Test and Evaluation topic e.g. RAE,DERA and QinetiQ
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From: Great Britain
Cobham????? I know that not to far away from there is a EQD which was run by the Ministry of Avation before it came MOD Aquila. Is this the same place as I'm sure there must of been a detachment there 
billynospares I also seem to remember that there were trials in Singapore aswell.
EDIT: Mod Aquila is different place to what I previous expected it was.
billynospares I also seem to remember that there were trials in Singapore aswell.
EDIT: Mod Aquila is different place to what I previous expected it was.
Last edited by Ashleyaircraftfan; 27th October 2012 at 18:27.
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From: Wildest Surrey
The Cobham one was off Fairmile; I saw a map of Cobham once with 'RAE' in small letters at the north east end of this road. (Something to do with 'Cobham Armour'?). I'm also remembering a MOD(PE) place at West Byfleet but I'm not sure if this was RAE; could have been something to do with MVEE (Military Vehicles Evaluation Establishment) at Longcross.
Last edited by chevvron; 22nd October 2012 at 22:55.
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From: Old Hampshire
there was an out station of Boscombe Down in Libya
I've also taken part in A&AEE trials in Karup in Denmark, Yuma and El Centro in Arizona and Brunei. Never having been on Rotary icing work I've missed out on the long trips to Canada and Norway. As for ranges in the UK I've also used Studland Bay and Porthkerris on the Lizard.
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That would be Idris.
I've also taken part in A&AEE trials in Karup in Denmark, Yuma and El Centro in Arizona and Brunei. Never having been on Rotary icing work I've missed out on the long trips to Canada and Norway. As for ranges in the UK I've also used Studland Bay and Porthkerris on the Lizard.
I've also taken part in A&AEE trials in Karup in Denmark, Yuma and El Centro in Arizona and Brunei. Never having been on Rotary icing work I've missed out on the long trips to Canada and Norway. As for ranges in the UK I've also used Studland Bay and Porthkerris on the Lizard.
The Cobham one was off Fairmile; I saw a map of Cobham once with 'RAE' in
small letters at the north east end of this road. (Something to do with 'Cobham
Armour'?). I'm also remembering a MOD(PE) place at West Byfleet but I'm not sure
if this was RAE; could have been something to do with MVEE (Military Vehicles
Evaluation Establishment) at Longcross.
Also back to Cobham it might of been Wisely airfeild (after a little searching) as according to the net it was used for testing vickers aircraft and did have VOR and DME .
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From: N51 09".94 W001 45".51
There have been trials all over the world from Boscombe over the years and luckily I have been involved in quite a few. We used to regularly take the Comet to Greenland on the Aries polar trials flights. Thule airbase and the Top of the World club for cold beers and hot wings
, How did they transport the equipment across e.g. Rotary trails.I persume C-130 or am I completely wrong????
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From: Wildest Surrey
Wisley was a contractors airfield mostly used for production flight testing of civil aircraft (although the Valiant was tested there) after final assembly and first flight from nearby Brooklands and was nothing to do with RAE.
The VOR/DME was a later addition to provide a 4th stack for Heathrow although I dare say Vickers had their own 'private' letdown using it although it wasn't needed as they had a fantastically powerful radar.
The VOR/DME was a later addition to provide a 4th stack for Heathrow although I dare say Vickers had their own 'private' letdown using it although it wasn't needed as they had a fantastically powerful radar.
Last edited by chevvron; 23rd October 2012 at 18:47.
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From: Great Britain
The comet is now at Bruntingthorpe airfield.I think they taxi it's around the airfield (or did) during there open day , it's such a long runway I think they can afford to do that.
I persume with the comet you were doing radar or nav trails with it could be wrong of course.
Chevvron well it was a wild guess, just assumed as the establishments used Vickers aircraft quite often.
I persume with the comet you were doing radar or nav trails with it could be wrong of course.
Chevvron well it was a wild guess, just assumed as the establishments used Vickers aircraft quite often.
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From: Wildest Surrey
The Farnborough Comet XV814 was used for nav trials. I did one trip on it lasting 4.5 hours routing Farnborough - Alconbury - Ullapool - Alconbury - Ullapool - Alconbury - Farnborough. They were assessing several different types of nav systems including an Inertial Navigation System (INS) using laser gyrosopes.
Note: Why the hell does the system keep converting 'a' to '@' whenever I type 'laser'?
Note: Why the hell does the system keep converting 'a' to '@' whenever I type 'laser'?
Last edited by chevvron; 24th October 2012 at 01:32.
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From: wellingborough
RAE,RAE, DRA,DERA,
I started at RAE Bedford Royal Aircraft Establishment Bedford, fantastic 2 sites Airfield and tunnels. The Sign writter was always at the main gate Changing the Logo etc, Royal Aircraft Establishment was the best, I wonder how much all those changes cost the organisation um! Tax payer.
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From: wales
Trials support from boscombe was Hastings, which were replaced by the Brittania until sold in the early eighties. Comet XS235 was Nav and radio division trials aircraft. i recall the aerial fit for what was i think the first aircraft in europe at the time with sat comms . The nav kit onboard was to such an accuracy that equipment for new types was installes alongside and flown for accuracy calibration. i recall the kit for tornado being fitted and flown onboard in late seventies. had a few nice trips on it around uk.
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From: Old Hampshire
A&AEE also used their Beverley for Trials support. I have a photo of one of Boscombe's, Harvards, with its outer wings off and inside the Bev on its way to Idris to be used as the photo chase aircraft. A role that the remaining Harvard has to the present day!
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From: Great Britain
Farnborough - Alconbury - Ullapool - Alconbury - Ullapool - Alconbury - Farnborough.
Earlonics they often change the names in government making things sound better when they don't at all.
I saw the Harvard at 2011 RIAT with its lovely QQ logo on
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billynospares: I have a few photos from over the years. No idea how to put them on here though
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From: Wildest Surrey
Do you mean Met Research Flight? They were only a lodger unit ie not part of the RAE Experimental Flying Department due to Farnborough being the closest MOD airfield to the Central Forecasting Office at Bracknell (now moved to Exeter), and although the aircrew 'mixed' they were regular Lyneham crews rather than specialist aircrew who had been through ETPS or similar.
Another 'lodger' was IAM (Institute of Aviation Medicine) Flight which normally had two pilots, both qualified as doctors and both qualified jet instructors. A third was added shortly before they moved to Boscombe; he was a qualified test pilot not a doctor and before he was allocated to IAM Flight he was an EFD pilot on fast jet types with whom I had the pleasure of a Hunter flight one day.
Another 'lodger' was IAM (Institute of Aviation Medicine) Flight which normally had two pilots, both qualified as doctors and both qualified jet instructors. A third was added shortly before they moved to Boscombe; he was a qualified test pilot not a doctor and before he was allocated to IAM Flight he was an EFD pilot on fast jet types with whom I had the pleasure of a Hunter flight one day.
Last edited by chevvron; 25th October 2012 at 18:53.
