Impressive C-17 departure out of RAF Northolt

[GeeRam]

Caused a bit of a WTF :eek: moment whilst driving down the A40 at about 4.45pm yesterday afternoon close to RAF Northolt, and more so to quite a number of car drivers in the vicinity judging by the amount of weaving and application of brake lights it caused as it climbed out over our heads...:E

Didn’t look like one of ours, from the brief glimpse I got, so assume it was a USAF one collecting GB Jr.’s Limo’s from his London visit?
I guess with the C-17 now, it’s easier than having to use a C-5 or C-141 in and out of Mildenhall as would have been done in the past.

[Boy_From_Brazil]

GeeRam

My office is under the flight path near the main gate. We counted at least 4 Yank C17s landing yesterday. Its amazing how much excess baggage Bush and his wife need! Suggest the Marine choppers were also being taken back.

[noregrets]

Was wondering why a Black Hawk was going west to east over the M25/M4 junction early Sunday afternoon with a police helicopter in hot pursuit! Suddenly it all makes sense...

[Kiwiconehead]

Suddenly it all makes sense...

The Blackhawk was speeding?

[Zoom]

Speeding choppers, eh? Last summer I zapped a low-flying police chopper with a radar speed gun. It was doing 101mph.

Not terribly relevant to the thread, I know.

[Geezers of Nazareth]

Bush's 'entourage' all arrived last Thursday (12th). Two C-17s arrived in the morning to offload all thr ground supplies and equipment, and then they returned to Mildenhall. The helicopters (2 x VVIP SH-3Ds and 6 x UH-60 Balckhawks) arrived on Thursday evening, having flown in from Germany.

On Monday lunchtime, after GWB had departed from Heathrow to Belfast, all the helicopters retruedn to Northolt.

Yesterday, Tuesday, four C-17s arrived. Two collected the assorted ground-equipment (coffee machine and burger var) and two each took a single VVIP SH-3D). They all returned to Mildenhall. The UH-60 Blackhawks flew back to Germany on Tuesday morning.

[Sikorskyfan]

Anyone know if a US101 will fit into a C-17, if so how much disassembly will be required? Seems to me that it has to be lowered on to some kind of dolly apparatus to clear the ceiling if you wish to leave the rotor head installed?

[eastern wiseguy]

Dubya was here for about 5 hours(Belfast).......I personally controlled 3 C17's . Marine one was wheeled into the back of one this morning...followed by about 50 yards of baggage trollies!

[KeepItTidy]

I always thought they shoved the lot in a C5 Galaxy or many of them , guess the C17 is much better now.
Must be a pisser working on the US Queens flight equiv, constant moving in back of transporters and prepping and deprepping. Does the president of the USA think he is special , whats wrong with a single 146 :/ like Lizzy

[KeepItTidy]

LOL I had that coming :ok:

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Most are very quick to slag him but did anyone else notice AIDU give a "non piss take answer" in here earlier :D

Keep the humour coming fella :E

[CHINOOKER]

If you thought the C17 taking off over the A40 was impressive,you should have seen the third one that arrived!.....Done a low missed approach "go around" and then turned into the visual circuit for landing. Apparently there were quite a few worried shoppers in the car park of the local Sainsburys when this a/c appeared "on it's side" above them!!
As an aside to this Northolt now have to get a new crash gate at the 25 threshold.....Harrier landing for the recent families day managed to blow it inwards towards airfield....then the 4x C17s taking off managed to trash it completely!!....Makes it good for viewing now though.

[nacluv]

The Blackhawk was speeding?

No - just flying down Bliar's M4 personal-use bus lane...

[brakedwell]

I doubt you would get a Blackhawk in through the door of a 146.

You would if it was doing 100 knots! :eek: