Military Aircraft Horsing around.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,576
Received 422 Likes
on
222 Posts
OK, where's the infamous Cranwell Grad flyby?
Mike knows!!
Mike knows!!
(a bear of little brain)
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: 51 10 03.70N 2 58 37.15W
Age: 75
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nah, the Cranwell fly-past referred to involved a pair of F4s and much lower levels.
At MadsLads graduation parade one of the others in the parade was a returnee to the RAF who had been at the parade referred to for his first passing-out and who explained all over lunch. Sounded interesting.
At MadsLads graduation parade one of the others in the parade was a returnee to the RAF who had been at the parade referred to for his first passing-out and who explained all over lunch. Sounded interesting.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Cape Town
Age: 70
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A bit of googling found this.
Top Ten Low Fly Pasts - Page 6
The very young Mushroom had just started at Cranwell at the time and saw the infamous flypast (albeit from a distance) in question which took place in Dec 86 for the graduation of 97 IOTC. It involved 2 x F-4, one of which went either side of the clock tower. The one who went over the parade was pulling stupid amounts of alpha (especially in an F-4) in full blower and did indeed blow several graduating cadets over with numerous others losing caps. I thought the idiot was going to stoof into the East Wing of College Hall Officers' Mess. The rear jet had a last minute sensible caption and went higher.
Upon landing at Coningsby, the pilot of the lower jet was met by his Stn Cdr and subsequently lost an already notified promotion. I've heard he also got a 2 year punishment tour in the Falklands.
The flypast was edited out of the official graduation video but is used on flt safety courses. Sadly, I've never seen it.
Regarding the B-52 pilot (who was the wing STANEVAL), this is also now used as a case history on Flying Supervisor courses. The guy was an arrogant idiot who felt he was above the law (as indeed his supervisory chain had allowed him to become). Even his wife had stated that her husband could 'do what he wants and nobody can stop him' to other wives.
The incident followed several years of progressively more irresponsible flying in progressively more public scenarios. On the course, I was shown another video of said pilot clearing a ridge on an Hawaian bombing range by 6 ft.
His arrogance - and the failure of his supervisory chain - is moot testement to Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. It's just a shame he took several others with him.
The C-135FR low flying video is probably just about the next most idiotic thing I've seen on video.
Regards,
MM
Top Ten Low Fly Pasts - Page 6
The very young Mushroom had just started at Cranwell at the time and saw the infamous flypast (albeit from a distance) in question which took place in Dec 86 for the graduation of 97 IOTC. It involved 2 x F-4, one of which went either side of the clock tower. The one who went over the parade was pulling stupid amounts of alpha (especially in an F-4) in full blower and did indeed blow several graduating cadets over with numerous others losing caps. I thought the idiot was going to stoof into the East Wing of College Hall Officers' Mess. The rear jet had a last minute sensible caption and went higher.
Upon landing at Coningsby, the pilot of the lower jet was met by his Stn Cdr and subsequently lost an already notified promotion. I've heard he also got a 2 year punishment tour in the Falklands.
The flypast was edited out of the official graduation video but is used on flt safety courses. Sadly, I've never seen it.
Regarding the B-52 pilot (who was the wing STANEVAL), this is also now used as a case history on Flying Supervisor courses. The guy was an arrogant idiot who felt he was above the law (as indeed his supervisory chain had allowed him to become). Even his wife had stated that her husband could 'do what he wants and nobody can stop him' to other wives.
The incident followed several years of progressively more irresponsible flying in progressively more public scenarios. On the course, I was shown another video of said pilot clearing a ridge on an Hawaian bombing range by 6 ft.
His arrogance - and the failure of his supervisory chain - is moot testement to Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. It's just a shame he took several others with him.
The C-135FR low flying video is probably just about the next most idiotic thing I've seen on video.
Regards,
MM
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Midlands
Age: 55
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's not just military pilots who have rushes of blood to the head:
TAP Airbus A310 Low Pass Turn - Portugal Airshow 2007, Evora (Uncut HD Version) - YouTube
TAP Airbus A310 Low Pass Turn - Portugal Airshow 2007, Evora (Uncut HD Version) - YouTube
Nope. That's from St Athan, post-major servicing. I believe that the Cranwell episode has never been posted on the internet.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Cape Town
Age: 70
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This story says St Athan and was the prearranged last flight of a retiring wingco.
Top Ten Low Fly Pasts - Page 6
Top Ten Low Fly Pasts - Page 6
Having seen the video of the RAFC flypast when I attended the Flying Supervisor's Course, I confirm that the lower F-4 (which appeared from behind Whittle Hall pulling and sinking) looked very close to losing it....
The noise was...significant. The final shots of some poor sods having to collect graduating officers' SD caps from the College Hall Parade Ground was rather amusing though.
I'm told that various parents wrote to the Commandant praising the 'most impressive flypast'!
Flashback to my 'crowing' days in RAFC's SBL in 1968-9. A brand new F-4M arrived across the aerodrome at warp lots, went into full AB and pulled to the vertical, disappearing upwards in a blast of noise in a series of vertical rolls....
Well, that motivated us more than somewhat!
The noise was...significant. The final shots of some poor sods having to collect graduating officers' SD caps from the College Hall Parade Ground was rather amusing though.
I'm told that various parents wrote to the Commandant praising the 'most impressive flypast'!
Flashback to my 'crowing' days in RAFC's SBL in 1968-9. A brand new F-4M arrived across the aerodrome at warp lots, went into full AB and pulled to the vertical, disappearing upwards in a blast of noise in a series of vertical rolls....
Well, that motivated us more than somewhat!
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: May 2000
Location: UK and where I'm sent!
Posts: 519
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh, yes. I remember that well. It was bl**dy close and I think it was the Jengo that caught it on film. QWIN was not happy. It was only ever refered to as "The Photograph" to keep it away from the Boss.
The ATC team used to wind everyone up by saying things on the RT like "What y'all gonna do now?" and "Can't you guys go supersonic?"
The ATC team used to wind everyone up by saying things on the RT like "What y'all gonna do now?" and "Can't you guys go supersonic?"
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Low flying limits and flight safety rules means that any authorised pilot flying within these limits should not kill either himself, his crew, or anyone on the ground. 'Any pilot' implies the newest sprog on the sqn to the oldest and most experienced.
Once old and experienced it is possibly to fly lower, faster, and outwith the rules.
Unfortunately there is no official assessment for the award of 'old and experienced' and too many pilots fail the ultimate test thus proving the adage that there are old pilots, bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots.
Once old and experienced it is possibly to fly lower, faster, and outwith the rules.
Unfortunately there is no official assessment for the award of 'old and experienced' and too many pilots fail the ultimate test thus proving the adage that there are old pilots, bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots.
Poacher turned gamepeeper
Re post #37 ... well done in later life! ;-)
Vox, Chapter 13: Expedition Benthic Orchid 2, Leaving the RAF, Carol Kitson, Project Ocean Vision and Elysium Strand. Ken Courtnage and Jeane Kitson.
Vox, Chapter 13: Expedition Benthic Orchid 2, Leaving the RAF, Carol Kitson, Project Ocean Vision and Elysium Strand. Ken Courtnage and Jeane Kitson.