Helicopters mothballed without seeing any service.
The Gazelles aren't due to be withdrawn from service until March 2024, although the draw down of the remaining few will start before then. The storage of the new H135s may therefore only be temporary, measured in months rather than years.
And given the delays to UK Mil Pilot training, well documented in another thread on here, perhaps they don't yet have the aircrew to fly them?
And given the delays to UK Mil Pilot training, well documented in another thread on here, perhaps they don't yet have the aircrew to fly them?
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I still think new build Gazelle’s would be a good seller, small, light, uncomplicated and can fit four. Longevity is already proven, I wonder how many 135’s will last the course.
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Whenever the 'Royal' S76 is in use and a personage needs an extra helicopter it's usually a '135 that the operator chooses.
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Also the Gazelles in AAC service had much more basic equipment compared to RAF/RN examples in order to be maintained in the field.
Last edited by chevvron; 9th Feb 2023 at 01:53.
Gazelles are 'old' tech; they entered service with the AAC in '77/'78; the latest equivalent offering from Eurocopter/AB is the EC120 (H120?) although even this is no longer produced.
Also the Gazelles in AAC service had much more basic equipment compared to RAF/RN examples in order to be maintained in the field.
Also the Gazelles in AAC service had much more basic equipment compared to RAF/RN examples in order to be maintained in the field.
GSA,
I assume he's talking about the lack of SAS and Stick Trim on AAC 'Floppies'…..in terms of mission equipment, given that the AAC aircraft had a proper mission rather than just training and communications, I don't doubt they were more comprehensively equipped in other areas.
I assume he's talking about the lack of SAS and Stick Trim on AAC 'Floppies'…..in terms of mission equipment, given that the AAC aircraft had a proper mission rather than just training and communications, I don't doubt they were more comprehensively equipped in other areas.
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if those flights were out of BBK, then I may well have enjoyed? the trip in the back too.
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Gazelles are 'old' tech; they entered service with the AAC in '77/'78; the latest equivalent offering from Eurocopter/AB is the EC120 (H120?) although even this is no longer produced.
Also the Gazelles in AAC service had much more basic equipment compared to RAF/RN examples in order to be maintained in the field.
Also the Gazelles in AAC service had much more basic equipment compared to RAF/RN examples in order to be maintained in the field.
I am still a big fan of steam driven guages BTW and I work on both, A steam driven guage when it goes wrong can be changed or ignored until a replacement comes in, a built in a box with all singing all dancing graphics for everything will need to be pulled out for repair, thus all those intruments that were working on the box are gone as well, and the aircraft is grounded.
I also think there would be a civilian market for them.
BTW, if you want a modernised instrument panel, roomy, seats 5, in an low height, easy access and airy cockpit.
https://www.aviatorsmarket.com/detai...ed-states/6853
I'm just surprised MOD appears to have acquired a fleet of 5 aircraft in under a decade. Surely that's what we should be celebrating?
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I seem to recall a massive collective lever compared to that one; was that just for the RAF ones then with Navy and AAC (and RM) ones being equipped with the smaller version.?
Seat on the left got a smaller one than the seat on the right, making access easier. We got a few toys of our own on that side when they fitted GOA & LWNA, but the rather cumbersome moving map display with its collection of map tiles tended to stay in Flight Stores along with the snowshoes.
Last edited by diginagain; 9th Feb 2023 at 18:18.
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Chatting to 656 Sqdn at Farnborough (previously 664 Sqdn) before their enforced move to Netheravon, they told me that with a Scout, you could get squaddies leaping in and out all day with no problem whereas with a Gazelle, it was too easy to put your foot through the floor doing that.
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I wonder how many Scouts would have lasted that long had they not been replaced by the Lynx.
Chatting to 656 Sqdn at Farnborough (previously 664 Sqdn) before their enforced move to Netheravon, they told me that with a Scout, you could get squaddies leaping in and out all day with no problem whereas with a Gazelle, it was too easy to put your foot through the floor doing that.
Chatting to 656 Sqdn at Farnborough (previously 664 Sqdn) before their enforced move to Netheravon, they told me that with a Scout, you could get squaddies leaping in and out all day with no problem whereas with a Gazelle, it was too easy to put your foot through the floor doing that.