Originally Posted by
NutLoose
Do the RAF still do similar? we used to every winter put a VC10 on to go see Santa in I think Finland or Legoland in Denmark for a wish foundation or similar, the fuel was donated by the likes of Shell, the crews gave up leave and the RAF donated the aircraft.
The other I remember was a VC10 doing a Nav Ex to Disney in Florida as genuine crew training, some bright spark had an idea and it was thrown open to the Station families to go on it, they had to fund their hotel etc, and those with Kids being given preference., but it allowed a lot of station personnel to take their families on a cheap day trip to Disneyland during the crews rest period before returning back to Brize, I remember a lot of beaming kids and families boarding as we saw it off and a lot of still beaming if tired kids getting off on their return when we saw them back in.. A win win, a moral boost to those that went, the kids loved it and the RAF got kudos in doing it.
Excellent film BTW
Ref the RAF I knew a Falkland Islander who was diagnosed with terminal cancer a few years back (?5 ish?) and was sent to the UK for treatment. Alas it was not successful and he was flown back from Brize in a pretty bad state. I heard the flight made several low level passes over the islands at an angle of bank so he could see his home from the air for one last time..................... people can be really good when they get the chance..............