Linton Closure
 

Did I hear correctly that under the latest round of cost savings in FY08 that Linton is to close and BFTS will relocate to Valley? Good or bad for those who currently instruct on the tincan at linton? Or just rumour?

I think that you may be mistaken, I'm pretty sure there is no real alternative when you consider the volume of the flying training task and its demands on runway space. Valley simply does not have the room.

Might just as well re-locate to Shawbury. Lets re-open Swinderby.

Close Linton - re-open Church Fenton!:}

And how busy is the circuit traffic at Dishforth and Topcliffe?? I suppose that move's everything closer to Leeming.

Excellent! Re-open Church Fenton! Brings back a tear to the eye ( and a headache ). Will there be a contingent from St James's at the re-opening ceremony.

lets not. Helicopters around here already piss off the locals.

you might not want to re-open Church Fenton after you've seen the state of the accomodation
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/...ad.php?t=21294

What's unusual about that, just like Lyneham:}

What the hell was that website, '28dayslater' all about?! A load of guys getting turned on by touring around old disused military bases?:8

Why move everything closer to Leeming when it's apparently winding down? Tonkas gone next year, 100 Sqn hawks 5 years MAX left.

... but then we've not officially heard the 'shock' news about Leeming yet, have we?

Wait and see...

Lets close Linton and reopen Syerston.
Anybody remember the short runway that comes in over the Foss Way or up the small cliff by the river Trent (depending on which way the wind was blowing of course.
I was the last bloke choped off the last course to go through Syerston and 2 FTS in 1969.
God I'm old.. but still alive, which I would't be if they had let me pass out of training.

The Adj

Sadly there isn't much left off Syerston, in fact even less than CF. The Os Mess is still there but sadly very derelict - last used as an Islamic School (Oh the irony). Most of the buildings on the technical side have been demolished by "parent" units. It is really strange driving onto base and round the standard one-way system when there are no buildings left.

Sadly the current, and previous, staish at Linton seems to have plans to do the same to CF. I understand that the old workshops, fire section and CofE church have all recently been demolished :{:{. So the last almost complete WWII Fighter pattern station succumbs to the RAB God and buildings built before WWII have to go so that we don't pay depreciation and cost of capital on them!! Criminal.

Call me a bluff old traditional airman but I think there are lots and lots of reasons why the Linton BFJT task can't be moved to Valley----I know, I know, good reasons never stood in the way of attempting to save money but here are some of them anyway:-

1. Insufficient runways in the Valley/Mona area to handle both the BFJT and AFT requirements safely.

2. Insufficient hangarage and repair shops at Valley.

3. Operating Area for Tucano? Not cleared for goon suit so for many months of the year limited to operating over land; this would put a lot of aircraft in a very small area of North Wales with the attendant dangers for ab-initio aircrew.

4. Large increase in the number of quarters and Mess rooms needed.

5. Should think the current civvy groundcrew at Linton will no want to move to Anglesey (ditto QFIs).

6. How does this fit in with MFTS? Presumably, the chosen bidder is assuming Linton will be the BFJT base (or have they been given the wink?).

7. Linton runway resurfaced and new single airmans block completed this year.

Possibly, the Sunday Times (who opened this particular can of worms) simply heard a training base is up for closure, put 2 & 2 together and made 5. A reasonable guess might be that one of C-Fenton, Topcliffe, Dishforth (runway only) or Syerston could be up for the chop.

Audax

Just out of curiosity, and not wanting to drag the thread off topic, but why isn't the Tucano cleared for goon suits? I've never flown it myself - is it a space limitation, a weight restriction, a "we're not issued with them" restriction or something else?

Back on thread - I don't think there is a cat in hells chance of BJFT moving from the Vale of York area. Having said that, your point 7 may be the final nail in the coffin - new accomodation. That'll be Linton handed over to the Donkey Wallopers then!

The kiss of death to many previously closed RAF airfields!

I believe it stems from a Tucano accident a while ago; the one about the prop blade leaving the aircraft during a spin. I've not read it for a while, but there was a comment about the front seat occupant's boot being damaged around the toe area. I can't remember if he was wearing an immersion suit, or if they postulated that it would have been damaged if he was.
Either way, one of the recommendations was to remove clearance to wear immersion suits until some sort of mod could be fitted. It doesn't seem to have come back, but that's presumably because they don't really fly over many large expanses of water.

Didn't one of the Tucano delivery pilots perish in the Irish Sea many years ago? I'm sure it's said he would have survived longer had he been wearing an immersion suit.

The pilot was Alan Deacon Shorts CTP and the aircraft crashed during flutter clearance trials of underwing stores. You are right he was not wearing an immersion suit.

JF

Why Syerston ??

Isn't it perfect for the task (ACCGS) ??

Where would they move the gliding task to ?

Arc

RAF Fighter Stations
 

'So the last almost complete WWII Fighter pattern station succumbs'

RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey remains a near complete WWII Fighter station, to the point of retaining a grass runway. About the only new buildings on the site are a fourth hangar on the apron and a RApier simulator dome beside the ATC tower.