Rumour Alert!! Shawbury or Linton to close by 2012

[Tigs2]

Any info on this one? I have heard it is one base from Cranwell, Linton, Valley and Shawbury.

Cranwell will never close, Valley is unlikely. I have heard Shawbury is hot favourite with rotary training going back to respective services (Wallop, Yeovilton, and somewhere else for the RAF. The airspace implications are a nightmare. Is it only a rumour? Could it be that Linton will go?

[airborne_artist]

rotary training going back to respective services (Wallop, Yeovilton, and somewhere else for the RAF)

Possible that 660 and 705 could be in different locations, but I'd be surprised to see RW trg going from purple to dark blue, light blue and green again.

[bayete]

Tigs,
Try here http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=297089&highlight=linton

[Tigs2]

Bayette
Thanks

[indie cent]

I have heard it is one base from Cranwell, Linton, Valley and Shawbury.

Linton closure... Hard to swallow, if not believe.

My money is on MFTS combining BFJT with 208 AFT on an extended/combined FJ course at... wait forrrr it... Valley.:{

The PC21/'Macchi 311 and Texan competing for MFTS have the performance/envelope to fill both roles. Hawk 128 already selected for wpns trg.

The '21 and the Texan would be at the top end of their performance. Hypothetically though, if the Aermacchi was selected then you could have an all jet cct at Valley. It's possible that Valley would not become much busier than when Brawdy closed giving us "Mirror image" or the subsequent Chivenor closure. I'm guessing that the best way to save a lot of money in the short term is to close a station.

IF the FJ force is reducing in size and proportion to ME/SH then the reduced IPS may make this more than feasible:8


p.s. I could be talking hoop.:ooh:

[Roland Pulfrew]

IF the FJ force is reducing in size and proportion to ME/SH then the reduced IPS may make this more than feasible


What reduction in IPS is that? All three RAF "streams", RN FJ and Army ME need to increase IPS if we are to continue even as we are now!!

I understood that in the MFTS contract, the contractor was to assume that there would be no basing changes for a minimum of 5 years from contract signature. And of course contract signature was set for..........last week? Last month? 3 months ago? Or sometime next year? Or if the MFTS PFI is to follow the FSTA PFI sometime in the next decade?!?!:E

[indie cent]

Roland,

I put IF in capitals for the reasons you hint at.

It COULD be that we are not going to get any more frontline aircrew. From the Sunday Times, (Could be b***ocks) we may be losing GR4 Sqns. Saudi Typhoon orders are also going to have a negative impact. There are (a few) growth areas in SH and AT. So it is likely that the IPS for FJ's will remain subdued, relatively.

Unless you are at the controls of the train set, I suspect it is impossible for one to know the numbers... which is why I wrote the "hoop clause".:confused:

I have no idea when contract signature is to occur, somebody will undoubtedly have a first class wire-consultancy-diagram showing the details.:bored:

[Tiger_mate]

Shawbury SLAM accomodation complete and a massive expansion of LFA9 in December 07, closure is now inevitable :ugh:

On the other hand, the humidity controlled storage hangars have been an Ace card before, and they are still unique. Most of the Tucano's seem to be at Shawbury anyway, and an extended sentence at Valley is a good test of any budding FJ Jocks motivation.

[harrogate]

Linton's just had a total resurfacing ot its runways... that's like the 'vote of confidence' from the chairman in football terms... DOOMED!

Folks have been saying that Valley can't handle the extra planes and that the area around Valley can't handle the traffic, but when you consider that there's only 28 Hawk 128's on order, then I don't reckon Valley's gonna be too busy at all in the future.

Also, the Tucano replacement will probably only number around 2/3 of the toal amount of Tucanos ordered.

All that said, however, I did hear that Shawbury was the one for the chop.

[Tiger_mate]

Linton's just had a total resurfacing ot its runways...

So had Finningley!

York International just around the corner, or named after somebody once famous and now dead.

[dagowly]

If shawbury went, where would supply training and the ATC School go?

[Tiger_mate]

If shawbury went, where would supply training and the ATC School go?
Who cares, neither need a runway. One needs shelves and the other an X box. I'm sure they have both at: Kinloss
With Cosford losing the engineering college contract there will be words in the House over this rumour. 2012 is a time for change whatever the decision. Finningley was a Labour area shafted by the tories as they stood never to win votes there, I would think that Shropshire and York are both Conservative strongholds and therefore equally likely for closure. That said, Ynys Mon has no sponsors in parliament, so we could be in for a big surprise.

[dagowly]

bollox to that, after IOT, i'm going to Shawbury for ATC training, its like 5 minutes from my house at the moment in Shropshire lol!! How conveniently dull.

[Climebear]

If shawbury went, where would supply training and the ATC School go?
Wouldn't supply training just stay at RAF Halton, where it currently takes place!
Supply Training (http://http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafhalton/aboutus/smtw.cfm)

[Wensleydale]

So "Dick Turpin International" it is then....:)

[muppetofthenorth]

I was thinking more along the lines of Guy Fawkes...

[cornish-stormrider]

Surely supply can be taught on the job.

1. this is the way we count the blankets
2. you are not scaled for this item.
3. There is only one left and you can't have it, someone else might need it.
4. Computer is down/says no/won't let me issue it. Delete as applicable
5. Sorry no-one here we are all on exped.
6. All supply had been civilianised, go to argos. Keep your recipts and put them through JPA

[mustflywillfly]

Any ideas how the TinCans will be disposed of when they are replaced? Auction? How much do you think a serviceable model would go for?

Ahhhh fond memories of Shawbs many a cracking night out spent in Wem:}

[AonP]

Air Force: Military Bases

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of (a) RAF Leeming, (b) RAF Linton and (c) Dishforth Airfield.

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: As my predecessor advised the hon. Member on 26 March 2007, the number and operation of military airfields is under constant review to ensure that the best use is made of the Defence Estate for our armed forces.

As my predecessor also advised the hon. Member, the long term future of RAF Leeming is secure.

RAF Linton-on-Ouse is one of six main sites that currently provide UK military flying training. The station may be affected by the UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS) procurement project which will cater for the future flying training needs of the armed forces. No decisions have yet been taken.

As my predecessor advised the hon. Member on 16 May 2007, we are currently reviewing our long-term requirements for all of the UK's military helicopter bases under Programme Belvedere. It is too early to say what the outcome of this study will be and what, if any, impact this will have on Dishforth Airfield. I will inform the House when I am able to say more.

[ancientaviator62]

Is it significant that the review of rotary training, Project Belvedere, is named after the 'FLYING FIREWORK '?

[Impiger]

Like all good rumours this one has an element of truth. The MFTS competitors said they could do the job on 5 bases not the current six (the 6 are Cranwell, Culdrose, Linton, Middle Wallop, Shawbury and Valley). So its not just a toss-up between Linton and Shawbury its a 6 way spread bet. So time for fantasy training group: which 5 bases would you use and how would you lay down flying training from entry to before OCU for all 3 services on them? Of course feel free to use other bases and delete all 6 of the current ones but you'll need good reasoning to back that up.;)

[airborne_artist]

As the victim of many days of Culdrose Clag on 705, it pains me to say it, but not CU. I'm not sure what the record is for unflyable days at the Helston Home for Helicopters, but a calendar week is no problem.

[Biggus]

Impiger

My 5 bases to use for flying training:

Ascension
Akrotiri
Chivenor
St Mawgan
Kinloss

[Impiger]

Biggus,

OK I get Akrotiri and Kinloss but what have the others got to offer? St Mawgan gets 50 knot fog, Chivenor is closed/full of Bootnecks and ASI is exotic but hardly the place for any flying training except maybe SARTU. Come on chaps lets have some sensible suggestions plus reasoning - therefore saving some other chaps loadsa staff work!;)

[Biggus]

Impiger

Ascension - brilliant weather factor (therefore excellent continuity of flying for student), totally unrestricted airspace around it, detached location focuses mind of students. The only thing it can't provide is overland low level flying!

Chivenor - never heard anyone who went there that didn't say it was brilliant. Selected on the basis of improving morale alone.

Hey, it's my list, I can choose what I want!!

And nobody else is bitting on your hook.........

[Roland Pulfrew]

OK. I have a suggestion, how about:E:E:

EFT at Cranwell/Barkston/Fenton
BFTS at Linton
FJ AFT and TW at Valley
ME AFT at Cranwell
RW B & AFT at Shawbury with SARTU at Valley
WSO Trg at Cranwell/Linton/Valley for FJ and Cranwell/Linton/Cranwell for ME
WSOp Trg at Cranwell followed by Shawbury for those going RW

And if the RN Obs (small minority of rear crew) want to go Tri-Service then they can come to Cranwell or if not they can stay at Culdrose.

[skippedonce]

The runway at Camp Bastion has just been resurfaced, and an RAF Wg Cdr appointed as Cdr of BSN Spt Gp, effectively the staish. Does that mean the base will shortly be sold off too?

We live in hope!