Boys and girls wait for tranche 2 of cuts.... Bufhoon mentioned something along the lines of "the option for the procurement of MR4 will rely upon successful testing flights"

so if I was BWoS, i would be asking,

What happens if Boscombe tests say its unflyable?

Mad Mark

Ahh yes the future for MRA4 is all rosy post Buffhoons cuts!! NOT!!

Let me see, 21 to 18 and now down to 12?? Mmm. A typical British "Creeping Cancellation"

And how successful has its first flight been then??

Hee hee.....

:ok:

Gorilla, I was simply responding to your earlier post...

As I said, 12 Jul has come and gone and MRA4 has not (some may say 'yet') been cancelled.

And as for those in power that seriously believe that we will be able to continue the current tasks (and indeed the rumoured increased number of tasks) with half the current fleet are out to lunch big time!

Mad Mark!!! :mad:

Dear God,

Please let the MR4 fly and be a success - if only to shut The Gorilla up for good!

I hope for all your sakes it DOES!! fly and is eventually accepted into service, for I can be unbearably smug when I am proven to be right!!!

Time my friends, will tell all!!!

:ok:

Ah, but didn't the actual wording of the Review say "about 12 aircraft".......

SBG

I believe Buff said the MARITIME requirement could be met with about 12 aircraft. Therefore, if you can find another role then you could argue to keep the others. Or am I too much of an optimist.....my glass is half full.

How much is a Boeing 737-800 ERX MMA?

Unmissable, In response to your post they do have another role and they dont have enough airframes to carry out these tasks. Incidentally this includes very little of what the airframe was built to do in the first place, so how the crews are going to cope from next April is beyond me.

Still if it makes an accountants spreadsheet balance then it must be OK
:mad:

bangin0ut
We'll cope how we always cope, ignore the politicians and just get on with the job. Only, with less crews, we'll just have to spend a bit more time in the desert.

Sideshow

Thats the problem. Everyone will carry on and do a good job, as they always do. Trouble is, sooner or later something is going to have to give! Its the thing thats going to give that worries me:uhoh:

Dont know the cost of the 737 MMA (thats an MPA with more going for it.) But I do know that it will fly and it will enter service and IT is likely to be the "Only the only jet powered "MPA" in service."

With only 12 airframes actually being completed, the MRA4 will be more expensive than the Merlin. Why not ditch it and buy the 737 MMA instead. Plenty of C3s kicking about as well.

After a lot of searching and delving through MOD sites found this quote from Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup which I think sums up this governments attitude when they have to get a serving officer say what Buffoon couldn't say in his speech. .

How much work is the question which needs answering asap,if this lot have any credibility left.

Lasernigel,

I think you'll find that is a virtually word for word lift from what Hoon actually said when he was on his feet in the house making the statement on the 21st.

A good source tells me Friday is the day

Gorilla - I guess you won't need to be so smug then;)

Friday eh?? I look forwards to seeing it in the national news then!!


I wish the flight test team good luck and a safe return.


TG

:ok:

Strato

Permission to be smug sir?

SMUG!!!!!!!

:p

:ok:

A good source tells me it's today, probably around midday.

Well, did it?

Nimrod 1st Flight
 

I have it on good authority that it's in the air as I type this.

Should be down in about 60 minutes

Cheers,

Glock.

Airborne at 1533 local from Woodford.

Happy landings to the crew.

JT

What's up Gorilla ?

“….and I predict will NEVER fly, the same prediction I made a year ago.” (15th October 2002)


“I have been saying for the past 2 years on this forum and I repeat.. It HASN'T flown
and It will NEVER fly!! “ (20th February 2003)


“I said it would never fly and I stand by that prediction!!” (14th December 2003)


“I still say and have said many times on this forum, the MRA4 will never fly” (2nd February 2004)

Any response Old Chap???

But will it enter service?????????

;)

One victory at a time :-)

Of Course I have a reply!!

You don't know the test results! It may never fly again!!

Besides which if you think I am going to accept the words on a rumour network as confirmation you must think me mad!!!

I will speak further when news of its maiden flight appears in reliable news sources!!

And no it wont enter service either!! But for those who are searching my previous threads for ammo I also predicted last year that my beloved Newcastle United would win the premier league!! A prediction I again make for this season!!!!

I will remain silent for the night because I am off to drive my trains on nightshift!!

:=

Possibly not but believe me the confirmation will come. I saw the take-off myself.

It looks like you are saying that you are plain cr*p at predictions.

As far as not entering service, I fear you may be right but it actually isn't grounds for feeling smug if it comes true.
Thousands of jobs will be lost.

JT

Nimrod 1st Flight
 

Maybe the doubters think it was a Comet with a bodykit on.

Today
 

Reading on Airliners.net that the MR4 finally had its first flight today.

Looks like a comet with a bodykit
 

http://freespace.virgin.net/tilsa.ma...g/IMG_1479.jpg
Copyright Jamotcx

Tiger_mate

"Looks like a comet with a bodykit "

Careful sonny !!!!

You sound like a fast jet monkey to me, still each to his own

It has lots of friends, and I did nearly 17 years on its father and grandfather.

Mith or not, its got air under its wings at last and not before bl??dy time too.

GG

Saw it depart EGCD for Warton earlier :ok:
Engines sounds weird having been used to the existing version!

I have been told that it flew for 2 hours or so, which was more than planned as the fuel burn was far less than anticipated.

Flight crew all went down the pub soon after landing to celebrate and are probably still there now!

Good luck to all involved with the rest of the flight program.:ok:

Tiger_mate:

what's that sitting off it's right wing, a P-51??

YIP - flippin' - PEEEEEE !!!!!

nimrod mra4 first flight date
 

vader 1. PA1 (ZJ 516) got airborne yesterday (26 Aug) at 1530L from Woodford. Landed at Warton 1720L. Early indications are testing went well.:D

Trumpet Trousers

Its actually the WOS Pilatus PC-9 on its wing, additional chase aircraft included 2 Hawks, with no doubt a "journo" probably Geoff Lee in one of them.

A pal of mine who was there said it sounded very quiet, but looked pretty good, needs a paint job though.

GG

It was VERY quiet.

One go-around on arrival made little more noise that the company 146's. The Hawk was making more noise.

Large crowd turned out to welcome PA01 to Warton.

Smiles all round

Bear 555

Well done to all involved.

I hope that this provides some light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

Now just the simple job of system integration!!!

FJ

Dimmer

I hope you had a celebration Mars Bar, or were you too busy mashing the bananas for the Gorillas's humble pie:E .

Chat soon regards to all in sunny Lancs

Charlie sends
from the land of big ass spiders:uhoh: