No. 10 Sqn to be reformed
It was indeed a sad day for the 'Dulles Dinosaurs' when the RAF dropped the schedule. Brize used to pull out all the stops to look after this, the last real Ascot schedule.
I was never on 10, but they all spoke with great affection about their times in Washington - which must have brightened up rather a mundane flying job. They still flew the aeroplane in a way which would have pleased any old BOAC North Atlantic Baron - including smooooooth landings! None of this 'slam it on, get off the runway quick' business of today's airlines!
I did like a story of one crew at a local watering hole. It seems that they were mistaken for a group of doctors..."Are you here for the AIDS conference?", someone asked them.
Whereupon one of their number, who, to preserve his anonymity, I will simply refer to as 'Drunken D**c*n'
simply replied "You should have shot all the poofs when you had the chance!". Whilst this piece of sagacity was being digested, DD continued "And whilst you were at it, you could have done for the n***ers as well!"
Pre-PC days. Magic!
I was never on 10, but they all spoke with great affection about their times in Washington - which must have brightened up rather a mundane flying job. They still flew the aeroplane in a way which would have pleased any old BOAC North Atlantic Baron - including smooooooth landings! None of this 'slam it on, get off the runway quick' business of today's airlines!
I did like a story of one crew at a local watering hole. It seems that they were mistaken for a group of doctors..."Are you here for the AIDS conference?", someone asked them.
Whereupon one of their number, who, to preserve his anonymity, I will simply refer to as 'Drunken D**c*n'
simply replied "You should have shot all the poofs when you had the chance!". Whilst this piece of sagacity was being digested, DD continued "And whilst you were at it, you could have done for the n***ers as well!"Pre-PC days. Magic!
KIAD
Ah yes, those were the days. When I became far too old for rushing around, upside down, with my ar*e on fire, the next best thing was 'The Dulles'. Three per week, deep joy, especially if you were the slip crew (Sat - Sat) and no Belize to spoil the week of frivolity. Memories of M Street, Fish Market (2.5 litre beers glasses) and sunday brunch (all you can eat lobster & unlimited champers) are almost stronger than wizzing down the A5 in the Welsh mountains at the speed of heat 
Of course, there is always a down side; 'The Quickie Dulles'. Up at midnight, sleep across the pond, back the next night, sleep across the pond, home 36 hours after departure.
Of course, there is always a down side; 'The Quickie Dulles'. Up at midnight, sleep across the pond, back the next night, sleep across the pond, home 36 hours after departure.
There was only one thing worse than the 'Quickie Dulles' and that was instructing on it.....
Try to sleep during the day, then up at 2300-ish to go in and work out whether you could do it direct; if so, then waste 2 hours killing time as you weren't allowed to arrive early. If you went indirect, there was a QTR at somewhere like Halifax or Gander, then you arrived at 0830-ish local. After the usual arrival faff, there was probably a 30 min legal window to have a beer and sandwich in the shopping mall, then back to try to get some sleep before leaving the hotel at around 2000 to instruct home. Several hours of purgatory in the jump seat, although you might have to occupy an operating seat for take-off or landing, if it was a genuine instructional trip rather than an AT Role Cat.
I gather the trip timing was used by the airlines as a classic example of how NOT to run crew duty!
And now back to more helicopter heroes' tales of the sand....
Try to sleep during the day, then up at 2300-ish to go in and work out whether you could do it direct; if so, then waste 2 hours killing time as you weren't allowed to arrive early. If you went indirect, there was a QTR at somewhere like Halifax or Gander, then you arrived at 0830-ish local. After the usual arrival faff, there was probably a 30 min legal window to have a beer and sandwich in the shopping mall, then back to try to get some sleep before leaving the hotel at around 2000 to instruct home. Several hours of purgatory in the jump seat, although you might have to occupy an operating seat for take-off or landing, if it was a genuine instructional trip rather than an AT Role Cat.
I gather the trip timing was used by the airlines as a classic example of how NOT to run crew duty!
And now back to more helicopter heroes' tales of the sand....
Last edited by BEagle; 31st May 2011 at 12:50.
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Had the pleasure of doing the IAD run as pax a few times ... sadly missed. I do still have a couple of the Corporate cards for car rental that were handed out by the Dulles Support Staff ... I wonder if they still work? 
Good to see another fan of the Fish Market in Alexandria; now a bit more expensive, but the beers are still large and cold!
Good to see another fan of the Fish Market in Alexandria; now a bit more expensive, but the beers are still large and cold!
Happy Sunday brunches.........and after the fish market on the walk back to the metro you could always stop by the gunshop or cram down a last pint in the Irish bar
Then there was amateur night on a monday at Joanna's next to the sign of the whale
Or Tuesday night ribs at Front page
Happy days before the desert spoiled the fun
Then there was amateur night on a monday at Joanna's next to the sign of the whale
Or Tuesday night ribs at Front page
Happy days before the desert spoiled the fun
presumably means the end for 101 and 216?
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Then there was amateur night on a monday at Joanna's next to the sign of the whale
And, who was the Nav who didn't realise the bar just down from the hotel was a woofter place? Bought a beer and then saw a pair of hairy legs walking past him on the bar. Looked up and it was naked. He finished his beer as he was too tight fisted to rush out ASAP
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Old Town is, sadly, now a bit anal ... and non-smoking. Cleaned up beyond clean, loads of places that were interesting have closed down, and Bullfeathers is now a plastic paddy place serving Irish Stew in a basket [old and bad joke, but a sign of the decline].
I am in DC right now, and will be flying a large twin-jet back to the UK in a few hours time! 
If Dan is going to be Boss of a reformed 10 Sqn, has his sense of humour had a refurb?
If Dan is going to be Boss of a reformed 10 Sqn, has his sense of humour had a refurb?
Last edited by MrBernoulli; 2nd Jun 2011 at 10:35. Reason: Whoops! Sqn number corrected!
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I am in DC right now, and will be flying a large twin-jet back to the UK in a few hours time!
If Dan is going to be Boss of a reformed 101 Sqn
Dan is going to be the Boss of 10 not 101.
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I gather the trip timing was used by the airlines as a classic example of how NOT to run crew duty!
Happy days 'stuck' in Dulles in times when you weren't made to feel guilty for even being West of the meridian in the first place.
It will be good to see the old feathered arrow back at Brize.
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Both of them?
There are to be 14 aircraft in all, building up till around 2016, if I remember correctly from the presentation given to the 10 Sqn Association at Brize Norton last Friday. Of these, 9 (or possibly 10) will be militarily registered, with the remainder having civil registrations. Given the hybrid RAF/civilian Sponsored Reserve manning that is proposed, I fear that I came away with no clear idea of the longer-term crew ratio proposed.
There are also to be two squadrons formed to operate the proposed fleet and accommodation has been provided accordingly in the new Air Tanker building - so there will be another numberplate renewed in due course.
For now, I wish Wg Cdr James all the very best as he starts to lay the foundations of a squadron ethos in what will, I suspect, prove to be very different circumstances from those facing Mike Beavis in 1966.
There are also to be two squadrons formed to operate the proposed fleet and accommodation has been provided accordingly in the new Air Tanker building - so there will be another numberplate renewed in due course.
For now, I wish Wg Cdr James all the very best as he starts to lay the foundations of a squadron ethos in what will, I suspect, prove to be very different circumstances from those facing Mike Beavis in 1966.
Warmtoast, regrettably 10 Sqn will not 'own' any aircraft. It will operate aircraft leased under PFI from AirTanker.
Incidentelly, many congratulations to Wg Cdr Dan James - and all the very best for a successful tour!
A whisper tells me that the second Voyager squadron will be 101 Sqn.
Incidentelly, many congratulations to Wg Cdr Dan James - and all the very best for a successful tour!
A whisper tells me that the second Voyager squadron will be 101 Sqn.
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Aah! "Shiny 10" became quite grubby in the latter years. Its jolly good to see them become nice and shiny again.
Will all the pilots be Squadron Leaders like in the good old days?
(I say! Are you a REAL Squadron Leader, or just a VC10 pilot??)
Will all the pilots be Squadron Leaders like in the good old days?
(I say! Are you a REAL Squadron Leader, or just a VC10 pilot??)