Originally Posted by
ex-fast-jets
1970 - RAF Valley.
Usual start to the day - Met Brief.
We (most of us) freshly released from Fort Cranwell sitting attentively with our regulation short (very!!) back and sides.
Met Man - youngish (older than all of us studes, but relatively young) briefs us. He is dressed very casually - no jacket and tie - with long hair tied back in a ponytail. Quite "hip" probably, if hip was a word in use then. He gives us the full brief, and finishes with "That is what I am required to brief you - what is really going to happen is......................"
He was more often correct than the official version. The benefit of local knowledge, I suspect, and the courage to disagree publicly with his directive from on high.
I knew him (initials R.P I recall) as I played cricket with him. Nice bloke, albeit not
quite the spinner he liked to promote himself as being.
Other encounters.
Bruggen, G.C Duty pilot one weekend, one element being to get the Met from Rhein D. Dutch TV on Friday, shows very deep Low heading our way, Sat arrives and 40kts plus / most of the N.Sea / cloud base around 100ft, ish. Call RD and forecaster says will send fax ( this dates it ! ) now, Fax arrives showing....weak to medium thermals up to 6k, 10-15kts etc !....show the rest of the club whose responses cannot be printed on here.
Repeat on Sunday...same local wx and....same fax ! speak to said forecaster and offer my sentiments as to his forecasting skills / personality and alternative employment options.
Seemingly, he was a very sensitive soul because two days later, I had to waste my time " listening" to some Wing Commander telling me I was never, ever, to speak to such an important person in that manner again. When asked if he had seen the forecast fax, said Wing Commander, as I understood the rant, said no.
Same think happened again to a friend a few months later...similar wx, similar fax.