Do We Still Do PAX Trips in the RAF
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Scotland
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Pax rides always used to be on a Friday afternoon, and usually a medic/adminer with rather large lady lumps
Well a PAX trip in an F3 is top of my list of things to do before a certain age...
Any advice on how best to achieve my goal would be greatly appreciated
Tiki
Not a pax trip in the normally accepted sense of back seat, but had a fantastic trip with FR Aviation when I was holding at 11/18 Gp in 90s. Quite simple to arrange, just rang them up, explained who I was, what I was doing and asked if it would be possible to get an experience flight. Having expected a 'no', I was a bit surprised to be told get yourself to Teeside on Friday, we're playing the Russians and 'attacking' Neatishead on a Coffee exercise!
Got to Teeside for the inbrief to find I was going to be part of a 3-ship going against the UK AD network - 1x Falcon providing stand-off jamming, 1x Falcon as the Soviet bomber and a Hawk playing the cruise missile.
Whilst not as punchy as going supersonic, it was a fascinating trip for a holding officer, with an experienced ex Nav down the back showing a baby officer the best way of jamming the radars before we started our attack with the Hawk flying close enough tto us that we would, I was told, appear as a single track on radar. At a predetermined point, the Hawk broke position, dropped to LL and ran in against the target.
Once all the fun and games were over, then it was time for the real 'fun'.
The ac captain was an ex-Canberra mate who affectionately referred to the co-pilot as 'the YTS trainee' and by now was getting restless and wanted to play.
'Do you get airsick?'
No why?
'There's a jump seat that looks like a tea tray between the bulkheads, pull it down and get strapped in'.
We then proceeded to do LL battle pairs all the way up the east coast before 'attacking' Teeside and a rather punchier run in and break than I had ever been taught on the UAS ... much to the annoyance of ATC and the several airlines trying to depart!
Not sure you would ever get anything like these days - budgets, H&S and anything else the pen pushers can put in your way, but still worth being necky and asking for. If you don't ask, you don't get, but your best chances these days are multis or RW who are normally more than happy to take authd pax.
Got to Teeside for the inbrief to find I was going to be part of a 3-ship going against the UK AD network - 1x Falcon providing stand-off jamming, 1x Falcon as the Soviet bomber and a Hawk playing the cruise missile.
Whilst not as punchy as going supersonic, it was a fascinating trip for a holding officer, with an experienced ex Nav down the back showing a baby officer the best way of jamming the radars before we started our attack with the Hawk flying close enough tto us that we would, I was told, appear as a single track on radar. At a predetermined point, the Hawk broke position, dropped to LL and ran in against the target.
Once all the fun and games were over, then it was time for the real 'fun'.
The ac captain was an ex-Canberra mate who affectionately referred to the co-pilot as 'the YTS trainee' and by now was getting restless and wanted to play.
'Do you get airsick?'
No why?
'There's a jump seat that looks like a tea tray between the bulkheads, pull it down and get strapped in'.
We then proceeded to do LL battle pairs all the way up the east coast before 'attacking' Teeside and a rather punchier run in and break than I had ever been taught on the UAS ... much to the annoyance of ATC and the several airlines trying to depart!
Not sure you would ever get anything like these days - budgets, H&S and anything else the pen pushers can put in your way, but still worth being necky and asking for. If you don't ask, you don't get, but your best chances these days are multis or RW who are normally more than happy to take authd pax.
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Any senior officer flying a desk at Akrotiri is almost guarenteed a flight in a Hawk, around April time, from what I have seen/heard.
There used to be a raffle for others, don't know if that still happens.
There used to be a raffle for others, don't know if that still happens.
Just before leaving after 43 years service, and just before my 60th birthday, I was privileged,courtesy of 12 Squadron to fly in the back seat of a two-stick GR4. An hour low level round northern scotland plus bombing run at Tain and some aeros over the Moray Firth were the icing on the cake and something to look back on, just wish I'd taken my video camera but, more importantly, I forgot my reading glasses and spent half the trip trying to find the intercom volume control. Thanks J***y M*****n for a truly memorable flight.
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
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The boys and girls and the secret Oxonian RW base were good enough to take fifteen ATC cadets from the squadron I help at.
Big smiles all around - not just a trip "round the lighthouse", either - London heli-lanes, past Parliament, etc.
Big smiles all around - not just a trip "round the lighthouse", either - London heli-lanes, past Parliament, etc.
Pax flying is still alive and well at Shawbury, whether for families, landowners of the fields used by stn-based aircraft, or cadets (admittedly, most people neither have a relative serving at Shawbury, nor own a field in Shropshire, nor are under 20 with unfeasibly long greasy hair and the inability to pay attention). One can't do much with the cadets on board (no LL etc) but they still seem to enjoy it a lot, especially running landings for some reason, and there can't be that many teenagers out there who have sat in the front seat of a helicopter in flight.
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JP5 out of Wyton - lovely snow covered low level
Canberra out of Wyton DTVAS - day/night/lots of trips.... fun fun
Lightning out of Binbrook 11(F) - amazing, just effin amazing
Hawk out of Brawdy AOS/79 ? - aircraft recovery from Kline Brogel, low level
Tornado Gr1 out of Deci 17(F) on det - bombing, air to air, T bird
Tornado F3 out Falklands 1435 - fiery cross !! Skyhawk alley run - impressed
VC10 out of Falklands - superb for a big jet, boy could that thing motor
Tornado F3 out of Coningsby F3OEU - North Sea, high AOA trip (thanks Slaps)
Plus Devons/Chippies/Andover/Chinnook/AEW Nimrod/Sentry
Show a real interest and keep asking..... I’m sure they still go on
Thanks to everyone who has flown PAX, it means a lot !!
HH2
Canberra out of Wyton DTVAS - day/night/lots of trips.... fun fun
Lightning out of Binbrook 11(F) - amazing, just effin amazing
Hawk out of Brawdy AOS/79 ? - aircraft recovery from Kline Brogel, low level
Tornado Gr1 out of Deci 17(F) on det - bombing, air to air, T bird
Tornado F3 out Falklands 1435 - fiery cross !! Skyhawk alley run - impressed
VC10 out of Falklands - superb for a big jet, boy could that thing motor
Tornado F3 out of Coningsby F3OEU - North Sea, high AOA trip (thanks Slaps)
Plus Devons/Chippies/Andover/Chinnook/AEW Nimrod/Sentry
Show a real interest and keep asking..... I’m sure they still go on
Thanks to everyone who has flown PAX, it means a lot !!
HH2
Join Date: May 2009
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Wow!
It sounds like a PAX flight would be an amazing experience by all accounts!
I am VERY envious!!!
HH2, thanks for the good advice. I will definitely show an interest, not sure about asking - will need to pluck up the courage
I usually just get strange looks
(I guess that's what happens when you're the only one stood on Spotters hill wearing a skirt and high heels without a camera - jumping, clapping and whooping!)
Tiki
It sounds like a PAX flight would be an amazing experience by all accounts!
I am VERY envious!!!
HH2, thanks for the good advice. I will definitely show an interest, not sure about asking - will need to pluck up the courage
I usually just get strange looks
(I guess that's what happens when you're the only one stood on Spotters hill wearing a skirt and high heels without a camera - jumping, clapping and whooping!)Tiki
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Twice in a Jag, and once in a GR4 for me.
One of the Jag trips went over my parents house as low as it was allowed, then proceded to fly north along the coast at Blackpool, where I could look up at Blackpool Tower to my right!
One of the Jag trips went over my parents house as low as it was allowed, then proceded to fly north along the coast at Blackpool, where I could look up at Blackpool Tower to my right!
Join Date: Jun 2006
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As a Civvie
I have managed trips in Nimrods, out of Kiloss to the Azores for multiple sorties, my what a lot of food ! and back via Glasgow airport (where my car was) thanks skipper. Pumas ex Oxfordshire doing a little task a lot of years ago now but highly succesful.
Would love a FJ trip and if my 6 numbers came up it would be off to Thunder City for sure !
Would love a FJ trip and if my 6 numbers came up it would be off to Thunder City for sure !
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I have, in my time, flown many pssengers in 'Fast Metal', personally close to 100. Hawk, F3 and F16.
I always enjoyed the opportunity, to showcase the aircraft and made it my personal challenge NOT to make anyone sick! To date, only 2 folks puked and one is still with the stewards, but it's likely it was a 'heavy burp'!!
The looks on their faces after the flights, was always thanks enough. Better still, was the general help and service you got from all sections after one of their team had had a trip!! I great morale booster, which may cost a few quid, but pays back fortunes!! Sadly, I suspect, that the pennie catchers wouldn't see it that way. (Shame on them)
Finally, to all the poor souls who had to endue me: Thanks, it was a blast, and we never came back disapointed. But mainly, thank you all for your patience, humour and enthusiasm!!!
Advo
PS- I Believe the shortest PAX ride might have been from Leuchars (2005), where 'SC' punched out with his pax about 45sec after T/O !!! Or another contender, might be the 'Gentleman Aviator' 'RP' from Brawdy? Any better contenders?
I always enjoyed the opportunity, to showcase the aircraft and made it my personal challenge NOT to make anyone sick! To date, only 2 folks puked and one is still with the stewards, but it's likely it was a 'heavy burp'!!
The looks on their faces after the flights, was always thanks enough. Better still, was the general help and service you got from all sections after one of their team had had a trip!! I great morale booster, which may cost a few quid, but pays back fortunes!! Sadly, I suspect, that the pennie catchers wouldn't see it that way. (Shame on them)
Finally, to all the poor souls who had to endue me: Thanks, it was a blast, and we never came back disapointed. But mainly, thank you all for your patience, humour and enthusiasm!!!
Advo
PS- I Believe the shortest PAX ride might have been from Leuchars (2005), where 'SC' punched out with his pax about 45sec after T/O !!! Or another contender, might be the 'Gentleman Aviator' 'RP' from Brawdy? Any better contenders?
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Flown with Buster a few times over the past few years - not a Hawk chap anymore after his rapid removal from aircraft, but a beast much slower, sedate, elegant and approaching OSD!! Loverly chappie.........
Canberra flights-lucky me
I flew twice in a 7 sqn in Canberra in 1979 at St Mawgan. First flight was over HMS Cambridge and a slight detour to take a photo of where I lived then in Plymouth. Not so easy considering the view from a Canberra!
Was looked after very well by the Squadron and even got to wear the Wing Commanders immersion suit!
Well done to the crew they made my day!
Was looked after very well by the Squadron and even got to wear the Wing Commanders immersion suit!
Well done to the crew they made my day!
As a nav, the ones I remember are the chances I turned down, eg round the old UK low-level route in a B52 (convinced myself that would be the day a B52 decided to try and fly through Ben Nevis rather than over it), and also a chance to fly with another Nav radar mate on Vulcans who was doing a max bomb drop on the ranges at Episkopi (went to the beach with my crew instead). What an idiot, now I'd pay lots of money for either of those chances.
Didnt turn down a chance to fly in a T4 when the Lightning OCU was temporarily located at Marham though. Brilliant
Didnt turn down a chance to fly in a T4 when the Lightning OCU was temporarily located at Marham though. Brilliant
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peppermint jam - Wasn't you was it? Taken on a hazy Friday in the Lakes a few years ago - certainly didn't have an orange vest on and don't claim to be a spotter either
Always good to see the troops getting a trip
Always good to see the troops getting a trip
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Blast from the past for me here - but as a cadet spent a couple of days at Wittering many moons ago with a Canberra ground crew - they were very good to me, allowed me to taxi one of them (obviously they had full control in case I hit the wrong button but boy did I have fun!) - had a PAX flight on a Puma too - pilot was up for a bit of fun before the days low flying was banned so we spent most of the hour long flight popping up and over hedges in Central England, was able to hear the radio comms when he finally popped up to a couple of thousand feet near Coventry - atc went ballistic at him, demanding to know where he'd popped up from!
Will always remember those two and as a result, will always have maximum respect for the forces.
Will always remember those two and as a result, will always have maximum respect for the forces.