lsh
10th Oct 2009, 12:15
How about some Puma display stories?
Some comments about Puma display have come up on the Catterick crash thread and I thought that a new thread would be the way to go.
It allows a bit of fun (and that would not be appropriate, or welcome, on the other thread).
1991 Odiham:
Two crews were nominated from the OCU and were "constituted crews", as per instructions from above.
On the day that the displays were to be validated other aircraft and crews from the Command arrived at ODI, to display in front of the AOC.
(I genuinely do not remember his name but was, I think, of "front room first" fame and had a gopping tartan name badge!)
At the last minute the other crewman could not be found, so I jumped in with "Jerry" (name changed) and it went fine.
The other crewman, "Dick", (name changed) arrived just in time to jump in with "Ges" (name changed).
Afterwards, despite his scary reputation, the AOC was quite charming and emphatic that throughout the season if there was a reason for us feeling unhappy with anything; the venue, the aircraft, anything at all, we should not display and would have his full and unequivocal support - regardless.
"Finally", he said, "it is quite clear to me from todays fine displays that my insistence on the constitution of crews for displays made a big difference"!!
Lots of smiles in the cheap seats!
lsh
(More to come and thanks to Spike for the title!)
Some comments about Puma display have come up on the Catterick crash thread and I thought that a new thread would be the way to go.
It allows a bit of fun (and that would not be appropriate, or welcome, on the other thread).
1991 Odiham:
Two crews were nominated from the OCU and were "constituted crews", as per instructions from above.
On the day that the displays were to be validated other aircraft and crews from the Command arrived at ODI, to display in front of the AOC.
(I genuinely do not remember his name but was, I think, of "front room first" fame and had a gopping tartan name badge!)
At the last minute the other crewman could not be found, so I jumped in with "Jerry" (name changed) and it went fine.
The other crewman, "Dick", (name changed) arrived just in time to jump in with "Ges" (name changed).
Afterwards, despite his scary reputation, the AOC was quite charming and emphatic that throughout the season if there was a reason for us feeling unhappy with anything; the venue, the aircraft, anything at all, we should not display and would have his full and unequivocal support - regardless.
"Finally", he said, "it is quite clear to me from todays fine displays that my insistence on the constitution of crews for displays made a big difference"!!
Lots of smiles in the cheap seats!
lsh
(More to come and thanks to Spike for the title!)