....

[StopStart]

A little confused here - RAF News?
I'm assuming this is the document we here all know as C17 News?
I for one know that the chaps and chapesses out here in sunnier climes wouldn't be without our regular update on how the C17 is doing.

So come on lets stop knocking this fine publication and, if the editor is reading this, how's about a few more pictures of the mighty C17 saving the day once again??

:ok:

[SSSETOWTF]

StopStart

Hear hear. I've been an ardent follower of C17 News for many years now. Isn't it time there was a centrefold spread of flak-jacketed C17 drivers boldly tucking into a box of 9/11 Hooters chicken wings? Or perhaps an article on 'Tactical Taxiing the C17' or 'The Hideous Dangers of the Dreaded 3-Engine Approach'?

;)

Single Seat, Single Engine, The Only Way To Fly

[Banggearo]

SSSETOWTF

Tut, Tut such jealously from one so young, perhaps you too could get a posting to 99 (PR) Sqn and get your smiling face into that fine publication "RAF (99 Sqn) News" Although like us you would have to have devilishly good looks ;) :p

SS

Good to see you keeping up with our latest tales of derring doo on those long days off:p

[Father Jack Hackett]

Really loved RAF News's spread last year about the valiant VC 10 crews risking life and limb flying into Basra (the Air Stewardesses looking really seductive in their pink flying suits).

Not a single mention though of the in-theatre Herc crews flying into somewhat tastier venues with smoking telegraph poles flying round the place!

Sucking the hind t!t as usual.

[Regie Mental]

If you have a story then tell it, don't wait for RAF News or the RAF PR machine to ferret it out as they don't have the resources to do so. If you don't want to write it yourself then contact your base CCO or Strike Corp Comms direct. Unless someone tells them there's nowt they can do about it.

As for RAF News, everyone moans about it but leave a copy lying around and it soon disappears. Remember it's also a commercial operation so 60p is not unreasonable i my view.

[wheresthewessexgone?]

It's even cheaper at 20p if you subscribe and someone delivers it to your desk.

As for C17 stuff, I find it far more interesting to find out how many fires 84 Sqn's 412s have put out this week. Those Bambi buckets are just soooo great.

Bring back Wessex and a rainmaker. It put out the fire that quickly that it didn't even warrant a story:rolleyes:

[LOTA]

C-17 News? In the 20 editions of RAF News in 2004, there have been precisely THREE pictures of C-17s! And two of these pics were used in the six pages covering the defence cuts in July.

At the same time there have been (bambi?) bucketloads of Tornados (all varieties!), Hercs, Nimrods, Harriers, Griffins, Sea Kings, Chinooks, the odd Eurofighter etc etc not to mention rockapes by the score.

I also thought the whole point of publications like RAF News was for crewroom boys to see what their old mates were doing elsewhere.

[SmilingKnifed]

As long as they're Harrier mates, caterers or the seemingly ubiquitous C17 crews then you can do just that!

[Blacksheep]

Cancelled my subscription ages ago and now take the Navy News. Now there's a real newspaper! Sailors are such nice people, even if they do refer to us as Crabfats.

[goldcup]

The RAF News: your one-stop-shop for all those "Sea King Crew Does Job" stories, as well as being the No 1 place for all the latest "Two Senior Officers Shake Hands" pictures.

Wouldn't catch ME cancelling my subscription. Oh no...

[Twinact]

Goldcup,

Damn you - I wanted to point out the incorrect naming of the publication as "C-17 News".

As you point out "SAR Boy Doing What He Gets Paid For" fortnightly would be far more accurate along with the easily pulled out "Senior Officers' Back Scratcher" supplement on the inside.
:p

[Blakey875]

Three pages of sport, one page about the Air Cadets, one page about recruits, one page from the archives, two pages of adverts for medals and BWOs and half a page looking for pen pals. Not much in there about RAF News though...

[Wappy Tupper]

Oh yes there is!

You forget exclusive scoops such as 'Female Pilot Goes Through Training' or 'RAF Chef Wins Best Trifle Award in Inter-Services Catering Competition'.

Thoroughly absorbing!

[BEagle]

Unfortunately 'King and Country' is anything but absorbent. Were it to be so, it might at least serve one legitimate purpose...

Lots of grip-and-grin piccies, jockstrappery various and 'Our gallant chefs serve up a million meals in another of Tony's I'm-having-a-war-come-as-you-are $hitholes'. Well done the long-suffering chefs, of course - but to hell with Trust-me-Tone and his slimy gang.

[airborne_artist]

Surely there is always a "Idiot marathon runner does the Little Snoring 26.25 miles in 4.5 hours to raise £200 for Little Snoring Mother and Toddler group" story?

[LOTA]

I think most of you blokes aren't looking at RAF News as it is now.

Current edition: two pages of sport, letters (one asking what's the point of air shows), just one grip-and-grin (on page 19), a column of airmen's promotions on the same page, community news, charity spotlight, pictures from Basrah, centre spread on Red Flag, a page of junior ranks having their say on PAYD, four Jag pilots on 9, SAR stuff on 7, a critical NAO report on Iraq kit shortages on 6, Arnhem commemorations on 4, loads of stuff about job losses at Lossie, RAF leaving Goose, a lifesaving act by a PJI and loads of stuff about the Harriers off to Kandahar up the front.

Not much in the way of senior officer back scratching or C-17s in that lot!

[BEagle]

Great! The editors must have been reading PPRuNe!!:E :E

[Melchett01]

Not quite Beags old boy - there hasn't been a catering contest this week and it's term time so the ATC are all back at school. I think it's what the RAF News editor would term a 'slow news week' so he's had to fill it up with trivia until the important stuff starts again.

Then it'll be tales of a C-17 flown by chef being scrambled to defend London from a rogue sqn of pigeons hell bent on crapping on CAS's freshly washed car.:E

[Training Risky]

Has anyone read the new RAF magazine with a 'scoop' article on a................ you guessed it...............female sqn cdr? I missed the other hundred articles about male sqn cdrs and their careers.:rolleyes:

[Regie Mental]

As far as the USAF are concerned writing an article on a female solely because she is a female (e.g. first female Typhoon jockey) is very much a no-no. I have to say I agree. By all means do an article on the difficulties of commanding a unit changing aircraft types and introducing PFI but come on guys, lay off the 'wow, you mean girlies can do it too' c**p.

The so called 'official' mag is hopeless in my view, can't see it lasting looking at the numbers left on the shelf.

[November4]

Just recieved the lastest (1 Oct) issue and there is a 2 page spread about a Scottish base trailling PAYD. Apart from a few very minor gripes - it sounds like it is the best thing that has happened.

Not quite the same impression that is given on the Pay as You Starve thread