RAF Leuchars Airshow 2013

[cooheed]

The RAF Leuchars Airshow (http://www.raf.mod.uk/RAFleuchars/news/index.cfm?storyid=B340C231-5056-A318-A81A772B4F739D28&rss=true) will go ahead this year on Saturday 7th Sept. Without doubt the last so let's hope it's a good one.

[Kluseau]

Good news (and unexpected news) indeed! :D

[Heathrow Harry]

no doubt the First Minister will arrive in his BBJ

[CoffmanStarter]

Hope we will be charging Alex Salmond and Co for the privilidge if the forthcoming vote is YES to Scotland leaving the Union :E

[Kluseau]

Sadly there will be no privilege involved: 2013 seems certain to be the last Leuchars Airshow, irrespective of a vote one way or the other the following year.

I tripped over this thread on returning home last night after an evening out with the wife, during which we had by coincidence lamented the fact (as we believed) that our now three year old grandson would never again be able to visit Leuchars and have the unforgettable day out he had last year: so discovering there would be a final chance for him to stack up some unforgettable and "very very noisy" experiences hopefully including his favourites, the Red Arrows and Vulcan, was a real joy.

Once the Leuchars Airshow bites the dust, there will be just one sigificant airshow north of the border, again irrespective of Scotland's status. The East Fortune Airshow is a great day out, but it can't (and doesn't seek to) compare or compete with the major airshows of yesteryear at places like Finningley and Gutersloh, or Leuchars or the few remaining in England.

[Tashengurt]

Sadly I don't think any airshow can compete with those of yesteryear.


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[Kluseau]

Sadly I don't think any airshow can compete with those of yesteryear.


Too true...

[Finningley Boy]

The official word from the Battle of Britain Office is that no decision has been made yet regarding the long term future of the airshow.

There is also some scuttlebutt going around that the airfield will remain active?! Certainly if the Lodger units remain, as has also been stated, i.e. EOS U.A.S. and 12 A.E.F.

Another thought, given the suggestion that Leuchars is indeed a more central location from a response point of view,might it be advanced that the airfield may still be used for a QRA Detachment?

FB:)

[PICKS135]

Bolthole at Lossie. Bring the Typhoons back to Leuchars, till runway re-tarred.

Simples

[Oseedubbs]

Possibly not : future Army senior at Leuchars has declared the runway just the tank/vehicle park - and 'out to sea' rifle range he needs.....!!!

Cannot seriously see investment in maintenance of aids, lights, sweeps - nay flight checking, obstacle clearance etc etc -,that go with sustaining an air base to a category to support fast jet and IFR capability.

I mean one could do - but ......likelihood..?

[TomJoad]

"Hope we will be charging Alex Salmond and Co for the privilege if the forthcoming vote is YES to Scotland leaving the Union "

Bile - must really tear you up down there in little England. May I take this opportunity to thank the good taxpayers of East Sussex for paying for our Airshow - well done you.

[Kluseau]

The official word from the Battle of Britain Office is that no decision has been made yet regarding the long term future of the airshow.

There is also some scuttlebutt going around that the airfield will remain active?! Certainly if the Lodger units remain, as has also been stated, i.e. EOS U.A.S. and 12 A.E.F.

Another thought, given the suggestion that Leuchars is indeed a more central location from a response point of view,might it be advanced that the airfield may still be used for a QRA Detachment?

FB:)

I'd love to think there's something in this. But while no decision may yet have been made about the long term future of the airshow, I can't see there being the commitment or resources available in future to run an event that clearly involves a huge amount of work from a lot of people, before, during and afterwards. And while the "Lossiemouth Airshow" has a certain ring to it, its distance from most main centres of population suggest that Lossie is unlikely to be sufficiently accessible to attract the wider public for a grand day out...

[glad rag]

out to sea' rifle range he needs.

Well that ain't going to be happening.....especially with Barrybuddon 30 minutes away..:mad:

[matkat]

Kluseau, are you BT by any chance???

[Kluseau]

Kluseau, are you BT by any chance???

Not that I know of (whether BT is the obvious acronym, or anything else I can think of)!

[matkat]

Sorry should have made it clear BT was initials of someone I know that lives in Livingston and who I was in the RAF along with another local with initials GD.

[Finningley Boy]

I'd love to think there's something in this. But while no decision may yet have been made about the long term future of the airshow, I can't see there being the commitment or resources available in future to run an event that clearly involves a huge amount of work from a lot of people, before, during and afterwards. And while the "Lossiemouth Airshow" has a certain ring to it, its distance from most main centres of population suggest that Lossie is unlikely to be sufficiently accessible to attract the wider public for a grand day out...

There is a precedent Kluseau, Colerne and Church Fenton both retain active airfields if only for the local UAS's and so on. Then there were Machrahanish and Stornoway.

From an airshow point of view, there is Biggin Hill which while in civilian hands still reverted back to temporary control of the R.A.F. each September for the annual Battle of Britain Display, from 1958 to 1976, inclusive.

Anything is possible, but we'll know soon enough what's what!

FB:)

[PICKS135]

Dont forget that 'Small' Airshow that they hold at somewhere called Fairford.
They seem to manage with volunteers

[Finningley Boy]

Indeed Picks135,

I understand that there have been no resident flying units at Fairford since around 1991!?

FB

[dead_pan]

Why is the army stating that it intends using the runway itself for parking vehicles - shirley there must be acres of other hard standing around the airfield which they could use for this purpose? Sounds like they're just being awkward. Or maybe they are just not conversant with the basics of Feng Shui - I mean, cluttering the middle of the space, how gauche.

At (ex) Abingdon they seem to manage just fine with the apron and taxiways around the old hangars - the runway is semi-operational too, as long as whatever lands on it doesn't weigh too much or can kiss the tarmac from a hover.

[Bob Viking]

I think it's just the Army's way of staking a claim to a base knowing the RAF won't want it back once the runway is ruined. What really makes me laugh about this long running habit is that if they left the runway operational (costs permitting) they could have transports flying in and out of their home base. The phrase 'cutting one's nose off to spite one's face' springs to mind!
BV:ooh:

[PICKS135]

Never understood why RM from Condor. Have to travel / return to Edinburgh, Glasgow etc. When Leuchars has been available.

[Spot 4]

Ref: Macrihanish & Stornoway

My understanding is that both these airfields were retained on behalf of a NATO tasking committment. Stornoway (complete with serviceable hangar)was the hub for Joint Maritime exercises in addition to nearby SU and Macrihanish the UK base for all sorts of hypersonic black things. I'm not sure that NATO as an institution has any credibility anymore as a byproduct to the Afghan centric nature of some, but not all, european military forces. It is £££ as opposed to logic driving many decisions these days, many of which will be looked back upon in the future as a major error of judgement. Whilst there are numerous examples of this (hardware) that you could flag up; for me it is the demise of Harrier that is unforgivable.

[matkat]

Picks, it's because of inadequate fire cover at Leuchars sad but true.

[Courtney Mil]

it is the demise of Harrier that is unforgivable

The decision to axe Harrier was bonkers.

[Rhino power]

The decision to axe Harrier was bonkers.

Now where have i read that statement before..? :ok:

-RP

[orca]

I would like to publicly forgive whomsoever the unforgiveable chap was who bonkersly demised the Harrier.

There. I expect that'll be the end to it.

I'm very sorry for issuing my public forgiveness on a thread about Leuchars. (Which incidentally always did the best breakfast in the UK - before PAYD/JPA and other things ruined everything.)

[CoffmanStarter]

The decision to axe the Lightning, Phantom, Hunter, Canberra, Jaguar, Jet Provost, Vulcan, Victor, Nimrod, Gnat ... and the Chipmunk ... equally Bonkers http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-angry017.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

[TomJoad]

WTF , the Harrier has been axed - since when

[Finningley Boy]

Here's the latest on the Army move. However, it if you read down, there is the suggestion, at least, that the airfield will remain in tact!?!

RAF Leuchars to have (http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/raf-leuchars-to-have-significant-army-presence-1-2819230)

FB:)