I agree that the pathetic J/K bitching on this, and other, threads puts Lyneham in a very poor light. But this is just the whining of the minority. Fortunately, the majority of people at that great 'secret airbase' banter eachother but its nothing more than that. The grown ups amongst us know that we are actually on the same side - shock horror!
Nonetheless, please have some sympathy with the 'great unwashed of Wiltshire'. We are neither very glamourous nor punchy (no, really!). Our ac are just 'hanging in there' - either 'cos they are old and sh@gged or because they are new and sh@gged! We never make the headlines as we are just boring old truck drivers who smell a bit and no-one wants to get too close too. No-one from on high ever sings our praises as no-one really cares much and we are apparently taken for granted by everyone. (All together now....ahhhhh!)
However, over past few years, the guys and girls at Lyneham have been asked to do rediculous things for which they couldn't train and for which the ac were not properly prepared nor protected. They are constantly being asked to do more with less. But we have done it (J and K) and continue to do it in as professional manner as possible - because that's just what we do! Things are changing at Lyneham with the arrival of the CMk3a, a new training regime and the J guys are at last getting to play with their new toy in the Tac AT environment. Things might be on the up but there is only so much cr@p guys can take - so when the airlines start to recruit (sooner than PMA think) - people will undoubtedly vote with their feet. This is predictable but I can't blame them.
In the end, it has been an absolute priviledge to work with the people from Lyneham (and not just aircrew'). They are the pick of the crop - and you will not find a more dedicated bunch professionals in the RAF. No other fleet has achieved so much with so few assets and of that, they can be very, very proud
(p!ssing oneself in a dark suit, perhaps??).
Flipster - proud to be a truckie and proud to have served