Hawk 40th Anniversary
As a nineteen year old AATC my first posting was Chivenor in the late 1980's. After not very long I was a regular at both squadrons to fly on the morning weather check.
I've some great memories of bombing around Wales at low level, making a simulated attack on HMS Gloucester sailing down the Bristol Channel and flying with an USAF exchange officer on a target towing sortie.
Two stand out trips though; accompanying Simon Meade in XX329 for his "bonding" day with the Red Arrows. He flew two sorties with them, while the Reds ground team showed me around. He even bought me lunch in the feeder, and ran through his solo routine on the way home.
Also asking my boss, SLOPS Stu Robinson to fly the weather check on my last day before my posting. We chased the Brawdy weather checker around Wales in XX263, and he let me fly some aero's on the way back to Chivenor!
Fabulous stuff.......
I've some great memories of bombing around Wales at low level, making a simulated attack on HMS Gloucester sailing down the Bristol Channel and flying with an USAF exchange officer on a target towing sortie.
Two stand out trips though; accompanying Simon Meade in XX329 for his "bonding" day with the Red Arrows. He flew two sorties with them, while the Reds ground team showed me around. He even bought me lunch in the feeder, and ran through his solo routine on the way home.
Also asking my boss, SLOPS Stu Robinson to fly the weather check on my last day before my posting. We chased the Brawdy weather checker around Wales in XX263, and he let me fly some aero's on the way back to Chivenor!
Fabulous stuff.......
Happy days, DH. I loved doing the weather check and made sure I had someone in the back on every possible occasion. So much fun to show folks what it was all for. 
Indeed, happy days Courtney. I can't imagine it being so straightforward to fly multiple pax flights in todays RAF (although I maybe doing them a disservice, as they've had a lot on their plate over the past couple of decades).
One simple form, get a signature from the SMO, borrow the ejection video from the safety equipment people (or was it squadron ops?), and another signature to say I'd watched it, and hey presto I was in business!
They only thing that I didn't much care for was trying to squeeze into the immersion suit. Always had the feeling they'd have to cut me out of it after the trip.
DH
One simple form, get a signature from the SMO, borrow the ejection video from the safety equipment people (or was it squadron ops?), and another signature to say I'd watched it, and hey presto I was in business!
They only thing that I didn't much care for was trying to squeeze into the immersion suit. Always had the feeling they'd have to cut me out of it after the trip.
DH
Happy days indeed! Leave Brawdy and dive down to Devon to bounce the Chivenor weather check then race up to North Wales to get the Valley weather check! Usually in a Mk6 but did take my Dad with me in the T7 a couple of times!
