Attack Pilot's Dinner

[CSRO]

Awesome.
Fantastic.
Superb.
Amazing.

Fun had by all, fun moments (jailing of Capt M.R.), classy moments (bow), laugh out load moments (funny speaches for a change), drunken moments (everything all night).

From us in deepest darkest Gods country well done 673 Sqn, shame we couldn't get our sh*t together and organise anything. Too busy career hunting and digging in.

When do we get to do it again???????

[Sloppy Link]

I wander if the irony was lost on some as they may not have been aware of the inmates past!

[FCR-LINK]

It was a thouroughly enjoyable night......!

[NVG_CAT3_retd]

May I ask how many Attack Pilots there are ? And no names please deserves to be in Jail, has he destroyed any flight tickets recently?

[Sloppy Link]

You need to define the question

Available for deployment?
SAAvn QHI's?
ETPS?
Post CTT, pre CTR?
Left the programme?
Moved on?
Civvy?
A Model only?
Mangusta/Cobra/Roovalk et al exchange?

There is about a hundred if you count all the above, exact figures to the first question I do not think they advertise.

SL

[NVG_CAT3_retd]

I was wondering about UK pilots now on stream, and ready for deployment if the need arose. I don't suppose that any figures are readily available, just idle curiosity as to how the Corps is doing.

[Sloppy Link]

NVG Cat etc
Check PM

[flygunz]

We're all individuals:)

[Front Seater]

Couple of things.

Names on a public site? Google search...Google search... go.....

As to the dinner......I would say that it was not exactly my scene I am all for ethos and esprit de corps, but IMHO it fostered neither and verged on the boasting and belittling of the other pilots in the Corps (let alone the numerous supporters that get us airborne).

Without undermining the superb individual efforts of those that organised the event (in a kind of 'Key Stone' cops theme) I personally do not believe that we have any reason or experience/battle honours to be so brash when we are very much the new commers on the block and have done absolutely nothing to warrant our current bravado.

[thirtymill]

Just one thing!
You really have missed the point completely.
If it really isnt your scene, I suggest you are in the minority....don't come again.
As a matter of interest there where 6 non qualified AH pilots in attendance and invited guests.
In future it may be an idea to contact the organisers (who did an excellent job) in person in order that they can take your points and give real feedback to you.
I thought the night was a fantastic success looking forward to attending the 50th!;)

[AHQHI656SQN]

Front Seater.

As a member of the Attack Aviation fraternity I'm shocked by your thread. As thirtymill states, you've missed the point, (you obviously miss things all the time!) which doesn't shock me at all given the low opinion you have of yourself and your Brothers in Arms.

"I personally do not believe that we have any reason or experience/battle honours to be so brash when we are very much the new commers on the block and have done absolutely nothing to warrant our current bravado".

If you didn't enjoy the evening, why complain on this forum?

You claim to be part of the program, if you really are, then you should know that there is enough sniping going on from the all sides without turning on our own!

To quote the odd restaurant or two "If you are pleased with our food tell your friends, if you are not pleased, then tell us". So Front Seater, get on the phone or put pen to paper and inform the organizers of your ideas to improve next years event.

Regarding your opinion about the level of bravado, how do you measure when a unit can "Large it"?
Can the Para Regt Large it for WW2 and the Falklands in 82? Can the Harrier force Large it after Kosavo?
I reckon that the lads who have grafted hard to get through CTT and CTR or C to I can Large it, especially among friends!
If you tell enough people that you are going to be the QHI in Belize eventually OSLO got it! Tell enough people you are good then they won’t be so quick to pick a fight.

If you think that any other user of Apache is any better trained than the Army Air Corps product, you are wrong, the only Apache pilots who don't do it the American way are the AAC's, let me tell you, the Yanks have no monopoly on good flying training, those of us that went through that system will testify.

When we go into harms way, our money will be put in our "cakehole", when it happens we'll do our best, if it isn’t good enough it won't be through lack of effort or dedication on the driver’s parts!

You recognise the importance of security “Names on a public site? Google search...Google search... go.....”. In the future, sit back and read the tripe that this forum throws up about Apache, be proud you are part of it and laugh at those who think they know.

“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.”

[Muff Coupling]

As a bemused outsider reading this thread I am curious as to the founding principle behind the title of, (what although sounds to have been a good excuse to turn money into urine,) an "Attack Pilots Dinner"?

The name implies that personnel attending have by definition attacked (sic - engaged, destroyed, suppressed, threatened) some enemy, structure or equipment et al, outside of a range?

Would this occasion therefore have as much in common with perhaps an "Assaulters Dinner"? Noting that 16 AAB have never assaulted anything in thier existance.

QHI 656 - " Tell enough people you are good and they wont pick a fight"??? Mmmm, you might want to stand in Fallujah right now and transmit that message in Sunni speak! Now the 1st MEF..they are larging it at the moment!!

It sounds like the excuse for a wazz up, is rooted in passing a CTT, CtoI, CTR (a training cycle which sounds like a campaign in itself) and scaring fauna at Otterburn with some DP 30mm and a few prac CRV 7 (oh..and pse remember not to leave them lying around!)

Not doubting the quality of people, training and potential"bravado"..perhaps "Future Attack Pilots Dinner", would soothe the small devisive cracks appearing in your organisation!?

"Elitism can be the downfall of the elite themselves"..look hard at the devisive chasm created in the RAF by similar ventures of the V Force in the late 60's and 70's

:(

[Governormalfunction]

WOW.....

I'm gonna sit back and watch this one with interest......

Good luck everybody!!

Gov.

[joe2812]

Just an outsider's point of view...

Why has something like this turned into a slagging match? If the organisers of said event did a good job, well done them! If in your opinion they didnt, how about constructive criticism?

Surely getting to the stages of careers which you're at (I don't know exactly what that is, but one imagines it's a rather good position?) is enough cause to pat each other on the back and have a jolly good knees up, no?

If only you realised how petty this thread has become... :suspect:

[fdsixd]

here here joe 2812.
It seems to many people like to sit and slag the AH programme down!! Unless you have seen how hard the guys are working and the long hours they are puting in then a well deserved knees up is called for.

As for firing in anger the attack refers to the type of aviation!!

Good dinner more wild turkey and cant believe that the MTP is still a Major.

[Low Ball]

What a load of tosh and male cow manure.

There was no elitism on display just some fine crews part way and nearly all the way through training to CR status have worked seriously hard with long unsocial hours to get where they had.

Considerable steam release [all justified], much alcohol consummed [long overdue], huge quantities of banter [lots of amusement], several light swinging stories [all true - several individuals there had previous armed experience but clearly not in Apache]

If those qualified on type can bother their trousers to book a venue, send out invites, arrange sponsorship, invite guests then they diserve a good night out.

All I can say is I'd like to be invited again

LB

[BEagle]

Just a question.....

Why was this an attack pilots' dinner? I thought that the WAH-64 had more than one seat.....?

[dwaynedibley]

The Apache AH Mk1 has two seats, if thats the one you mean... And we have a pilot in both....even NCO Pilots, but no Navigators, and (still) no RAF.

[BEagle]

Thanks for the clarification. My apologies - I thought that the Apache had a pilot in one seat and a gunner in 'tother.

The dinner sounds to have been fun!

[Wizzard]

I've never been part of the AH programme, but I don't see why the guys can't call themselves "Attack" pilots when they fly an "Attack" Helicopter!

Good luck to them I say. The day might well come soon when they find themselves at the sharp end so enjoy a p*ss-up for whatever reason you can lads!

I have a feeling I might have served with the jailbird in Hildeshiem '82 ish.

Front Seater: You sound a bundle of laughs, I bet when you were a kid you ran away from the circus to join an orphanage!

Wiz:ok:

[Front Seater]

AH QHI 656 and Wizzard I have deleted my previous post - I still stand by my original slant but I shouldn't have let it degenerate into a rant, especially over a bl@@dy pi$$ up when there is much more important issues to unite over.

Have a good dinner next year!

:*

[Eagle 270]

I see the AAC is a bundle of laughs as usual!

Could you chaps use the phone or maybe just walk into the next office to 'debrief' the event??

Just a thought. It is entertaining though!!:D

[Letsby Avenue]

Now all these 'Attack Pilots' need to do is leave the cosy confines of Wallop and get stuck in to their new 'Attack' helicopter Squadrons - No doubt life there will consist of the RSM's BFT's every morning at 0700 (straight after night flying), Sitting around the crewroom a lot waiting for the serviceabilty to improve beyond 10%, going uncurrent and flying the sim once a blue moon.....:rolleyes:

[teeteringhead]

[GSOH Test Equipment on]I see the AAC is a bundle of laughs as usual! What can you expect of an organisation formed in 1955 .....


........ that wears spurs!:rolleyes:

[GSOH Test Equipment off]

[Wizzard]

Front Seater

Can I have my hook back please? I might need it again later.

Wiz:D

[CSRO]

Goodness me.

All I meant to do was thanks those in 673 for getting us all together for a fantastic night.?:ok:

Front seater,

Glad to see you edited your resoponce - you did a lot of public damage.:{

I have edited the name from my original scribe.:mad:

We had all worked bl**dy hard to get through CTT and CTR and I loved larging it up. Guess what too, I am going to do it again next year.:yuk:

Attack Pilot's dinner for Attack pilots and guests - what can be wrong with that.:cool:

[STANDTO]

Calm down dear, its just a commercial:ouch:

[timex]

Attack Pilot's dinner for Attack pilots and guests - what can be wrong with that.

Will that include Lynx AH7 and Scouts????
:ok:

[dwaynedibley]

I'm not sure thats a valid argument, I used to be in the scouts and all I ever attacked was a couple of girl guides and a lashing or two.

[Eagle 270]

I think a bit of confusion has arisen. Are they attack pilots because they have attacked or because of their role???

[BEagle]

dwaynedibley, perhaps it might be an idea to explain to non woggle-wearers, that the lashings one learned about in the Boy Scouts were actually only methods of tying wooden poles together. Nothing to do with half-naked girl guides, baby oil and leather - well, not in my prep school troop, at any rate!

"What shoddy frapping" - great line from Penelope Keith as a pompous guide commissioner in 'To The Manor Born'!

OK - off topic. Sorry!

One wonders quite how, and with what, the earlier brown choppers like the Skeeter could have attacked anything more threatening than pygmies armed with sharpened guava halves!

[Sloppy Link]

There is nothing new here, there are some around who remember the Scout dinners in the late eighties and early nineties, venues like the Honourable Artillery Company lines or the Blackpool epic or the Salisbury Plain episodes. Names of those still serving are few but the Sloppy Link was there and at the Attack piliots dinner. They are only good as the people you are with. On both counts....fantastic!