Scampton And Linton-on-Ouse Closure
DIO ‘own’ everything so they take over keys etc possibly also sub-contacting care and maintenance if awaiting disposal of site. Every closedown is a ‘project’ and has to be funded and managed like any other DIO business.
Here's an interesting snippet picked up off FaceAche...
A mixture of poor weather forecasted for RAF Waddington and the ongoing need to maintain operations by other fleets at the station means there is no longer sufficient time to conduct a planned trial of the Red Arrows operating from the base.
The activity is now postponed to 2021.
So, what we have is a firm decision to move RAFAT to Waddo
Then we get a "trial" of said move to see if it works,
followed by a cancellation of said trial due in part to what is going on at Waddington with other operations.
Wasn't this sort of flustercluck predicted on here a few years ago?
A mixture of poor weather forecasted for RAF Waddington and the ongoing need to maintain operations by other fleets at the station means there is no longer sufficient time to conduct a planned trial of the Red Arrows operating from the base.
The activity is now postponed to 2021.
So, what we have is a firm decision to move RAFAT to Waddo
Then we get a "trial" of said move to see if it works,
followed by a cancellation of said trial due in part to what is going on at Waddington with other operations.
Wasn't this sort of flustercluck predicted on here a few years ago?
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A mixture of poor weather forecasted for RAF Waddington and the ongoing need to maintain operations by other fleets at the station means there is no longer sufficient time to conduct a planned trial of the Red Arrows operating from the base.
The activity is now postponed to 2021.
The activity is now postponed to 2021.
Recommendation: Waddington is unfit for RAFAT Operations due to poor weather factor and incompatibility with Front Line Operations.
Further Recommendation: RAFAT to continue operations from RAF Scampton until the Out of Service of the Hawk T1. Then further decision to be made!
Here's a radical thought: Why not keep Scampton open, and co-locate the BBMF there too? It could become the RAFs display team 'centre of excellence,' with the advantage of being based on an historic airfield (not saying that Coningsby isn't, btw,) The costs could be offset by expanding the Scampton Memorial Collection (?) to encompass the set up currently at Coningsby and encouraging people to visit THE one and only RAF Display Team station. Damn it, they could even house the BBMF in the original 617 hangar! Spotters/enthusiasts/historians et al could have the best of both worlds, and I would suggest that Scampton is better placed, geographically and transport-wise, for the majority of people to visit.
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Trumpet, Why would you think that the Air Board would do something so sensible.
It would of course mean that the BBMF Fighter Pilots would have to travel to Scampton. Oh dear!!
It would also enable HHA to continue operations both commercial and display. They even have a few interesting aircraft from the Cold War that the public may be interested in.
It would of course mean that the BBMF Fighter Pilots would have to travel to Scampton. Oh dear!!
It would also enable HHA to continue operations both commercial and display. They even have a few interesting aircraft from the Cold War that the public may be interested in.
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I live fairly close to Waddington (2 miles).It does not seem that busy to me, a Sentry got airbourne yesterday (a rare treat) plus the usual R1s . Hard to see how the Reds could not fit in!
Here's a radical thought: Why not keep Scampton open, and co-locate the BBMF there too? It could become the RAFs display team 'centre of excellence,' with the advantage of being based on an historic airfield (not saying that Coningsby isn't, btw,) The costs could be offset by expanding the Scampton Memorial Collection (?) to encompass the set up currently at Coningsby and encouraging people to visit THE one and only RAF Display Team station. Damn it, they could even house the BBMF in the original 617 hangar! Spotters/enthusiasts/historians et al could have the best of both worlds, and I would suggest that Scampton is better placed, geographically and transport-wise, for the majority of people to visit.
or just move to Leeming for a fraction of the cost.....
Trumpet, Why would you think that the Air Board would do something so sensible.
It would of course mean that the BBMF Fighter Pilots would have to travel to Scampton. Oh dear!!
It would also enable HHA to continue operations both commercial and display. They even have a few interesting aircraft from the Cold War that the public may be interested in.
It would of course mean that the BBMF Fighter Pilots would have to travel to Scampton. Oh dear!!
It would also enable HHA to continue operations both commercial and display. They even have a few interesting aircraft from the Cold War that the public may be interested in.
All far too sensible though.
UK doesn't do sensible or logical.
I reiterate, we tried this lunacy at Cranwell in 1996 - 2000. It didn't work then, it won't work now.
Ascoteer
I know what you’re saying about how the Reds will be very disruptive and I sympathise with any collocated operators.
I think you do the team a disservice though by saying they demand a sanitised airfield. It is the nature of their flying task that demands it.
I know everyone likes to believe that they are all a bunch of jumped up prima donnas. Whilst that may once have been true (I don’t know, I wasn’t there) it cannot be said to be the case nowadays.
For them to do a 9 ship take off, display and recovery it is safety that demands a sanitised airfield, not ego.
As for the Waddington debate I guess there isn’t one. The plan is to move them to there and no amount of gnashing of teeth on here will change that.
We all know it may be beset with problems and the decision may yet get reversed or they may end up moving again in the near future but it won’t be because of anything we say!
BV
I think you do the team a disservice though by saying they demand a sanitised airfield. It is the nature of their flying task that demands it.
I know everyone likes to believe that they are all a bunch of jumped up prima donnas. Whilst that may once have been true (I don’t know, I wasn’t there) it cannot be said to be the case nowadays.
For them to do a 9 ship take off, display and recovery it is safety that demands a sanitised airfield, not ego.
As for the Waddington debate I guess there isn’t one. The plan is to move them to there and no amount of gnashing of teeth on here will change that.
We all know it may be beset with problems and the decision may yet get reversed or they may end up moving again in the near future but it won’t be because of anything we say!
BV
Of course when the Reds do move up the road, life at Waddington will be quieter. The Sentinel will be gone and if the rumours are true about the Wedgetail then maybe even less movements!
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Times change
It would appear some posters are basing their knowledge on events from 30 years ago.
Does anyone here know if RAFAT have indicated that the requirement highlighted is likely to still be extant?
Is it possible that some people let a bee buzz around their bonnet for years and can never actually accept that things change or that in fact their judgment may have been clouded by a potentially inaccurate preconception?
BV
Does anyone here know if RAFAT have indicated that the requirement highlighted is likely to still be extant?
Is it possible that some people let a bee buzz around their bonnet for years and can never actually accept that things change or that in fact their judgment may have been clouded by a potentially inaccurate preconception?
BV
It would appear some posters are basing their knowledge on events from 30 years ago.
Does anyone here know if RAFAT have indicated that the requirement highlighted is likely to still be extant?
Is it possible that some people let a bee buzz around their bonnet for years and can never actually accept that things change or that in fact their judgment may have been clouded by a potentially inaccurate preconception?
BV
Does anyone here know if RAFAT have indicated that the requirement highlighted is likely to still be extant?
Is it possible that some people let a bee buzz around their bonnet for years and can never actually accept that things change or that in fact their judgment may have been clouded by a potentially inaccurate preconception?
BV
Wonderful memories of Linton in '67:
Fire extinguisher fights in the accommodation blocks
Illicit rifle range in the basement
Brake fade in the Ford Popular requiring the use of airbrakes (rearward opening doors) to slow down
Night flying with gosseneck flarepath
Smell of cordite on start-up (second best smell in the world!)
Bouncing another Chippy over Pilmoor Junction only to find it was the Staish doing a spin/aeros check with the CFI - OOPS!!
Winning the aeros trophy without a fly-off a few days later
Green Dragon (?) at Marton cum Grafton
Final landing in a Chiippy - "OK Mogwi, show me a short landing". Approached at 45 kts, hanging on the prop and chopped the power as I crossed the threshold - then realised that I was about 4' too high! Obvious remedial action was to shout "Oh sh1t!" as the aircraft dropped rapidly onto the piano keys with a bone-crunching thump before kangarooing back into the air. My application of brake during this brief period of ballistic flight resulted in such retardation on the subsequent touchdown that the tail came well and truly off the deck before crunching back down again.
I was able to taxy directly off onto the peri-track without back-tracking and the first comment from the CFI came as we were approaching dispersal. He merely said "Well Mogwi, that was certainly the shortest landing I have ever seen in the Chipmunk"
Heady days!
Mog
Fire extinguisher fights in the accommodation blocks
Illicit rifle range in the basement
Brake fade in the Ford Popular requiring the use of airbrakes (rearward opening doors) to slow down
Night flying with gosseneck flarepath
Smell of cordite on start-up (second best smell in the world!)
Bouncing another Chippy over Pilmoor Junction only to find it was the Staish doing a spin/aeros check with the CFI - OOPS!!
Winning the aeros trophy without a fly-off a few days later
Green Dragon (?) at Marton cum Grafton
Final landing in a Chiippy - "OK Mogwi, show me a short landing". Approached at 45 kts, hanging on the prop and chopped the power as I crossed the threshold - then realised that I was about 4' too high! Obvious remedial action was to shout "Oh sh1t!" as the aircraft dropped rapidly onto the piano keys with a bone-crunching thump before kangarooing back into the air. My application of brake during this brief period of ballistic flight resulted in such retardation on the subsequent touchdown that the tail came well and truly off the deck before crunching back down again.
I was able to taxy directly off onto the peri-track without back-tracking and the first comment from the CFI came as we were approaching dispersal. He merely said "Well Mogwi, that was certainly the shortest landing I have ever seen in the Chipmunk"
Heady days!
Mog
Last edited by Mogwi; 12th Dec 2020 at 07:38.