PFR

Thanks Hurn & airsound....makes sense - good luck to the team for the remaining tests..

forget

Now think about it. What would a tow-bar and tug do to magnetic compass readings? Gerrit?

Al R

TJ,

I was the fat c#nt in the Barbour and bush hat. Were you one of the two to my left? One of whom had a DPM wrap on the lens? Great shots - yours have a clarity that mine don't .. UV filter maybe or perhaps just a decent lens, or perhaps I'm just a spacker?!

I shall def be there on Wednesday. I'll do a recce of the Oakham end as well as the A1 end, but I'm inclined to think that 'our' end still offers the best potential. Approx 850 m behind where we were standing (a line from us, through the lamps and beyond), up the forward facing slope to the leading edge of the wood, would offer a staggering shot if she took off in that direction. You look ever slightly down on the airfield and her ascent would be far lazier and far more impactful as she climbed towards you. I shall recce that tomorrow too ("..if in doubt, recce out" ). This possibly, could be the last time Cottesmore sees one of her own off. I wonder if there will be a flypast?

Ex R,

No probs - thanks for your post. I am pleased that the web has bought it closer to them and I'm flattered and not upset. I did throw some money 558's way 2 years ago, but I'm not a paid up member of any club, so I won't be able to get in there. C'est la vie. All the best to the team, and despite the probs that occasionaly and very publically crop up with her, she did them all proud today. Fingers crossed for her future. Find out about the flypast would you and let us know? You are now officially, my snitch.

Al.

armouer231

Yes I know that! The thing is, the compass base is miles away from where she's currently parked on the VASS pan.. There was a bit of confusion as to where exactly she'd be parked overnight - initially she was giong to be over by the compass base on 'Golf' pan, but the RAF Police weren't happy with her being so out of the way and so hence she's now on the VASS pan where she can be watched over. Maybe they'll just fire her up and taxi her across?

Exrigger

PFR, I believe the original plan was to do the Compass Swing at Waddington but the Airfield has major work going on, so it might of been a bit of a problem at the moment, or at least that was my understanding from last year.

flipflopman RB199

armouer231,

There was indeed a towbar present, and it was fitted to 558 around 17:45.


Flipflopman

GBALU53

Do not quote me, doing compass swings in the past, the engines would be running at a certain power setting? with all electrical systems live?

Al R

What is a compass swing? I assume its for calibration for long distance navigation? Or something technical that won't involve swinging an 8lb lump hammer and therefore will be above my limited means.

Eagle402

Al R,

Am rofl at your self deprecating description of yourself to TEEJ !

Outstanding !!

And - the flare/heathaze shot gets better with every viewing. Congratulations and thanks again. I'm driving down from the grim north on Wednesday to see the old girl myself.

Eagle402

PFR

Thanks Exrigger. I'd been wondering about Waddington....Cheers PFR.

Al R

In that case Eagle, at the risk of turning it into a cake and arse party, and if time allows, we should all RV somewhere mebbe beforehand. Like in the pub.

That end of the runway is spectacular in summer for similar shots if flying is going on late. Especially if the sun is setting and the sky is alight.

Eagle402

Al,

Advise coordinates of said battlecruiser and I'll be there ! Have pm'd you re compass swing or at least my view. Am too much of a FNG on here to risk being AIM9L'd out of the sky !

Eagle402

armouer231

Ah - didn't notice the towbar! Sorry!

BEagle

Having sat and frozen my nuts off in a Tin Triangle during a compass swing at Scampton years ago, I can assure you that it took 3 of us and no engines were running. Just the AAPP and an AEO to keep an eye on the electrical panel, a pilot (me) to guard the brakes and do the E2B readings - and a fussy old woman of a nav plotter ('Watt the Plot') to read the main beam compass values.

3 $odding hours of being towed behind a tractor it took us!

Exrigger

Not much different from the ones on Nimrod and Tornado, oh how I loved being the tractor driver on Tornado compass swing with Houchin attached to it and a fussy avionics guy, not, especially the secondary headings?.

C152_driver

Al R, that heat haze shot is amazing.

If anything ever captured the "Science Fiction" shape of the Vulc better... And in 2008, no less!

f4aviation

Another one - apologies for the gaps between posts!

forget

Baffling. The aircraft is supposed to be as near as possible to flight state. Here from Kiwi CAA.

Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
AC43.7 7 Revision 1.

Preparation. Prior to calibration the compass should be checked for general serviceability and it should be verified that angle of dip correction for the southern hemisphere has been made. The compass should be calibrated with;

• engine(s) running
• all equipment correctly stowed for normal operation
• all doors closed
• flight controls as closely as practicable to cruise position
• aircraft systems operating for normal cruise configuration, including—
• electrical systems
• navigation systems
• communications

Communications systems do not have to actually be transmitting or receiving during the calibration.

threeputt

APU running, MFS warmed up and the HRS spinning around. Nav Rad getting wet outside, with the theodolite thingy, whilst the plotter sat inside in the warm and did the Maths...Happy days...not!


3P

TEEEJ

Al wrote


LOL! No, that wasn't me. I had the DPM goretex jacket on. I use a prime lens with no filter. That heat haze triangle shot of your is superb. Mine didn't work out as the auto focus went hunt on the runway. I'll be there on Wednesday and trying for side on take off shots.

Great shots F4!

Cheers

TJ