99 Sqn at East Midlands

[Grob Driver]

Have just got back from East Midlands, and was surprised to see two 99Sqn C17's parked on the ramp next to an AN124... Are they there collecting freight, or are they diversions because of the bad weather?

Does anyone know when they're planning to leave?

Regards
GD

[NutLoose]

Arrived 9AM ish on the 6th.... were diverts because Brize was closed due to weather......... Let's hope we never go to war in Norway or Siberia and have to land on a snow covered Airfield :p

AN 124 landed and was rolling down the runway at 13:18:35 hrs LOL on the 6th also,

Here you go, 13:18:35 Hrs LOL and rolling down the main runway............... Don't ya just love digital :p
http://www.skonk.net/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=523&g2_serialNumber=1
Sorry it is a quick edit :O

[Logistics Loader]

All weather aircraft !!

Fine weather Pilots !!

[The Helpful Stacker]

Or,

b) Pilots land their all-weather aircraft at whichever airfield they are told to.

[pumaengineer]

Opsec!!:=:=:=

[helo425]

Yet again people being too intrested in things they don't need to know about.

[tubby linton]

I could tell you why the Antonov was there but its comersec and I would have to kill you!My best guess is that it was there to pick up something from down the road!I do know who for and where it was going though!

[Grabbers]

Is it cold, hard cash to pump into the economy?

[tubby linton]

Comersec-commercially sensitive.If you knew how much that Antonov cost to charter plus what it was carrying your eyes would water.

[tubby linton]

Yes.The antonov was there to take a large lump of Mr Rolls to somewhere remote.I hope the new one lasts longer than the one that just broke.
What contingencies have the RAF made for overseas engine changes for their 330 fleet when they arrive because the Antonov is the only bit of commercial kit that will take a whole made up engine.

[racedo]

Don't hold out much hope for the other aircraft in the background in getting airborne.

Have USAF been using East Midland like Bagram:cool:

[KeepItTidy]

tubby linton , I have no idea what you referring to but would it by any chance be used in a damm somewhere very hot

[NutLoose]

Well the AN 124 is a regular visitor carrying new Engines out to Airbus Tolouse, was rumoured many moons ago the cost was about £50,000 per engine for the short hop.

[collbar]

Im not sure it will be the RAFs problem if the 330's engines become unservicable will Airtanker have to suck it up!!!
Besides most on wing modern engines are constantly monitored electronicaly and are changed before problems occur. Even bird strikes or FOD damage rarely requires much more than a few blade changes.
Mind you i havent factored in the RAF faff factor.... how long did the last T* engine change take.. coincidently the reason one C-17 was there!!

[Jumbo Driver]

Great AN124 piccie !

... is that another CO's attempt at autoland in the background ... ? :ok:


JD
:)

[tubby linton]

Besides most on wing modern engines are constantly monitored electronicaly and are changed before problems occur. Even bird strikes or FOD damage rarely requires much more than a few blade changes.

If only real life was like this!

[collbar]

If only real life was like this!

Oh it is!! Ask 99 Sqn how many unplanned downroute engine changes they have done in over 7 years and over 45,000 flying hours.

None!!

[andyy]

EMA is quite often used as a diversion airfield for all sorts of stuff - the weather i usually pretty good there apparently. last week saw at least one BA plane, a C17 & an RAF Tristar all there at the same time.

[FJ2ME]

Good job our airbridges use commercially-operated flights, or these nosey parkers might have noticed even more military traffic at civil airports...oh, if only they'd remembered to clear the whole airfield and not just the runway at a certain AT hub...Still, good job we're not amalgamating all the RAF's AT assets at one base....

Oh no, thats right we are. And it can barely cope with what it handles now, let alone a doubling of traffic...:ugh:

[NutLoose]

Jumbo Driver (http://www.pprune.org/members/16838-jumbo-driver)

Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 325


Great AN124 piccie !

... is that another CO's attempt at autoland in the background ... ? http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif


JD
http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/smile.gif


It almost looks like a dead Tristar doesn't it, though it is a 727, it sat on its a** in strong winds before being retired to fire training. Hunting brought it in for the Engines as spares many moons ago.

[M609]

Let's hope we never go to war in Norway or Siberia and have to land on a snow covered Airfield

Or when it´s too cold. Once had a VC-10 divert in CAVOK and with breaking action good because it´s was below some temp limit on the RAF VC-10. (Think it was -28 at the field at the time)

It´s entertaining when commercial 737 and 767s land in conditions where C-17s divert due to snow/ice on rwy. You then labour to get the friction on the RWY above the C-17s limits, only to se it stop in 600m on a 2500m runway.

Better safe then sorry I guess :ooh:

[VinRouge]

So tell me smart arse, how do you land a half-million pound jet on a runway that has nil reported braking action (yes, nil) on a surface that is melting and re-freezing every 24 hours? You couldnt land ANY aircraft on that I am afraid. If you cant get the kit to crunch, you go somewhere else. Unless you want to lose your cat that is and risk stacking it in the overshoot.

If memory serves me correctly, when it freezes in Norway, it stays frozen, meaning they can throw sand down on their ice, assisting the BA.

[NutLoose]

So tell me smart arse, how do you land a half-million pound jet on a runway that has nil reported braking action (yes, nil) on a surface that is melting and re-freezing every 24 hours? You couldnt land ANY aircraft on that I am afraid.

Oh yes you could land ANY Aircraft on it................ Stopping on it however is a different matter :ok:

[collbar]

Remember C-17s are low priority when airbridge is concerned. PAX airbridge moves, be it Charter or T*, will always come before C-17s. Thats why C-17s spent longer at EMA than certain PAX aircraft. Of course having somewhere to taxi to would have helped!