RAF Antonov charter
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Now of course the situation is the same. Operations get our own assets for the reasons stated previously and exercises get what is available or civair.
Last edited by Pontius Navigator; 5th Sep 2012 at 16:23.
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Current RAF comms flight
The Comms flight capability for the RAF is now provided by the RAFFCA clubs with some senior officers preferring to use flying club aircraft rather than enduring long road journeys.
Not just senior officers. Quite a few of my guys at HQ 11 and HQ 1 Gp used to claim the equivalent road milage to go to statins by piloting themselves. A good scheme all round, I think.
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Thank god for the Antonov!
Relying on AT is just no way to do business.
We spent three weeks in Kenya waiting for 7 failed attempts to get a C17 and our Lynx out to Nairobi.
In the end we cancelled the aviation support to the exercise and went home.
Low priority, I get it. Four out of the five times the aircraft were taken off the C17 to re-role for priority kit for Afghanistan.
Antonov, there every time, on time.
The frustration comes when dealing with the bean counters.....they don't commit to Antonov because "it costs too much" and then when things fall over/exercises and pre deployment training fails.....it's costs a lot more in training lost and manpower wasted!
Plus.....Antonov operators know exactly how many Lynx they can fit on their aircraft. The same cannot be said for Brize......
"you know those 4 Lynx you had booked for the last 7 weeks to fly to Nairobi tomorrow"
"yes"
"we have made a mistake, we can only fit three on, and half your freight"
"ooohhh k"
"so can you let us know now what is absolutely essential to compete your exercise!"
Not very helpful for pre-deployment training 7 weeks prior to going to Afghanistan.
Just book the Antonov and stop pretending we can do everything!
Relying on AT is just no way to do business.
We spent three weeks in Kenya waiting for 7 failed attempts to get a C17 and our Lynx out to Nairobi.
In the end we cancelled the aviation support to the exercise and went home.
Low priority, I get it. Four out of the five times the aircraft were taken off the C17 to re-role for priority kit for Afghanistan.
Antonov, there every time, on time.
The frustration comes when dealing with the bean counters.....they don't commit to Antonov because "it costs too much" and then when things fall over/exercises and pre deployment training fails.....it's costs a lot more in training lost and manpower wasted!
Plus.....Antonov operators know exactly how many Lynx they can fit on their aircraft. The same cannot be said for Brize......
"you know those 4 Lynx you had booked for the last 7 weeks to fly to Nairobi tomorrow"
"yes"
"we have made a mistake, we can only fit three on, and half your freight"
"ooohhh k"
"so can you let us know now what is absolutely essential to compete your exercise!"
Not very helpful for pre-deployment training 7 weeks prior to going to Afghanistan.
Just book the Antonov and stop pretending we can do everything!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Looking at their website they mention Belslow but not Antonov. I thought the Antonov was only leased.
I know at one point when they were getting new aircraft that the existing crews were looking forward to converting to them. Heavylift didn't work like the RAF. New aircraft - new crews. Why convert old aircrew and then have to recruit new aircrew to replace them on the old aircraft.
I know at one point when they were getting new aircraft that the existing crews were looking forward to converting to them. Heavylift didn't work like the RAF. New aircraft - new crews. Why convert old aircrew and then have to recruit new aircrew to replace them on the old aircraft.
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apparently not
or at least its not listed at
HeavyLift International Airlines | Our Fleet
or
HeavyLift Cargo Airlines
the first just shows DC8s
the second Belfasts & 727s
or at least its not listed at
HeavyLift International Airlines | Our Fleet
or
HeavyLift Cargo Airlines
the first just shows DC8s
the second Belfasts & 727s
Not just senior officers. Quite a few of my guys at HQ 11 and HQ 1 Gp used to claim the equivalent road milage to go to stations by piloting themselves. A good scheme all round, I think
On another occasion, I was 'asked' whether I wouldn't mind 'offering' to fly a couple of senior officers up to Newcastle, stay overnight and bring them back on Sunday..... I now know that this was pretty close to 'illegal public transport', if not actually so.
Anyway, after convincing them that Acklington was, in fact, no longer open and was now an open cast coal mine, 3 of us in the mighty PA28, plus their baggage set off on the first leg to Gamston as I couldn't (legally) put in enough fuel to get all the way to Woolsington. All went fine; I landed, paid for the fuel and landing fee and prepared for the next leg.
Except that the little bugger wouldn't start. Even the folk from Gamston couldn't get it going.... Fortunately the Gp Capt and Wg Cdr were very good about it and grabbed a taxi to the nearest railway station to carry on their journey. I was stuck with the u/s puddlejumper, so spoke to the maintenance people who said that they would check it out, but couldn't release the aircraft until they'd checked with our maintenance people the following day. An expensive night in an hotel in Retford and then off I went the next day with a new impulse magneto. Miserable weather on the way home and Brize ATC made me orbit at 400 ft in rain and mist whilst some TriShaw lumbered its way in from 30 miles away.....
I Learned About Flying From That!
And there I was thinking the old milage allowance for flying was a good deal. I was going to say that it was a bit of a bunce towards paying for the trip whilst the pilot got some help towards his hours. Didn't work out on that occassion. Bad luck, I guess. Still, better than an Astra.
Courtney
Courtney
An Astra? We dreamt about Astras! (or we would have if they had been around then).
Was once "volunteered" with one of our squadron co-pilots to drive the squadron mini van from Marham to Leuchars for a tanker deployment. What at first seemed like a jolly wheeze rapidly lost its appeal as we flogged endlessly up the A1 at around 50mph in an 850cc unsoundproofed tin can.
45 minutes transit in a Victor seemed a much better prospect - if somewhat heavier on the fuel.
Was once "volunteered" with one of our squadron co-pilots to drive the squadron mini van from Marham to Leuchars for a tanker deployment. What at first seemed like a jolly wheeze rapidly lost its appeal as we flogged endlessly up the A1 at around 50mph in an 850cc unsoundproofed tin can.
45 minutes transit in a Victor seemed a much better prospect - if somewhat heavier on the fuel.
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Heavylift per se do not exist anymore....
Antonov Operators
Antonov Company (Antonov Design Bureau)
Volga Dnepr
Polet
Maximus
Libyan Arab Air Cargo
And the Russian Air Force occasionally on charters.
The upgraded ones are now capable of carrying 150,000kgs
PS If you want to charter one I can get you a good deal
Antonov Operators
Antonov Company (Antonov Design Bureau)
Volga Dnepr
Polet
Maximus
Libyan Arab Air Cargo
And the Russian Air Force occasionally on charters.
The upgraded ones are now capable of carrying 150,000kgs
PS If you want to charter one I can get you a good deal
Last edited by VP8; 6th Sep 2012 at 21:48.
Courtney,
The Heavylift in existence now is not the Heavylift we knew. It went out of business some years ago after the joint stock partners, VDA dissolved the partnership and took all the Antonovs and IL76s just leaving the ageing and getting harder and more expensive to maintain Belslows.
Didn't last long after that.
Doc C
The Heavylift in existence now is not the Heavylift we knew. It went out of business some years ago after the joint stock partners, VDA dissolved the partnership and took all the Antonovs and IL76s just leaving the ageing and getting harder and more expensive to maintain Belslows.
Didn't last long after that.
Doc C
Last edited by Doctor Cruces; 8th Sep 2012 at 07:42.
The Comms flight capability for the RAF is now provided by the RAFFCA clubs with some senior officers preferring to use flying club aircraft
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Nothing to do with Brize the week before you fly. Someone at the unit involved would have bid for aircraft space 3 months out, they would have been given an answer 2 months out e.g 'you can only have 1 aircraft instead of the 2 you require'. 7 weeks later you turn up at Brize expecting 2 and they are not available.Every unit who bids for space on an aircraft will know what they have been given long before. The only exception would be frames taken away due to 'Ops and servicability issues'. Been there, seen it, done it, gone to charter.
Last edited by Nomorefreetime; 8th Sep 2012 at 12:32.
