Vulcan Pilot redeployment
Avoid imitations
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He wasn't at all impressed when not one officer at Odiham passed the C exam under his stewardship. We were subsequently all commanded to attend evening classes in Defence Studies. More than a bit pointless in my case as I hadn't even registered to do the exam at that stage and had no intention of ever doing so.
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And we were exact contemporaries, same college, same university. Teeters is very aware of the difference in career achievement between self and the late lamented Tim.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
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Well I went to CFS at the end of '80, and spent the rest of my time instructing on puddlejumpers until 2012. Medics got me in the end, but I was well into my 7th logbook by then.
R
R
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Vulcan to RAFAT to Vulcan
What happened to the majority of Vulcan pilots on retirement of the aircraft from service? Could they go back and train for aircraft such as Buccaneer, Tornado etc?
I ask because Ive been told by a friend that his relative was a Vulcan pilot and eventually flew with the red arrows. Im interested to know how that would have been achieved.
I ask because Ive been told by a friend that his relative was a Vulcan pilot and eventually flew with the red arrows. Im interested to know how that would have been achieved.
That seems to be me. Back in the day it was uncommon but not unheard of for Vulcan pilots (Captain or co) to move to FJ. Either directly via a FJ Crossover or, like me, via a CFS JP tour and FJ crossover (bit of Valley then TWU). All were posted to an aircraft even before starting the FJ crossover. Mostly to two seat (F-4 or Bucc). But occasionally single seat - mostly Jag and an occasional Harrier. I was posted Harrier. To be honest, it was a bit hard, so even though I completed the OCU I asked the Air Force to let me go to Tornado (brand new at the time) and they did. Eventually I ended up as Wg Cdr RAFAT (the only pilot I know of who went from ME to fly with the team was the late Bob Eccles). In the end I found myself flying XH558 of course. Funny old world!
Dont forget Des Sheen, ex Vulcans .
I was visiting (socially) a friend stationed at RAF Church Fenton in the early 80's, then the home of 7 FTS, a Jet Provost T3/T5 equipped basic Flying Training School. He was a bit distracted when I arrived as they had just heard that a JP had gone in with fatal results for the pilot, whom he described as "one of the Vulcan cross-over lot." From that I gather that there were specific slots on the Basic FTS's for some of these folk as the Vulcan was being withdrawn, as the Refresher Flying School at Manby that would have done this sort of thing in my day had wound up with the closure of Manby and moved as a much smaller outfit to Leeming.
pr00ne, that was XW417, a T5A which crashed on 9 Dec 1982.
The pilot was on a 'Co-pilot Enrichment Scheme' at 7 FTS. The course was designed to allow co-pilots to gain further first pilot experience in different scenarios to those that they had become used to, prior to moving on to different types.
The Court of Inquiry reached the conclusion that having aborted from low level due to low cloud obscuring the ground ahead, the pilot had lost control of the aircraft and was unable to regain control or eject before it crashed.
The pilot was on a 'Co-pilot Enrichment Scheme' at 7 FTS. The course was designed to allow co-pilots to gain further first pilot experience in different scenarios to those that they had become used to, prior to moving on to different types.
The Court of Inquiry reached the conclusion that having aborted from low level due to low cloud obscuring the ground ahead, the pilot had lost control of the aircraft and was unable to regain control or eject before it crashed.
From my recollection of sitting across the desk from the junior officer Nav FJ posters in 1982/83, I'd agree that the Vulcan force was the primary source for finding Navs for the expanding Tornado squadrons. Next came such Canberras as were left, with crossovers usually coming from 6 FTS Instructors with a suitable recommendation.