I'd read somewhere that they'd brought POLU back into service for the training of TFOs only, While not likely to be true it made me physically cringe reading it considering the state of the rest of the fleet. It has flown only three times since the new year all on what look like test flights out of Oxford, after a stint in a hangar at North Weald just before Christmas
The fixed-wing unit which was based at DSA, then briefly between BOU and LBA has now settled at EMA at a purpose-built facility but they also seem to only fly sporadically, I'm not ITK so I'm not savvy as to why that is.
I do wonder what all the TFOs and pilots do when there is no serviceable aircraft at their base, and I also wonder what impact that has on policing, how many times are NPAS being requested and that request having to be declined due to no available aircraft.
It wouldn't surprise me if the fleet "renewal" is just lower-hour used 135 frames, provided they can be sourced from somewhere. I'm sure the RAF had 5 brand-new ones literally sat in boxes that were surplus to requirements but I think they've been moved on now...
Last edited by AeroAmigo; 8th Mar 2024 at 15:14.