From the Witney Gazette:
Troops stuck at Brize
9:28am Wednesday 18th February 2009
By Matt Wilkinson
Hundreds of troops are stuck at an airbase in Oxfordshire following “technical malfunctions” on two RAF planes.
Soldiers and Marines heading out to Helmand Province, in Afghanistan, on board a Tristar troop carrier returned to base at RAF Brize Norton twice yesterday, only hours into their flight.
Hundreds more hoping for a return trip are stuck in Kandahar in Afghanistan because of an aircraft fault.
Investigations into both Tristar plans have begun and Press Association is reporting up to 1,000 troops may be affected.
Flt Lt ( ), duty air movements officer at Brize Norton, said: “The aircraft suffered a technical malfunction that is under investigation.
“An aircraft going out and returning on this schedule is very unusual."
“We do problems but generally speaking the air bridge is a success.”
He said the Tristar grounded at Kandahar was also being investigated for a fault but was available for “tasking”.
It is believed a flights are due to restart later today.
The Ministry of Defence was unavailable to comment
“An aircraft going out and returning on this schedule is very unusual." Did he really mean to say that nowadays it is 'very unusual' for RAF AT aircraft to depart or arrive on schedule? Because that's how it reads.....
Good luck to the aircrews and groundcrews keeping these aged jets flying - I'm sure you're doing the best you can with the resource available and I just hope that the passengers realise that.