Decent holds during flying training?

[rooftopartist]

Anyone have any decent suggestions or know of any decent holds at the moment?

I've been asking around and thought I'd open suggestions to a wider audience.

Likely to be holding next summer for a few months before flying trainig. Akrotiri is hovering near the top of the list at the mo but competition is fierce. Japan, RAFAT and apparently Nellis have been mentioned. Does anyone know if these (or similar) are definitely available?

Muchos thanks,

RTA

[Sven Sixtoo]

Having completely missed a chance I was offered 27 years ago, how about MoD MB? You get to see what really makes the organisation tick years earlier than is otherwise possible, and you get a few months in a great city with money and no responsibilities - and there aren't many opportunities for a london posting for years to come. And as you can't do anything really useful nobody will mind much if you b****er off ski-ing or whatever.
Of course, that last could apply to several MB inhabitants ...:E

[fatlad]

I know of a couple of people who did 2 months scuba diving in Thailand.

[Dunhovrin]

Any heli base or the Thames Valley Airforce. Loads of jumpseats / trips without having to crawl to some FJW for 30 minutes of T2 at the end of 6 months of cleaning the coffee bar.

I held at Lyneham for a mere 2 weeks and still saw the seedy side of more European cities than the rest of my tours put together.

[D-IFF_ident]

AKT air Ops was tops - albeit many years ago. I'd steer clear of FJ Sqns if you're after lots of trips or travelling. The BVI Islander is, sadly, no longer there, but there is still fun to be had. Consider Brize or Lyneham - on a Fg Sqn, or Ascension, Gib maybe, 84 in AKT too, or an Embassy where there is an Air Staff - like Washington. Depends on how long you have and what you want to do really - either way you get the best holds by going out and looking for them - calling and networking. Good luck, from an ex HOLA member with 1000hrs+ MTV. :}

Edited to add - Oh, and air shows are fun for the after show party, but chuffing hard work otherwise.

[Megaton]

I always enjoy the Biggin hold. Gives me numerous opportunities to drone on about OASC in the old days.

[Unchecked]

A few mates of mine held in Basra, straight from EFT.

Got medals for it. :ugh::ok:

[Mr C Hinecap]

Good luck, from an ex HOLA member with 1000hrs+ MTV.

That took me back to MY hold! Norn Iron, mid 90s, FOLA and the 1000 hrs MTV badge - all so very impressive to me, as 50% of POLA at that time.
The bigger boys had the 'Hard Rock Cafe XMG' badge too - loads of flying trips even for me :}

[AlJH]

FRADU at Culdrose. It may be a Dark Blue base, but the majority of guys on the unit are ex crab. They're the ones that buzz ships and pretend to be missiles on the Thursday war. At least a couple of the guys there are probably on this forum.

[airborne_artist]

AlJH - not sure a hold with a civilian contractor is acceptable?

FRADU (http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3275) info:

"FRADU is operated by the contractor Serco Defence and Aerospace as part of the RN MAC 2004, using 13 Bae Hawk T1 advanced jet trainer aircraft on lease to the Royal Navy from the RAF and based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall. Two of these aircraft are permanently detached to Naval Flying Standards Flight (fixed wing) at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton where they are flown by RN pilots, but maintained by Serco engineers."

[AlJH]

They said it was OK for the FAA studes. Albeit a much sought-after hold, if we wanted it, we should write and if it fits into the schedule and they weren't already full with blokes on holdover then they would do it.

And God knows how many guys were on holdover with FWS at VL when I was there. As far as I recall, 2 guys pre- OCU, 2 guys pre- Valley, 2 pre- Linton and a few others I'm not sure about.

[threeputt]

You could try 47 Sqn at Lyneham. When I was there we used to utilise people who were awaiting disposal having failed the FJ course.

3P:ok:

[Arbie]

I can wholeheartedly recommend 47 as a holding post (try running the Nav section with exactly no experience of AT...!) Had a fantastic time down there over the summer some time back - a much more inclusive community than sitting round on a FJ base, I'd suggest...

As for FRADU, I've done that one too - there will be no work to do whatsoever, but as long as you can get it past your desk officer, I'm sure they'd be glad to have you. And Culdrose is great when the sun shines. PM me if you'd like a contact.

[Delta Hotel]

For a JO, there is a 3-6 month hold in South Korea working for the UN monitoring the North/South border.

Enjoy

DH

[Oliver Clothesoff]

rooftop - from what I hear, holds cannot be organised off your own back anymore, your dreamsheet is just that. PMA or whatever they are called now fill the slots on the units who requested a holding officer. If yours is there and no one else wants it then billy bonus.

As mentioned Lyneham and Brize if you want to go all over the shop, Lyneham more than Brize from recent accounts. It all depends what you want at the end of the day.

There are quite a few abroad so long as you specify "overseas" rather than a particuar base so as not to close doors. 1115flt had a holding officer there recently and some lads went off to Korea and India not so long ago. The desk at Episkopi will be coming round again as well.

Terrane do a good 2000hrs+ holding badge for today's tea bitches!

HTH

Oliver

[binsleepen]

If you have any adventurous training qualifications you could try the Cyprus Joint Services Adventurous Training Centre (CJSATC). As A diving instructor I did this for a year in the mid '90s while holding between courses. Its based in Dhekalia on the outskirts of Larnaka, only a 15 min drive from Ayia Napa and all its summer attractions. I never managed to get diving pay to go with the flying pay though :O.

On another hold (I had many) I took part in Op Raleigh in Belize for 3 Months which was great value as it was outside of the Air Force but seen by the heirarchy as good leadership training.

[Top Right]

I know someone who did the S Korea one with the UN - he said it was awesome.

[fatlad]

Not sure if it's still the case in the RN, but the holdover officer was usually happy if you came to him with one already organised. And provided that it bore no cost to the service and was within the service interests you could do what you wanted.

[A2QFI]

A colleague of mine did a 'hold' as the ADC to the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands! The Governor was on an easy number and so was his ADC - this was the late 50s though! I'd go along with the 'Find something yourself and then get it approved' approach; you would be demonstrating initiative and might get something really nice. Good Luck

[Jimlad1]

A lot of OGD's are short manned in Whitehall and would love an extra body at no cost to clear up projects from time to time. If you know someone in FCO or similar and have right clearances, then you can always arrange a few interesting months?

[Roland Pulfrew]

If you have your wings then there are a number of AEFs that could use your skills!! Free flying and colocated with a UAS :E:E

[Prop-Ed]

There are currently 3 holding officers with 39 Sqn in Las Vegas!:O

[backTOfront]

I have had the fortune of holding in Cyprus and Japan. When I held in Cyprus I was at Air ops and is was pretty good. The Cyprus hold now is in the CAOC and is a rubbish hold now, heard this from some friends of mine who did it. That is unless you can get yourself on 84 Sqn.

As for Japan you have lucked out as I am the last RAF person holding here for the next few years. Best bets is to hold with one of the Herc squadrons as you get to do a bit of travelling.

The South Korea hold on the DMZ is also a good one. I have known a few people who did it. Another one to try is the Washington DC British Embassy. I have heard of some peolpe getting that, it included a free apartment and loads of money :E

[Op_Twenty]

Sort your hold out by calling or visiting the unit you wish to hold with. Get them to agree with it, then present it to the desk officer. Find out which sqn is next to go to Nellis (Vegas) and try and hitch a ride on AT, failing that call FRADU, they are a great bunch of guys with some serious FJ experience and Culdrose is a lovely Wardroom. Holding at BRNC Dartmouth would be fun too, Dartmouth has a few nice bars, a little remote but you could do worse, quote 'jointery' to the deskie. Avoid anything to do with Cranwell. Depending on how long your hold is there's almost definately a holding Ops job at Valley, not too sure which Sqn though. Call and ask.

Grab any flying experience you can whilst you're still enthusiastic - Best of luck mate.

[BluntM8]

Terrane do a good 2000hrs+ holding badge for today's tea bitches!

Yes, but remember that the typical hold length nowadays is only 2-3 months, and to accrue 2000 hrs holding at a rate of 8 hrs a day it would take at least 8 months. You wouldn't wear a 1000 hrs badge unless you were entitled, so why wear a badge saying you've been holding for longer than you have? To those of us who held for much much longer, you'll look daft!

Blunty.

Bait cast...

[The Real Slim Shady]

Ah, the inefficiency of the military: even 30 years on can't organise a piss up in a brewery never mind something as straightforward as flying training.

[Phil_R]

Why don't they put the opportunity to do all this stuff in the recruiting ads?

[caligula]

If you're GDP, RAFAT will almost certainly offer some back seat flying opportunities and an insight into the whole of the FJ community. Don't go for supposed good deals in the winter though - you're unlikely to leave Lincolnshire!