Chivenor

[[email protected]]

Dear all, the weather was nice in Devon today and lots of people went out flying in helicopters and FW. If you are planning something similar please note the following:

1. Chivenor is 'Chivenor Radio' not approach, radar, information or any of the multitude of other callsigns that get used when trying to call us.

2. Because of 1 above we cannot give a FIS, Listening watch, radar information, flight following or many of the other services we are asked for.

3. We can tell you the QFE, QNH, W/V and what traffic we have airborne from Chivenor.

4. We may tell you about other taffic in the area that is not from Chivenor but only if we have time and they have talked to us recently.

5. We do not accept GA traffic, nor corporate - the only exception to our military only rule is for the air ambulance and police helicopters. And we don't have AVGAS anyway.

6. Although we have a big runway, it is not fully maintained and the only way you can land there is by declaring an emergency.


We do like to see other people in the sky and to talk to them but we are a SAR unit with a specific role and that will always come first. We only have one Ops assistant on dutywho is not ATC qualified and may be quite inexperienced, who does radios, phones, maps, notams etc etc etc so don't be surprised if you first call goes unanswered.

All of the above information is available from the appropriate publications so please have a read before you press the Tx switch.

Many thanks, Chivenor out.

[ShyTorque]

Crab, all said and done though - any chance of an ice cream? :E

[Johe02]

Good one Hugh. . :O

[212man]

"....Can't understand why they do not spend the first few hours of their day off reading through all the publications, JSP318,..."

Flungdung - keep up old chap: it's JSP550 now ;)

[Thud_and_Blunder]

...that's inflation for you. 'Twas probably JSP001 in BEagle's day.

[R.OCKAPE]

Is this for real

you poor bastard

[[email protected]]

Shy - do you want a flake with that? Saunton specials only available for PPR:)

[ShyTorque]

Now that brings back memories.... I once had a "Saunton Special"....

(As an Air Cadet on summer camp at Chiv in about 1972. Lovely girl, but too far for me to return to see on me moped. She soon sensibly gave up on me and married somone else). ;)

[[email protected]]

Hang on......my mum went out with an air cadet at Chivenor in the early 70's.........:)

[MamaPut]

Actually, Chivenor was originally a civilian airfield opened in the 1930s and only taken over by the Crabs in October 1940 for Coastal Command. It was given up by the Crabs in 1995 and is now a Royal Marines base (RMB Chivenor), home to the Commando Logistic Regiment with 'A' Flight of 22 Squadron RAF as secondary tenants.

[ShyTorque]

Crab,
OK, If you like I'll PM you the grisly details an' you can ask her :E

[JimBall]

What a miserable old crab. The taxpayers give you a nice home with a big playground, free parking for your boat, beach access, subsidised living, free training, classic motorcycle club and a host of other freebies. And a salary with the usual benefits.

And you act like some revolting over-promoted, whingeing t****r.

You were joking weren't you ?

[[email protected]]

Jimball - apart from the fact that I am a taxpayer myself, don't have a boat, have to pay my own mortgage and car park charges when I go to the beach, don't have a motorbike and you can't get on the playground because the marines are always on it - your post is accurate.

My point is that if people are going to fly, they could at least be professional enough to check a few basic facts instead of asking endless questions over the radio - is that too much to ask?

[soggyboxers]

Crab,

You are indeed well named, but I would have thought that even a member of the 'junior' service who has been around for as long as you have, would know that marines are Americans or the junior rank in the Royal Marines. As I doubt that the playground at Chivenor is full of either Americans or junior ranks only, I presume that you mean that the Royal Marines are always on it :E.

[thejacket]

Maybe the GA taxpayers feel they are getting their moneys worth by asking 'daft' questions.

Maybe someones erected a huge sign on the airfield reading "WE ARE THE MILITARY, HAPPY TO HELP" - like the people in ASDA....

[rotorspeed]

Crab

When you say (people ask) "endless questions", out of interest what sort of % of your air time at Chivenor is taken up with these? Is there actually a lot of RT traffic on your frequency? And when your controller is not answering these questions, what would he/she be doing?

[Droopystop]

I have to say that whoever I spoke to a few weeks ago at Chivenor for info re your private little danger area was most helpful. He didn't offer ice creams though.

[ShouldItDoThat]

Crab,

much appreciate what you guys do, but you can't call yourself a taxpayer for heavens sake. The tax you pay merely lops a bit of the shed loads of tax us who aren't on the public payroll are robbed of to pay your salary, you are actually a taxrecipient.

Bless

[cyclic]

Now, now boys, Crab is VERY important and his little slice of Devon is his to do as he pleases. Ah, the twenty minuters - bless....

[JimBall]

I met some RAF SAR chaps the other week. They had been involved in getting people off rooftops in Sheffield. It was the "day after" and they were sitting in the Sheffield City Airport cafe, chowing down, whilst their Sea King sat dead on the apron. Something had broken.
Later that day, another Sea King arrived with spares and an engineer or two.
Then they got their Sea King started - only for something else to break.
So, another Sea King arrived out of the blue with more bits.
I think the original crew finally got away around 4pm after a day in the cafe.
So Crab, either stop complaining about the real world or do something to help the poor old RAF ferry spares round the UK.

[[email protected]]

Soggy - but if I had just said that Royal was taking over the playground fewer might have understood:)

Shoulditdothat - it's so nice that you feel robbed in order to provide all the protection that the MoD gives the taxpayer - I'll remember to tell guys coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan how much they are valued. Do you complain to every policeman, fireman, doctor and nurse that you are being robbed to pay their salaries?

Rotorspeed - the RT is only busy on nice days - it's not the volume of traffic that is the problem and most GA traffic has bothered to check what services are available - it's just that on some days (like Wednesday) when things are busy, it just makes everyones life more difficult when a few people use us as directory enquiries and Pooleys talking airfield guide. If you want to come and help the ops assistants CALF and Chad a few hundered maps, amend the plethora of other aviation documents, make low level bookings, maintain the safety of the airfield and ATZ, answer the phone or one of 4 radios (and the phone will always ring as an aircraft transmits or vice versa), plot Notams and prepare aircraft maps and a zillion other things besides - I am sure I can arrange it:)

JimBall - so the aircraft break! what is the big deal. That same crew had been involved in several hours of SAROPs before they got involved with the Sheffield floods - that is the way of emergency response, sometimes it is quiet and sometimes it is non-stop. Are you really moaning that they were sat in the cafe all day? Maybe your 'real world' is the one that needs introspection.

Droopy - we don't tell anyone but that danger area hardly gets used, if at all and it isn't a SAR danger area, it belongs to Bertie Royal:) Glad we were helpful, we do try to be.

Cyclic - there are 2 types of people....those who are at Chivenor and those that want to be.....:)

[rotorspeed]

Crab

Now it may be that your RT guys are actually pretty hectic most days. And that you do get an excessive amount of the banal RT drivel we all know can occur. I'll listen out (but not bother you of course) to get an idea next time I'm down in your area.

But somehow I suspect you're just being a teeny bit arrogant and precious. Frankly few of us have the time to look up (or remember) every piece of documented info and sometimes a 20 second RT exchange can achieve what an hour of research can't - and add to the safety of a flight.

[Brilliant Stuff]

I am for one am happy to pay my taxes to support the guys in Iraq, Afghanistan and all the other places Brown.Blair decide to send the armed forces but I get the impression that is one of the last places said money gets spend on. What I object is to pay for something which is meant for one cause but said course never sees it and it's just plugging holes.

I think Crab was a tad strong on his original post IMHO, but I understand we he is coming from and it had to be said and now people have taken note and become more aware in general.

That an aircraft breaks is as sure as eggs are eggs. To use another aircraft to speedily repair the first is just common sense after all in the SAR business wasted time costs lives.

[teeteringhead]

Knew I shoulda chopped crab@ when I had the chance ........ ;)

Only joking mate - you speak the truth ........ but softlee softlee catchee monkee ......

.... and are you changing your handle to ShyTorque'sLoveChild :E

[Heliringer]

If the Ops Assistant is so busy why dont you guys get off your arse and help him/her.:ok:

[[email protected]]

What!!! and stop playing the x-box/Wii/PS3?.......or we might just be flying and turning some more taxpayers money in global warming:)

[OverTq]

'a teeny bit arrogant and precious' - Crab? Surely not!:}

[[email protected]]

Ah.....another member of my extensive fan club:)

[500e]

They are all ways nice to me.

But I only tell them what, and where, Just so crabs don't run into me, would not like to cost the tax payers more, they usually reply with traffic and QNH.:suspect:
What's with the ices? we did not get this offer.
I am sure the sign, "we are the military and here to help you" has a bearing.

[Gaseous]

You lot who whinge about the tax should bear in mind that one day you might just be grateful to a miserable old git in a Sea King.

I didnt expect to have to be fished out of the sea a few years back. I probably wouldn't be here now without them.

Cheers Crab:ok:

[ShyTorque]

bear in mind that one day you might just be grateful to a miserable old git in a Sea King.

Especially on "grab a granny" night. :)

[500e]

Shy Torque
You've been to Cleethorpes on a Thursday then :O

[ShyTorque]

Yes, but not since about 1972! I was thinking more of Barnstaple or Ilfracombe :O

BTW, the ice cream request was just a long shot, seeing as nothing else was on offer ;)

.... and are you changing your handle to ShyTorque'sLoveChild

Sheesh - the mind boggles! :eek:

[ShouldItDoThat]

Gaseous & Crab,

I hope you read your SOPs, NOTAMs etc better than you read my words. I open by saying I'm grateful for your services, I then went onto point out that Crabs claim to being a taxpayer is not actually true. Yes I'm sure that when he looks at his wage packet he gets as pissed off with the tax grab as the rest of us, BUT, as in the case of nurses et al, you provide a valuable service, you're paid out of taxes raised on private companies/indviduals, and yes we do need you, but you are not taxpayers, you pay tax on an income which is actually generated from companies/people who generate wealth by their own hand, and not from the tax on public servants, which merely shifts money from one government a/c to another.

SIDT

[PPRuNeUser0211]

Should: Opening a whole can of economic worms with that statement!

One might argue that the vast percentage of someone's income whilst working for a domestically based (as opposed foreign based) company of any description is merely shifting money from one government account to another via an excessively complex process (- a few percent that you might actually manage to keep your mits on obviously, but if you put that in a savings account your bank will be paying tax on the profits they make with it as well).....

[Flying Lawyer]

ShouldItDoThat

Your proposition is nonsense.

It would have force if you were referring to taxes (eg VAT) paid by people who receive state benefits. ie Money given to them by the state for which they are not required to give anything in return.

In contrast, Crab and others employed directly by the state, or whose income is derived from the state (eg suppliers of goods, sub-contractors), receive payment in return for selling something of theirs to the state: Either their services or their goods.


FL

[MightyGem]

Maybe the GA taxpayers feel they are getting their moneys worth by asking 'daft' questions

The GA taxpayers should be aware of what an A/G station can and cannot give as a service.

[500e]

Shytorqe
72 !!!
Daddy

[Gaseous]

SIDT

Quote "robbed of to pay your salary"

Sounds like you're really grateful.

Your statement that public servants are not taxpayers is utterly preposterous.

[ShyTorque]

Shytorqe
72 !!!
Daddy

Strewth - there's another of the little devils! Better send me a picture of yer Mum then! :O
:E ;)

(Ever think that taking part in a thread was a big mistake? - this is definitely it)!

[FayeDeck]

Now Now chaps............Crab makes a valid point,

however my friend we are all learning all the time arent we, surely a few bogus calls (such as the RAF CS asking Sals Ops for a FIS last Thurs) is all a part of the rich tapestry of aviation:cool:

[500e]

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l259/500d_2006/th_ATT00782.jpg
Could not find mums front view Shy Torque, She says Hello :suspect:

[Bravo73]

Good work, Shy! :ok:

[ShyTorque]

Strewth - where's me moped? ;)

P.S. Tell her to put a vest on - she'll catch her death in this weather!

(P.P.S. I've just started enjoying this thread again).