slightly OT - service flights

[Jimlad]

Can anyone help me out here - I am trying to look into the feasibilities of arranging some trips for some of my RNR O/Cdt.

I would appreciate it if someone more knowledgable than myself could clarify the following for me:

Are there any service (ie RAF) flights available for reserves personnel wishing to take part in a (relatively) duty trip to various places. If so how do I go about arranging them?

I have found some DCI but that seems to refer more to scheduled trooping flights on civillian airlines, and my good friend and oppo is convinced that it is possible for service people to fly from Brize Norton out to places for the Falklands for around £10 - is that right or is the poor chap deluded?

If it is right can anyone point me in the right direction of which office / person I'd need to speak to in order to look into this in more detail?

Thanks for your help!

[nav attacking]

The DCI you refer to should explain all about the indulgance system but it is complicated and not guaranteed to get you home (USMIA Travel Insurance for service personnel will cover you for costs relating to cancelled indulgence flights though. Including hotels and new tickets)

Your best bet is either to speak to the movements sections at Brize or Lyneham directly or better still just speak to the sqns at either station and try to get on as supernumary crew.

Best of luck.

Mind you the list of destinations that we fly to is getting bigger and more exotic by the day looking at the headlines!!!

[Jimlad]

Thanks for that, I took one look at the DCI and had to lie down in a darkened room for a long time to recover!

I'll give the chaps up at Brize Norton a ring and see what they can do. I know that my lads are very keen on the Falklands (god alone knows why) Is there a regular service flying down to that part of the world by any chance?

- Alternatively I heard 99 Sqdn used a C17 to take an F3 down there recently -will that happen again and is there room for passengers on that?

Thanks again,

[nav attacking]

Not sure about the C17 option but there is a weekly Timmy that goes to the Falklands.

Try speaking to the Duty Air Movements Officer (DAMO) at Brize first if that crazy mil directory enquiries system has any clue about the number.

[bootscooter]

While duty personnel on duty flights can travel MPA and elsewher on the C-17, there is currently no ability to travel on an indulgence basis on it. I don't know if this will change in the future, but that's how it is at the moment.

[Wycombe]

Interesting to note that the SA Schedule is actually quoted in OAG's Flightguide - must be the only Mil Flights in the World that are!

[Klingon]

Chances of getting jolly seats on an AT task for a group is almost non-existant because of the support costs and availability. The Akrotiri schedule carries 1 Cadet per week booked through Air Cadet HQ.
Best chance is to write to either OC 10/101/216/99 Sqn's at RAF Brize Norton or the Community Liasion Officer at RAF Lyneham and try to get a trip on a local flyer or AAR Towline.:cool:

[Jimlad]

again, thanks for info/advice - minor point - the guys in question aren't air cadets but service personnel (albeit reservists) - does that make any difference?
Secondly they don't want an AT jolly, but are more concerned with arranging a serious work related trip in order to see the sort of environments and meet the various guys they'll be working with in a few years - again, will this affect chances of getting seats?

Ta very muchly,

[opso]

Jimlad,

As long as someone in their chain (you?) is willing to sign this off as duty and thereby pick up the tab, they can apply for and be allocated seats on the South Atlantic Schedule. This is a Tristar that runs 3 times a fortnight and as duty pax, they will have to pay nowt. Their signatory will not have to pay for the flight as such, but would have to pick up the costs of them in-theatre.

The other system you were looking at, 'indulgence', should be in the DCI you've read and is a method whereby qualifying persons can occupy available empty seats at cost (calculated as the amount of fuel consumed carrying a 'representative weight' of a passenger and the cost of any in-flight rations). This is a sensible way of minimising the 'wastage' of empty seats, but the figure that you have been quoted of £10 to the FI is incorrect. You cannot travel on indulgence on a duty trip. Nor, for a number of practicalities, are you likely to get indulgence to the FI. The good news on indulgence flying is that is cheap; the bad news is that it is far from guaranteed, you are lowest priority and could easily be thrown off for a duty passenger and the RAF are under no remit to get you home, just because you went out on CrabAir - hence the fact that when you apply for indulgence, you certify on the yellow application form that you will have sufficient funds to recover at your own expense if required. To pursue indulgence travel, either consult your nearest RAF mover or contact the pax desk at Brize Norton (you cannot indulge on the C-130, so don't bother with Lyneham) and ask them to pop some yellow forms in the post to you. They will be able to give you advice on good travel windows to apply for.