Base and Communications Flight, things of the past?
Taking an aircraft for the weekend was once possible in the RAF provided that there was a reasonable excuse
And Hawks from Valley used to do weekend stops not that long ago...I was lucky enough to get to Yeovilton and Odiham in my brief time on 4 FTS. Just a shame about the single-engine restrictions at Northolt...
As a young ATC cadet I used to fly to Jersey and back every Friday during school holidays in the fifties. My father was they only pilot in an Air Ministry department that was full of navigators. In those days aircrew had to do so many hours a year to qualify for flying pay and to this end there was an Anson available at Northolt.
I bought my first ever shaver, a twin headed Philips, from there without having to pay purchase tax.
I bought my first ever shaver, a twin headed Philips, from there without having to pay purchase tax.
Back in the 70's, there was always a pre-Christmas training flight from Lynham to Goose Bay in order bring out wives and family and repat the rest to UK. There was another "trainer" post New Year, in order to return everyone whence they came. There was also the Dulles school holiday runs.
Last edited by The Oberon; 30th May 2013 at 17:56.
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Once, as a lad in the fifties, I got bored in the summer holls so got on my bike and cycled up to Kenley in CCF/RAF uniform. Cut story short, got to fly to Farnborough in the stn flt Oxford. Don't remember pilot's name/rank or anything but he had to go to a meeting that lasted till mid afternoon. A guy in the black sheds saw me wandering around and took me all over also into the tower and to the wind tunnels. Only just made it back to the ac before the pilot arrived. Is it any wonder that I made aviation my career. What a pity it couldn't happen today!
