It appears the Dominies have had air under their wings again.

[NutLoose]

One off ferry flights..

See

Dominies to Humberside (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?133915-Dominies-to-Humberside)

[OKOC]

For Eastern?

[Brian W May]

Nasty little aeroplanes . . . I can only just feel my frozen feet thawing out from the Functionals.

[Dominator2]

Apparently 4 have been sold to BAe who are setting up an Engineering School at Humberside to train engineers destined to work at places like Waddinton, Coningsby and Marham. Two Doms were flown in and the other two by road to be used as spares. They also have some Hawks at Humberside for the same use.
The Dominie XS727 at RAF Cranwell will have a plaque uncovered soon and will officially be one of the RAFC Cranwell Gate Guardians. The plaque will contain the history of the aircraft and the units that operated her over the past 45 years.

[Dominator2]

I can only answer "Great Little Aeroplanes". The heating system did need a little attention and if allowed to cold soak at 35,000 ft then it could get cold. Since RVSM and rarely flying above FL280 it was less of a problem.
The aircraft was at it's best at 250ft agl (or there abouts) in Wales, the Lakes or Scotland. Wonderfully versatile and a joy to fly.

[BARKINGMAD]

Problem solved.


On freezing high-level functional trips, by easing open the smoke removal "Ping-Pong ball" lever under the right hand pilot/student seat until just before the green DV Closed light illuminated, most of the discharge air then vented via the cockpit.


This ensured a comfortable temperature for the single pilot as long as the RPM didn't change too much. It was so effective that several time the SODCAT operatives in the back requested me to turn UP the heating!


All one needed to remember was to restore normal operation pre-descent, at which point the hissing noise acting as reminder would cease.


It always made me wonder why the smoke removal drill for the 'Dom' meant that any smoke in the cabin would flood the cockpit on its exit. And the DeHaviland 125 was a CIVILIAN design, approved by you know who, formerly of Kingsway in London.............


What WERE they thinking in the design office and the certifying authority??


Otherwise, great little aeroplane and fun job, pity Finningley was run by those of doubtful ability and intelligence......................

[NutLoose]

I once did a check on a 125 and that like a Learjet I worked on, had smoke goggles with handy little breathing holes all around the circumference to stop them misting up lol...

[FantomZorbin]

Wonderfully versatile and a joy to fly

Wasn't one from Finningley Barrel Rolled? :uhoh:

[aw ditor]

Barking. I think you will find the 125 early series were certificated before the Kingsway mob' came into being.

[BARKINGMAD]

a w ditor,

I stand corrected if the 125 was certificated by other than the Committee Against Aviation.

FCL certainly operated out of a small empire in/near Kingsway in London before the "Belgrano" was launched.

However, that's academic, SOMEONE who should have known better signed off the smoke removal mechanism.

My actions in the event of said smoke would have been to open the discharge valve, so dumping it out via the rear cabin (sorry Navs!) whilst closing rapidly with nearest airfield. Yes, the cabin would have climbed but it would anyway with the "ping-pong ball" lever fully open.

As the Dom Sqn UFSO, I asked to run a trial, on the ground, with a pressurised ' frame and harmless vegetable oil smoke released inside to illustrate the hazard.

Needless to say it was filed under 'too difficult' or more likely ' too embarassing' to the powers that be. :)

[camelspyyder]

Wasn't one from Finningley Barrel Rolled?

I dont know, but during the later Cranwell years it cetainly happened. Unfortunately the rather thrilled students blabbed at a Mess function 2 days later, and the driver was moved to a fulfilling role as SFSO at another location.

[aw ditor]

I believe it was was "rolled" by a Wg Cdr Flying' at Finningley who subsequently was Court Martialled. Although I can recall the President I can't recall the outcome!

[taxydual]

Not sure about "rolling" at FY, but one of the Staish's was Court Martialed for single engined rollers with the Dom full of FAF VIP's.

[Brian W May]

Flew nearly all the trips with the Dump Valve (for that is what it was) cracked. Still had really cold feet.

Remember MSQFL? Loosely translated means, go find some icing then fly in it for two hours . . . eugh! Oh and use the useless TKS ANTI ice system.

As I said - nasty little aeroplane.

[Dominator2]

Brian,
Maybe you flew the aircraft in an era when High Level NavExs were all that the Sqn did.
In latter years we spent a lot of time a 250ft all over the UK and occasionally in France. There were many opportunities to go away for the weekend with destinations from Tallin to Seville and Lisbon to Akrotiri. We nearly had as many different destinations in Europe as NetJets!
Yes there were the odd Wick and back trips at FL280, but the fun sorties by far outweighed those.
The aircraft has proved itself over 45 years to be incredibly versatile.

[2Planks]

D2 - Indeed - but I will never forget that peculiar smell - a mixture of rakosan (spelling?) from the thunderbox, sweat and fear!


Oh and the sound of the houchin starting up which meant the start of four hours stress. Double deductions anybody????

[Dominator2]

2 Planks - By 2003 the Elsan had been removed from the aircraft and the Navs faced forward. I must say that my view of the Dominie is from a purely pilots perspective. I fully understand that there was much pain endured by those aft of the bulkhead, particularly inflicted upon Nav Students!
In the later years I believe that the Instructors had a far more enlightened approach. Although the move to RAFC Cranwell had its own problems, there were many benefits in getting away from the Old Empire of Nav School and the influence of the V Force!

[BARKINGMAD]

Brian May

Are you the Engineer Instructor who would probably have cracked my Dump Valve?

With an advanced sense of humour, but no prisoners where senior
orifices were concerned?

Feel free to pm me on this wiring loom! K9

[Brian W May]

Maybe you flew the aircraft in an era when High Level NavExs were all that the Sqn did.
In latter years we spent a lot of time a 250ft all over the UK and occasionally in France. There were many opportunities to go away for the weekend with destinations from Tallin to Seville and Lisbon to Akrotiri. We nearly had as many different destinations in Europe as NetJets!
Yes there were the odd Wick and back trips at FL280, but the fun sorties by far outweighed those.

'Kin hell, odd blah at FL280? We generally flew Functionals at between 350 and 370 (which made Pole Hill recoveries interesting). Those other destinations don't seem too shabby. We did Gib via Monte Real or Tancos.

Remember doing a low level with Ian Nelson (then head of Standards) and me on a Friday afternoon when the highest we went was recovering into FY circuit - that was fun.

I shall concede (big of me huh?) that it was a 'Nasty Little Aeroplane' for me, but brilliant for everyone else. But there again, I'm probably a grumpy old f**ker.

It was however a good lead-in to the Tristar, so probably worth it :cool:

[fergineer]

And everyone laughed at my heated socks but my toes was always warm....only bad one was assymetric socks when the wire pulled out of one of them. Had fun flying them and am sure you had at least some fun Brian. Enjoyed the low level back from Germany when my student was "sick"

[CoffmanStarter]

Mid 60's pic for the nostalgia :ok:

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af162/CoffmanStarter/Scan.jpg

Image Credit : Crown MOD RAF

[Janda]

Must be getting old as I remember them replacing the Varsity's as the AE/Eng training aircraft. BM you are a prima donna complaining of cold feet. Never flew in a Dom as I was lucky to do my training at Topcliffe and avoided the instructor role.

[Dengue_Dude]

Adopting callsign 'Prima Donna' . . . and?

I was trained on the Varsity, so much so, my local air museum (about 3 miles away) has a cockpit from one of the said Varsities in this incumbent's logbook.

Never got cold feet in the Varsity as I did Summer flying.

Yours
PD

[fergineer]

Janda trust me the feet did get very cold, that's why I got myself some heated socks!!!!!

[TheChitterneFlyer]

What little time that I did spend on the Dominie, at least for me as an Air Eng student, was a great deal of fun. Bob Brownjohn was my mentor and, at the time, was the Lancaster Air Eng. Hence, I managed to get my one and only ride in the Lancaster... what a joy!

[Janda]

And I thought Flt Eng's were made of sterner stuff Fergie. http://www.clicksmilies.com/auswahl/lachen001.gif (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/lachen/laughing-smilies.html)

[Brian W May]

Then you were wrong weren't you?

[Linedog]

Bunch O' wimps. Should've got yer gran to knit you a decent pair of socks instead of those nylon issue ones. :)

[Brian W May]

You believe in Resurrection then . . .

[Linedog]

Sorry fellahs, I didn't realise so many miserable sods trained on Doms. At least the guys who kept them flying were happy. :ok:

[ExAscoteer]

Personally I loved flying the Dom.

Yes one could get a wee bit chilly on the high level night astros but you wore a sweater and extra socks; The high speed descents (Pole Hill Recovery) made up for any discomfort.

Low level was just about as much fun as I ever had with my clothes on - far more fun than low level in Albert.

As for all the European trips and airshows....

Those whingeing were probably the knackered old farts who should have been cleared out decades before.

[fergineer]

Not me I was a youngster when I was a screen on the Doms well younger than I am now. Line dog do you really believe that? Some of the ground crew were from the same Halton entry as I was so I know that it was not all a bed of roses there. Late flights back and early morning departures always had the same whinges from the ground crew.

[camelspyyder]

I can't believe I'm typing this, but I flew the Dom during 4 different decades,
and it was always a load of fun, particularly away around Europe, including Iceland, and also when visiting the kids at boarding school in it;)


Does anybody know which frames are going to Humberside?

[Brian W May]

Perhaps our companions here don't realise that for most sorties the FE instructor was standing up between the front seats, lurking in the 'doorway'. Hence the cold on functionals which spent over two hours above FL310.

Bottom line, the RHS stuff (Pilot Assistant) was OK and I even enjoyed SCT, but 900 hours plus on type was more than enough.

Give me a Tristar or DC10 any day.

As for those here disparaging 'knackered miserable old shytes' et al - ever bin 'ad? :D

[Linedog]

But there again, I'm probably a grumpy old f**ker.

You said it.........................:ok:

'79 to '82 was a good time for me. I even got divorced while I was there. :)

[Brian W May]

I got married for the second time in 1982 and lived in Auckley - I used a pushbike (but only to warm my feet up).

Banter is Good !!

[Party Animal]

Interesting that the crew were wearing helmets in the 60's. My first exposure to the Dominie was in the early 80's and we carried soft hats in those days. Had the pleasure of flying in a 'Limo' version of the 125 the other day. Soft leather seats, gold taps, glass cockpit and not even a merest whiff of the old Dominie scent.

That last bit was kinda dissapointing!

[99 Change Hands]

Civilian Aviation ? Home to the Civil Aviation Enthusiast ? View topic - Dominie T.1 N19XY (http://www.civilianaviation.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=169&t=21141)

[RRAAMJET]

Exascoteer and camelspyder are prob former Sqn mates of mine (early 90's?)...

Rarely post here any more, but I have to say my last yr in RAF flying Doms was a hoot. GREAT Sqn and lotsa fun with route-veteran navs and eng's and Nimrod crew.

Learnt a lot, humbling stuff. Veteran crews with much to share.

Now I'm a Capt for world's largest airline, living in the Florida Keys; but I remember my time at Donnie International Shagport very fondly. Miss you all.

[Pontius Navigator]

PA, if the mafia had had their way we would have worn parachutes too. All so we could start the V-force experience early.

Later the class room approach was adopted.

[aw ditor]

99 Change Hands

Thanks for the Pics, that CAGS bell could wake the dead or the Staff N. having a kip' down the back.

AD'

[TEEEJ]

Camelspyyder wrote

Does anybody know which frames are going to Humberside?

The following two were flown into Humberside.

XS712/N19CQ
XS739/N19UK

Apparently two more are to be road delivered?

Demobbed - Out of Service British Military Aircraft (http://www.demobbed.org.uk/aircraft.php?type=587)