Tutor 9 Ship

[Mr Bridger]

For the second time in 2 weeks, a 9-ship of Tutors has just flown over me. Flying almost directly into wind, they take forever to pass overhead, and the drone goes on and on……..

and that's just the QFIs!:=

[just another jocky]

That'll be 57(R) Sqn officially moving from Wyton to Cranwell.

[ExAscoteer]

I thought they were going to Wittering.:confused:

[just another jocky]

Nope, that's 16(R) & 115(R), along with various UAS & AEF.

At least that's this weeks plan, I think. :}

[neilmac]

Aye sad to see them go, Wyton will be quiet now. Well until CWL get overloaded and 57 get detached back hehe

[Wander00]

Pity to see the end of flying at Wyton

[pr00ne]

just another jocky, exAscoteer,

I thought that 57(R) was going to Cranwell to be alongside 16(R) who are already there, and that 115(R) or CFS, and CUAS, LUAS and 5AEF were going to Wittering?

[devonianflyer]

I believe the current version of the plan is 16(R), 115(R), CUAS, ULAS and 5AEF to operate from Wittering and 57(R), EMUAS and 7AEF to operate from Cranwell. The BKH Sqns likely to move to CRN mid next year as well to make way for MFTS in due course.

[Wander00]

Could reopen North Airfield at Cranwell, and it would be just like the old days, and even better if the Chipmunk was reinvented....................

[pr00ne]

Wander00,

Except they built the new OASC complex on it...

devonian flyer,

Why have EFTS spread across two geographically separate sites.

I thought the whole idea was to segregate EFTS and UAS/AEF flying?

[devonianflyer]

UAS and AEF tend to work Weds-Sun primarily so you'd be wasting an airfield of 2/5 of the normal working week if you separated them up.

Also a single airfield could simply not cope with the level of flying 3FTS require if you put all 4 EFT Sqns plus the CFS task into one airfield. It also spreads the risk of the EFT task delivery failing in case one airfield should go Black for any significant time.

I believe the segregation you refer to is within the supervisory chain rather than geographical locations.

[pr00ne]

devoninaflyer,

I see, makes sense. Wasn't aware of a plan to bring the Barkston Heath squadrons across, what would they be making way for?

[Roland Pulfrew]

Except they built the new OASC complex on it.

Has there been more building work? Last time I was there the North Airfield was alive and well, with OASC on the edge by the hangars. Google Maps (accept this may not show the latest imagery) even shows aircraft operating from the North Airfield.

[DCThumb]

When I was there and suggested using the North Airfield, I was told it was not possible because Trumpton couldn't get there in time....

[pr00ne]

Roland Pulfrew,

You would appear to be right, the actual airfield does appears intact, just the large area in front of the hangars has been built on, with buildings, car parks and landscaping. Cuts off the North airfield from the rest of the station, I wonder if it is merely a gliding field now?

[just another jocky]

North Airfield has been gliding only for donkey's years, hasn't it?

[DCThumb]

Does the Chippie that tows the gliders count?

The flying club use the main airfield, if that's what you mean! :)

[taildragger123]

Does the Chippie that tows the gliders count?

The flying club use the main airfield, if that's what you mean! :)

The Chippie is long gone, the RAFGSA club now operates a Rotax 914 (115 hp) Turbo Falke with a C/S prop from the North airfield as a tug. Not quite as much fun to fly as the Chippie but frugal on fuel.

[chevvron]

North Airfield has been gliding only for donkey's years, hasn't it?
I ran a weeks Chipmunk AEF there whilst at ATC camp back in '91. We only had to share with the glider people one evening. Several privately owned powered aircraft in the North Airfield hangars in those days too.

[Dan Gerous]

Could be the future "Arrows".:E

[gijoe]

Could be the future "Arrows".:E

Let’s hope so. It is about time that the Red flying circus was canned.

There is no requirement for it before any p*ss-stained-messcornerdwelling-Telegraphcrosswordcompleter comes back with ‘British Defence Exports’ cry...

[Wander00]

Heck - who puked on your party? Public love them, great ambassadors for UK Ltd and pretty good public face of the Royal Air Force (IMHO of course, but maybe prejudiced having in a past life been a Trustee of the RA Charitable Trust0

[diginagain]

Could be the future "Arrows".:E

Could be the Centenary Flypast.

[Davef68]

We got 9 aircraft of the same type in the air at the same time?

[just another jocky]

Please note the OP was posted in Oct 2014.

[diginagain]

Please note the OP was posted in Oct 2014.
Nothing like getting a bit of practice in...

[TEEEJ]

Formations from December 2017.

Tucano

https://twitter.com/72Squadron/status/942843697238069255

Typhoon

https://twitter.com/RAF100Nick/status/938407637514846209

[Wander00]

Boss @72Sqn - To be pedantic, I suspect that second "practice" is a noun and should be spelt with a "c". But formation looks good.