Air Experience Flights; why two-seaters?
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Danny: I strongly suspect that TOFO's sorties in his 'kipper fleet' ac were non-aerobatic.....
The Nimrod (if it were indeed that kipper fleet ac & not the Shacklebomber) had other ways to make its occupants sick.
The Nimrod (if it were indeed that kipper fleet ac & not the Shacklebomber) had other ways to make its occupants sick.
As a member of 214 Entry, Kestrel flight at No1 S of TT in 69/70, I well rember being bussed to BZN, given a look around the Line, Base Hangar and all other relevant activities we might eventually be posted to, the flown around for about 3 hours in a VC10, the most beautiful aircraft I ever flew in. A few more than two seats, and, as the flight was planned crew training, I would have thought a good way of giving them a suitably "loaded" airframe. Although I was never directly employed on the "10", I'm sure I will never forget that flight.
Smudge
Smudge
Last edited by smujsmith; 6th Jan 2016 at 19:33.
Air Cadets do what it says on the tin
ATC cadets generally join to fly. Its what sets the corps apart from all our other fine youth orgs (OK we have a few Air Scouts but not that many) After 30yrs man and boy I hope I know what makes the average ATC cadet tick and the answer is flying writ large.
As a cadet I flew in 18 different types everything from Anson to Comet R2's
As a squadron officer with 3 different units keeping discipline was a doddle. Just threaten to leave their name off the next flying detail or to 'lose' their application for a gliding course.
As to the original question 'why two seaters' it is that most hope to progess to a gliding course and I haven't come across any 3 seat gliders yet!
As a cadet I flew in 18 different types everything from Anson to Comet R2's
As a squadron officer with 3 different units keeping discipline was a doddle. Just threaten to leave their name off the next flying detail or to 'lose' their application for a gliding course.
As to the original question 'why two seaters' it is that most hope to progess to a gliding course and I haven't come across any 3 seat gliders yet!
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"9hr fishery patrol pretty cruel..." Au contraire, TOFU. As a 14yr old cadet I was lucky enough to "win" just such a sortie and it was one of the high points of my life up to that point. It's easy to get blasé about flying when you do it every day, and forget how special it can be for those who don't!
Spot on ShotOne, and don't restrict that to cadets. I can tell you for fact that as a 35 year old Chief Tech in 1988, I could not believe my good fortune having passed through the Ground Engineers course, to be allowed to experience the new world of aircraft operations on Albert. I went on to clock up more than 5500 hours, despite my own suggestions in posts elsewhere, not always in a hammock. As an ex ATC cadet myself, the Chipmunk, T21 and T31 all contributed to my enthusiasm to become a member of the RAF, wherever they put me.
Two seats ? I will take that any day. A recent once in a lifetime treat for me.
Smudge
Two seats ? I will take that any day. A recent once in a lifetime treat for me.
Smudge
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Fond memmories from my spacey days. Got plenty of flying in all sorts of different aircraft as well as completing a gliding scholarship.
Most memorable trip being a 2 hour ride in a c130k whilst on a summer camp to lyneham in 2006. For the whole 2 hours all we did was tactical landings and takeoffs, with plenty of people being sick for the whole duration of the flight. Brought to an abrupt end after a birdstrike much to sick cadets releif!
Most memorable trip being a 2 hour ride in a c130k whilst on a summer camp to lyneham in 2006. For the whole 2 hours all we did was tactical landings and takeoffs, with plenty of people being sick for the whole duration of the flight. Brought to an abrupt end after a birdstrike much to sick cadets releif!
...in the coal hole of a Sea Vixen for the Farnborough Air Show . Bouncing around in the low level turbulence whilst we formed up, I needed the honk bag, but the rest of the trip was brilliant!
Were any of the perspex panels clear to see out of, or were they all blacked out?
FB
The aircraft in which I flew was an early FAW.2 (pre-mod. 1572), so had the metal, non-frangible hatch and just a small window (about 1 ft square) in the starboard cockpit wall. Apart from that, I could see the pilots legs moving on the rudder pedals and the odd shaft of sunlight as it lit up his cockpit, but that was all.
The only in-flight duty I was required to carry out was to operate the armament safety switch so that the stores jettison relays would not be inhibited. The pilot told me that he's tell me when to select it, as the undercarriage wouldn't retract unless the switch was away from the SAFE position. In the event, he forgot to tell me, but the undercarriage retracted anyway. Perhaps he was thinking of the Hunter, whose undercarriage wouldn't retract if the MASB hadn't been connected (as a chum found out when returning to Valley from Brawdy......)
The only in-flight duty I was required to carry out was to operate the armament safety switch so that the stores jettison relays would not be inhibited. The pilot told me that he's tell me when to select it, as the undercarriage wouldn't retract unless the switch was away from the SAFE position. In the event, he forgot to tell me, but the undercarriage retracted anyway. Perhaps he was thinking of the Hunter, whose undercarriage wouldn't retract if the MASB hadn't been connected (as a chum found out when returning to Valley from Brawdy......)
Last edited by BEagle; 9th Jan 2016 at 08:09.
