Wasted Flying hours in NI

[Overshoot Kenobi]

I was totally amazed yesterday to be treated to a rather unusual sight: an Islander, a Puma, a Wessex, a Sea King (courtesy of the Senior Service), a Lynx and two Gazelles flying around in formation. Having enquired as to what the heck was going on I was informed that this was practise for a fly-by of an Officer's Mess cocktail party, apparently happening today.
What the HELL do they think they're doing? By 'they' I mean JHFNI, or whoever generated the task. I can't speak for the RAF or Navy fleets, but I don't believe the Puma fleet is exactly flush with spare hours. But speaking for the Lynx fleet, which is notoriously in crisis, I find it utterly obscene that that as our REME are moving heaven and earth to provide us with sufficient airframes at what's likely to be the busiest period over here for some time, and the poor sods in What-a-shame and Dishcloth scraping together the odd hour here and there, some complete idiot has decided that we can spare a couple of Lynx hours to entertain an Officer's Mess who will stand and watch, possibly mutter "Oh I say; good show!" and then carry on sampling the Pimms.
Anyone else share my disgust at this blatant misappropriation of public funds? Or am I being a typically Bolshevic SNCO pilot, allowing my belief that we should make certain sacrifices in the need to provide the service the the public expect to get in the way of my ability to see the larger picture? I await your responses with interest

[Flatus Veteranus]

1. No
2. Yes
I expect they were practising formation flying - surely a perfectly legitimate exercise?

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presto digitate

[BEagle]

Sorry, FV, this is a cry from the heart from a pilot who, desperately frustrated with the appalling state of affairs in the AAC, is resorting to probably the only medium where he can express his justifiable outrage.

He deserves every sympathy. And tonight a TriStar will fly past the Brize annual reception - but that will use existing training hours from a budget quite capable of absorbing the cost. It will be fun for the pilots, they will get some useful training and it will be a fitting finale to the evening's proceedings. Quite a different matter to the events in NI, I would say.

[Flatus Veteranus]

OK BEagle, if you say so. Apologies OK.

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presto digitate

[dwaynedibley]

Please humour me while I ask another question of the people who make decisions for the better cause of aviation in the glorious emerald toilet. With our numbers being bolstered by the senior service, who is briefing the crews ??? Whilst I appreciate the crews are on an extreme learning curve they do seem to be making some fundamental errors.. frequencies, procedures, nothing that a sound (better) brief of relevant procedures wouldn't sort out.
A blue brief rather than a green one perchance ?

[N Genfire]

Lets not turn this into a purple arguement, lets just ask who justifies flights? and did the fly past justify the end? and was any "op" flying compromised? at the end of the day who's train set is it? and do they care?

Regards N Genfire

(Edit for smelling mistooks)

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Not if I can do it tomorrow.........

[This message has been edited by N Genfire (edited 29 June 2001).]

[Big Green Arrow]

Give 'em a chance..they've only just got there..besides they ain't there all the time like you boyz in light blue!

Viz the formation question...As Beags intimated for the BZN fly past, it may seema waste of time....it probably is a waste of time, but dissimilar formation flying is:
a. Unusual, so can be fun.
b. Fun.
c. Something that stretches peoples' skill bases and therefore good quality trg if done properly and for the right reasons.

Standz by for FLAK

BGA

[This message has been edited by Big Green Arrow (edited 29 June 2001).]

[Pub User]

It will be fun for the pilots, they will get some useful training and it will be a fitting finale to the evening's proceedings. A well deserved diversion for those serving in NI I would say.

A particularly impressive show for the invited guests too, some of who had given far more to 'the cause' than a bit of Avtur.

[Hydraulic Palm Tree]

Overshoot

I hear what you are saying about the flying hours, however, as others have said it would have been fun for the crews and as the Cocktail Party was the only occasion in the year when Aldergrove gets to invite important people from the local community, it was important in helping to generate good feeling from them. I'm sure that they were impressed as it was an excellent display of the jointery that we are trying to make work, but as you know, we are so often let down by people outside JHF(NI).

HPT

[Ron Fenest]

Flying is flying - rather have a quick chance to show off than an hour wondering when that mortar is actually going to hit the spot :-)

[Ed Winchester]

Some people are never happy.

Six crews are given the opportunity to fly a sortie that is a little different from the norm and someone bleats.

Seemed like a perfectly valid CR exercise to me, and it was 'kin good fun to boot.

Overshoot, nice bit of sensationalist journalism, planning on working for the tabloids in the future?

[Mmmmnice]

Only thing wrong with the whole thing seems to be the lack of the mighty Wokka!!! Seriously though folks why are we whinging about flying? The way people are bleating you'd think the crews had to pay for the gas. HMG will pick up the tab and I doubt whether any top quality tasking will suffer as a result (yeah yeah, I know how taxes work before anyone starts mouthing off). Never mind, we'll all be having a beer on the front at DV again soon! pip pip

[only1leftmate!]

Actually the flypast was arranged at the request of the local Orange Lodge Aircraft Spotting sub-division. It seems they were fed up with the same old tail numbers.........

keeping getting my mucking words fuddled

[This message has been edited by only1leftmate! (edited 01 July 2001).]

[Jeep]

Overshoot, I had no idea you wanted to be in the flypast, you should have said and i'd have arranged it. do say next time old chap.

[jockspice]

Speaking as the Senior Service in theatre.......

1. The hours for the mighty King came out of our training budget. We almost flew the ensign to steal the show but the crew were too busy watching all those in front getting close to each other to bother!! Lets face it, anything airborne is good. Looked good from the ground even through Pimms haze!! http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif
2. Yes, we are on a learning curve and we dont really care about the radio police who have been out here for a lot longer - Im here, going there, any questions? Sea King 1 out! :) Good calls or turning up in pants weather? Aviate, Navigate, COMMUNICATE!
3. If we had a quid for all those who have said its nice to see us back, we wouldn't have to pay for the beer we have already and have yet to drink on the det. Thanks to all who have made us welcome out here, on the ground and in the air. Leaving BBQ is on the 16th!!!

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Fear God, honour the King!

[jockspice]

Sorry forgot to mention.......

To those who oppose the formation - in the busiest time out here, isn't it good to show to everyone important that we can achieve all this kit airborne and that we can use it, or would it be good to say sorry, they are all in the hangar broken so you can't have as much support as is required?

Flypast and/or a show of ability? Depends which side of the fence you are on.
Just my spin on things.......... :)



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Fear God, honour the King!

[Big Green Arrow]

When's the BBQ again Chockspice?

[murphy]

SH Monkey,

Believe me, Overshoot IS an Aviator, and a damn fine one too.

He's making a valid point about the waste of flying hours that are not only hard to find from our aging airframes, but also from the, possibly, overstretched Aircrew.

Let's not try and get a bite out of someone making a valid point.

Yours

Murph x x x ;)

[Dunhovrin]

It can't have been that good a fly-past 'cos the runway club is still standing....

Next time do it across Cross Sq. at 0300 chaps. ;)

[jockspice]

sorry its on the Sunday not Monday!!

Of course, dont turn up if you feel the formation was a waste of time - by the looks of it some people needed the practice!
Steady!!! Joke! ;) :D