The London Air Show - Only the Fleet Air Arm in attendance

[Si Clik]

I suppose it is a sign of the times but only the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm are there to represent the Armed Forces at this weekends Fly London Air Show at Earl's Court.

There is a Lynx HMA 8 plus crew there answering all sorts of questions from how do the snazzy blades work to how if I'm in the ATC do I join as a pilot.

The rest of the show is a real mix of simulation, real aircraft (and helicopters), gliders and even some RC aircraft.

Some good stands though with the Breitling fighter challenge developing quite a queue.

I'd recommend it from all sorts of angles:

i. Careers in the civil sector post mil- BA with big stand and sim.
ii.Get a look at some snazzy civvy kit.
iii. Get some nice giveaways.
iv. Oh did I mention the Fleet Air Arm are there.

:hmm:

[BigginAgain]

I suppose it is a sign of the times

Yep. For once, perhaps someone had the balls to say "no can do, we simply don't have the people".

BA

[R3Hard]

Makes a change for once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:8 :O

[Spurlash2]

R3Hard

Re your signature: I have that nostalgia:D

Don't tell the Air Force or Army, though, all they'll all want a wallow:ok:

[16 blades]

I suppose it is a sign of the times but only the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm are there to represent the Armed Forces at this weekends Fly London Air Show at Earl's Court.

Thats because the REAL professional military aviators are too busy doing all the work.

16B

[Tourist]

16 B, just remind us again who you are talking about?:p

[BEagle]

Funny thing that - I applied for the RAF at the Earls Court Boat Show about 40 years ago......

[beerdrinker]

BEagle,

That's when the RAF had boats - those Air Sea Rescue launches. Maybe they thought you wanted to play with those rather than the thingies in the air.

[Arkroyal]

R3Hard,

Means something to me too........................but quite what escapes me. Is it to do with Portland?

Of course the crabs can't play. It's a weekend!:D

Edit: I've read your location now, so I guess that answers my question. But as a simple 772er, what was it used for. Bomhead stuff?

[Bismark]

BigginAgain,

The c..bs - not enough people, don't make me laugh.


16 B,

Re "professional aviators all deployed" - according to the MoD and RN websites the FAA are deployed in the Caribbean, South Atlantic, Mediterranean, Gulf, Indian Ocean, all around the UK (at sea), Iraq and Bosnia. I can only assume you were talking about the FAA!

FLY NAVY - see the world in style!

[Roland Pulfrew]

Bismark

From a grey boat insted of a 5* hotel!! You fisheads don't know how to do style!!;) :cool:

[Maple 01]

Bismarck- one egg whisk on the back of a boat does not a tactical deployment make! why not count the number of FAA fast jets - while you can ;)

[AllTrimDoubt]

Ark-

We used R3H for wpn loading practice, winching, l/lifting etc

[Navaleye]

One of my Uncles was in the RAF during WW2 and flew a boat. An air sea rescue boat in the channel during the BoB, he got quite famous, so much so that Airfix made a model of his boat. His name was Jones.

[Flypro]

Would that be Davey Jones?:}

[jEtGuiDeR]

Roland,
Possibly not, but at least we can spell!! ;) :cool:

[MaroonMan4]

I have just returned from the London Air Show - superb day out and sadly I agree the WAFUs are there in force. You name it from RM aircrew, a Girlie Lynx driver and even the RN Historic Flight are raising money/awareness.

Personally although now leaving the Forces, I genuinely believe that there are still aircrew loafing around today that could have given their weekends up and pitched up at Earls Court to fly their Service flag and present the real image of UK MoD aviation.

Although not a Fishead it was encouraging to see the Historic Flight stand doing their best with young flyers of the future. I was expecting to hear Crab and Pongo bashing but to their credit they were answering genuine questions from the aviation aware general public from a frontline perspective.

One spotter geek tried to draw an RN pilot on the Chinook HC3 with the civvie taking the fishead to task on the waste of money. As I ear wigged from the crowd it was pleasing to here the simple reply of, 'I am sorry I do not have to facts or information on that particular issue, but if you would like to speak to the press office at JHC I am sure they would help'. No crab bashing whatsoever!However, 10 minutes later when someone was questioning the validity of night low flying the boys were giving their genuine operator perspective that had all those listening nodding with agreement.

So, the fact that the other 2 Services are 'too busy' result in the RN being the face of Military Aviation (current and historic - not high profile enough for the Reds or BBMF?) to both young and old in the capital.

Well done - I thought you gave a good performance. However, you are still Fisheads and like Village People far too much!

[R3Hard]

Chaps,

Yes R3H was used for all sorts of weapon loading, winching etc but its most important role was for launching ones self made means of transport to the Dummy Deck Cocktail Party!!

:}

[Bismark]

BZ to the boys and girls at the Show.

Maple 01

Bismarck- one egg whisk on the back of a boat does not a tactical deployment make!

Why not? Out in the Caribbean the Lynx guys are stopping and arresting drugs runners - pretty tactical if you ask me, doing a similar task in both the Gulf and Indian Ocean. You don't have to live in a 5* hotel ashore to be tactical (even if the hotel is the Basra Hilton).

[Megaton]

Reds are in Cyprus at the moment so their attendance would never have been an option.

[Si Clik]

The team that 815 sent up for this show are excellent examples of the young FAA of today enthused about their job and completely willing to tell anyone who would like to listen, how great a job it is and why they chose it.

Oh, and they were well briefed!



:hmm:

[16 blades]

the FAA are deployed in the Caribbean, South Atlantic, Mediterranean, Gulf, Indian Ocean, all around the UK (at sea), Iraq and Bosnia.

What, one of you in each location? With half an aircraft each?

16B

[timex]

Whats up 16B (is that a cup size?), Hotel not cosy enough?:ok:

[Nearly Man]

But everyone loves a sailor!!!!!

[Speedbird777]

What was the breitling challenge?

[16 blades]

Whats up 16B (is that a cup size?), Hotel not cosy enough?

I assure you, my man boobs are much more substantial than that.

Hotels? What hotels? Havent seen a hotel for a long time.

16B

[Mad_Mark]

the FAA are deployed in the Caribbean, South Atlantic, Mediterranean, Gulf, Indian Ocean, all around the UK (at sea), Iraq and Bosnia.

Best you find out where the RAF are deployed operationally as well then - those locations seem very familiar too - although being deployed 'around the UK (at sea)' is really scrabbling for deployment locations :p

MadMark!!! :mad:

[rafloo]

The RAF were asked to participate in the Air Show but declined due to a poor standard of accommodation and the fact that it would be over a leave period.

[Titan Locked]

Surprised the Lynx wasn't needed on Nottingham .....:}

[engineer(retard)]

The RAF were asked to participate in the Air Show but declined due to a poor standard of accommodation and the fact that it would be over a leave period. The RN having no problems in getting their full leave entitilement and not being under operational pressure were able to send the entire FAA.

[Fire 'n' Forget]

the FAA are deployed in the Caribbean, South Atlantic, Mediterranean, Gulf, Indian Ocean, all around the UK (at sea), Iraq and Bosnia.


wow, I tell you what, once the puffjet goes that Swordfish is going to be one busy fixed wing asset, all that plus the airshows...........:ok:

[airborne_artist]

The RAF were asked to participate in the Air Show but declined due to a poor standard of accommodation and the fact that it would be over a leave period.

Not true - the RAF had booked to attend, the stand was designed, team trained and briefed, and they only pulled out when the OC of the detachment discovered there was no golf course in Earls Court. :E :E :ok:

[timex]

Pity the RAF didn't go.........would have been nice to see you in your Typhoon trainers and "Gucci" day sacks!!:ok:

[engineer(retard)]

Will have to ask for light blue bellbottoms as issue kit to hide the trainers.