British Forces ab initio Helicopter.

[Noah Zark.]

Can anyone tell me please, A, have all the Gazelles been flogged into private hands, and B, if so, what are the R.A.F., Army, and Navy using for ab initio/low hours training these days?

[Molesworth Hold]

Perhaps this will help
http://www.shawbury.raf.mod.uk/dhfshelicopters.htm

[Noah Zark.]

Indeed it has! Thanks, Molesworth.

[Low Ball]

NZ

Sorry a bit late with this reply.

You only got one of your two questions answered by looking at the DHFS website. There are plenty of Gazelles still in Army and Royal Marine service. After Training on the Squirrel Army/RM pilots will convert to Gazelle/Lynx/Apache before posting to the Field Army.

LB

[Noah Zark.]

Thanks for the info, you guys. I've seen the 412 (or one of them) flittering about around my local patch (which is far from where they live!) from time to time, but didn't realise to whom they belonged.
Again, thanks. N.Z.

[Training Risky]

I flew about 100 hours on the Griffin when I went through Shawbury. We used to get all over the country in them... including Sheffield.

Lovely aircraft, loads of torque. I remember in early 2002 when a lot of Shropshire was flooded, I led a 3-ship on a low-level sortie somewhere west of the Wrekin hill. It looked just like a rice paddy. I remember thinking "This could be a scene from Apolcalypse Now!" - At that moment my instructor started humming Ride of Valkries over the RT. Great days.

:ok: