RAF Leuchars air show, USAF no show?
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Just a thought, Outlawpete
Kinloss is easier to get to than Lossie, has a railway station, a nice long runway and, sadly, loads of ramp space and accommodation
The weather is probably better than Leuchars or PIK too
Kinloss is easier to get to than Lossie, has a railway station, a nice long runway and, sadly, loads of ramp space and accommodation
The weather is probably better than Leuchars or PIK too
SASless - he's done one of those too.....WG655 into a field post total engine failure. Unfortunately the slide swerved into a tree and the crew were lucky to get out relatively unharmed.
Re the Prestwick bird (TF956) IIRC the gear was asymmetrically deployed and stuck; ie one fixed leg down, and despite a couple of hours of pushing/pulling and head scratching the decision was made to abandon her. I think the Aircrew Manual said that it was not recommended to land on one leg due to the risk of flipping over.
Lovely aircraft.....would be a tough choice between the Spad and a Sea Fury!
Re the Prestwick bird (TF956) IIRC the gear was asymmetrically deployed and stuck; ie one fixed leg down, and despite a couple of hours of pushing/pulling and head scratching the decision was made to abandon her. I think the Aircrew Manual said that it was not recommended to land on one leg due to the risk of flipping over.
Lovely aircraft.....would be a tough choice between the Spad and a Sea Fury!
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Airshow Organisation
I organised the Waddington Airshow in the late nineties. I can see that it is more difficult these days with the shrinking of budgets and the reduction in the size of Air forces worldwide. The guys who sit behind desks for hours on end at the end of a telephone trying to persuade people to participate have my deepest sympathy - it is not easy. Also trying to achieve a balanced show is hard work, and therere is also the high rank factor, where after you have organised the display, someone one with stars on their shoulders throw you a wobbly, like 'were having some VIPs to lunch at 1pm and don't want noisy jets farting about in the circuit - so make sure the noise level is kept to a minimum'. Re-write the programme...
We have to accept that the military world is shrinking and increasingly short of the readies. No longer can we call up matey on an old Sqn to come and do a beat-up. Everything is so regimented that it is painful. Live with it and realise that the guys are doing the best they can...
We have to accept that the military world is shrinking and increasingly short of the readies. No longer can we call up matey on an old Sqn to come and do a beat-up. Everything is so regimented that it is painful. Live with it and realise that the guys are doing the best they can...
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But that's the problem. You're right in everything you say, and yet the conclusion that we simply accept things as they are seems to be the difficulty. If that attitude prevails then the remaining shows will get worse and eventually disappear completely.
Surely, the only sensible way forward is to abandon the whole show format and start afresh. Re-examine the "safety" rules that prevail and re-examine the relationship between routine/operational flying and display flying. My guess is that if there was enough will to look at things differently without any agenda, a really good event could be staged. I just fear that nothing like that will happen because nobody seems willing to think outside of the same parameters that have applied for decades.
Surely, the only sensible way forward is to abandon the whole show format and start afresh. Re-examine the "safety" rules that prevail and re-examine the relationship between routine/operational flying and display flying. My guess is that if there was enough will to look at things differently without any agenda, a really good event could be staged. I just fear that nothing like that will happen because nobody seems willing to think outside of the same parameters that have applied for decades.
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Well FJJP they certainly did their best today - it was a great show and a fitting one. Despite best efforts of weathermen predictions the sun shone.
Nice article here in the BBC site. I'm coming to terms that Prestwick would be the ideal location for a future central Scotland Airshow.
BBC News - Last RAF Leuchars Airshow takes to skies
Nice article here in the BBC site. I'm coming to terms that Prestwick would be the ideal location for a future central Scotland Airshow.
BBC News - Last RAF Leuchars Airshow takes to skies
Last edited by TomJoad; 7th Sep 2013 at 19:29.
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Yip knew that. Get 558 updates on FB. Shame though tin triangle always a crowd pleaser
Any idea what happened to the RN black cat lynx?
Or did I just miss it? Might have been while in the interactive hangar!
Any idea what happened to the RN black cat lynx?
Or did I just miss it? Might have been while in the interactive hangar!
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Originally Posted by SASless:8036008
Why would a Gear Up landing not have been a better option?
The aircraft could have probably been salvaged.
The aircraft could have probably been salvaged.
yanks and no Vulcan
The Red Arrows, down to eight, had the same show as last year because there's not a lot else they can do. The B of B flight the same though to see the Lancaster fly is to me still a great sight. You had to hand it to the civvy aerobatic teams using aircraft built for the job for their displays and also the various vintage aircraft organisations.
The non stop Tornados of various nationalities were impressive but as a show to present the Royal Air Force as a whole I felt it was disappointing.
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Originally Posted by Cubanate:8036063
Just a thought, Outlawpete
Kinloss is easier to get to than Lossie, has a railway station, a nice long runway and, sadly, loads of ramp space and accommodation The weather is probably better than Leuchars or PIK too
Kinloss is easier to get to than Lossie, has a railway station, a nice long runway and, sadly, loads of ramp space and accommodation
The weather is probably better than Leuchars or PIK tooGlad for all involved that it went well today, gutted I couldn't be there!
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Don't be too hard on yourself Outlaw - I enjoyed it for you
I think the most serious contender for an alternative site must be Prestwick. More accessible for a larger part of the population. If the RAF put on an Air Tattoo there, then the closure of RAF Leuchars could, in a very small way, actually be a blessing in disguise. We will just need to wait and see.
I think the most serious contender for an alternative site must be Prestwick. More accessible for a larger part of the population. If the RAF put on an Air Tattoo there, then the closure of RAF Leuchars could, in a very small way, actually be a blessing in disguise. We will just need to wait and see.
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Well, highlight wise, for me it was the Viggen. The Austrians did well though.
Swedish Vampire was nice too.
If I'd believed the weatherman though, I'd have stayed in my bed. If they can't even predict todays wx, what hope is there for any forecast?
Swedish Vampire was nice too.
If I'd believed the weatherman though, I'd have stayed in my bed. If they can't even predict todays wx, what hope is there for any forecast?
Originally Posted by SASless
Why would a Gear Up landing not have been a better option?
The aircraft could have probably been salvaged.
The aircraft could have probably been salvaged.
A landing would have therefore had to have been on one main leg only, which was deemed too risky - I'm pretty sure there was historic experience that supported that decision. Potential to flip on its back rings a bell.
Indeed it was, I was in the crowd that very day. A sad end to the day as it was a magnificent aircraft. One of the mains wouldn't lower. He bailed out safely and the aircraft ended up in the sea.
I also remember that, shortly after Sea King pair departed to recover the pilot from the Clyde, a BA 747 enroute to the 'states did an emergency landing. All rather exciting for a young lad. The show organisers rather wisely decided to call it a day after that after realising the airshow Gods were angry with them that day.
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Almost didn't go thanks to the weather report. Found out on Friday night this was to be the last, so decided to risk it. Glad I did. Fantastic day out, weather played ball for most of the day and they dodged the rain bullet.
I'm all for the Lossie option if it comes off. Lossie had a couple of shows back in the 70/80's and I seem to recall they were well attended.
I'm all for the Lossie option if it comes off. Lossie had a couple of shows back in the 70/80's and I seem to recall they were well attended.