North Cento Route
 

Was it so long ago?
Central Treaty Organisation, originally Bagdad Pact, something else before that-was between Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and UK. The route was the airway just south of the USSR (at the time) border, from Ankara, Elazig, Tatvan, Van, Zanjan, turn off at Rudeshur? for dirty dart into Tehran. Herc would carry on over Isfahan and Shiraz, Sharjah to Bahrain.

The route is most probably just a std airway now, but then was quite intersting in an Argosy. I recollect that Elazig was the only VOR, the NDBs had a very short range and the Russians meaconed with some. The performance? of the Argosy led to an intimate knowledge of the mountains. Climbing out of Teheran in the summer, trying to get above the inversion was by extravagent use of water meth and more than often, emergency power.

Brain P
Happy New Year you dreadful splitter - hope the hosties strike doesn't cause you new boys too much grief. Rubbish....

MGD
You really need to get over yourself. Seriously.

Tarbaby

Thanks for that, have heard from the (very!) old & bold that Tehran was a good nightstop! Chance would be a fine thing these days...

Always nice to hear about some of the old days....Though I could forego the Changi slip stories!

TVM.

You know you're an Ascoteer when you need to order a the 48 page passport, not the standard one...

You know you're an Ascoteer when you can sweet talk customs into accepting the customs dec at face value. Best example I ever saw was a VC10 Nav who was a keen gardener. He bought a rotovator in IAD and (quite accurately) declared it as an orthopaedic spade.

Well done that man!

Something which our Nav Rad on Vulcans should have tried when he brought back a sit-on lawn mower in the bomb bay pannier...

When we got back to Sunny Scampton, Farquar-the-revenue charged him not only the duty, but also 'car tax' as it was a 'vehicle'.....

Fortunately he challenged the car tax issue and it was later repaid.

You know you're an Ascoteer when it feels strange to be at home for a complete weekend.

You know you're a truckie when....

Crossing Dupont circle to meet the crew in a bar you have to fob off a nightfighter with the old "Sorry ma'am, I've only got twenty dollars" line.

But you know you're an Ascoteer when...

Much later and rather heavily refreshed, you are walking the female ALM back to the hotel when the same business-lady spots you shouts - "Hey, didn't I say that twenty bucks wouldn't buy ya much"

Ah The Dupont Circle. Do "we" still use the Dupont Plaza hotel and is "Rumours" Bar still going strong?

When the alternative is Goose Bay...

Anyhoo, one night in Gander is great - best damn chicken wings in the world - , two nights is a nightmare; there's only so long/much one can spend in Canadian Tire.

I remember the ALM on 10 who moaned about doing day trips because he had to kiss the wife twice!
How can one forget the O dark hundred departure to get to AKR before it shut for the day, and the chaos of a delay out Masirah that meant you couldn't get through AKR before it shut for the weekend! Who remembers the door in the bar marked "tv room" in the mess at Masirah that when opened put you outside. My wife still reminds me of being rung at work by the squadron to enquire why I was not at work, and her reasonably polite response that they had called me out, and she would like to know where I was!
Does this make me a sad old ex Ascotteer?
Happy Days

You know that you are an 'Ascoteer' when your posts look as if a mover has composed them.

You know that you are an 'Ascoteer' when you failed at least one thing in training-probably more.

You know that you are an 'Ascoteer' when you think airline flying "might be a laugh"

reflections??
 

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...eflections.jpg

Methinks Reflections has closed its doors awhile, if it this one. And anyway the tables were not that posh. Just the doilies over the sugar and milk... sorry cream...

Why is it young upstarts like minigund**khead and Moe S**tlak think all Ascoteers have failed at something, most of us have just got too old and bold to do other things, we've been there done that and broke a few bits of our bodies along the way. Maybe when you grow up you'll learn a few things about the real world, before putting both feet in your mouth and showing your depth of knowledge. :p

You know your an Ascoteer when the Eng Ldr rings your wife to say husband has not made it back to Lyneham and asks her if she knew where I was!

And yes she did know.

( I was outside block 101 on my second Keo. Another leaky prop on yet another long Jural)

Too old and bold? Your 2 years older than me mate.

Been there done that? Nimrods and Tristars? Yeah mate, youve been punching above your weight for a long time Freakshow Bob!

Quote - Minigun:

'Been there done that? Nimrods and Tristars? Yeah mate, youve been punching above your weight for a long time Freakshow Bob!'

Please don't dis-respect the work of the truckie fleets - Nimrod and Hercules crews have all died in combat within the last two years. Just because it's not fast and pointy doesn't mean we're not there getting shot at.:cool:


You know you're an Ascoteer when the undercarriage 'up' selection puts you to sleep.:p

Chill out minigundiplomat!!!
 

:)minigundiplomat dude you want to chill out man and start sharing the love. You're obviously much better than us Ascoteer types, thats fine I've got no problem with that, but stop going on about it man. Peace out brother:ok:

I take it when your cab goes t*ts or you are running late then you are out with your pax offering around tea and sandwiches??

You know when you are a real Ascoteer when:
-you can have a weekend away with the missus on loyalty points
-you've had two new sets of wheels on your samsonite

More about being an Ascoteer
 

You knew:) you were an Ascoteer:

when the Alexandria (not Egypt) Holiday Inn accepted a booking for Sunday (almost every) brunch in the name of Capt Charles Ascot.

when the wife wore a tee-shirt with the words 'Ascoteer's wife - hardest job in the RAF'.

when you were handed a cold tinnie on landing after a 26 hour flight.

when you saw two sunrises and a sunset during the same flight.

Happy days, and do you know - nobody grumbled!

Remind me please, when (what year) was ASCOT officially adopted as an RAF callsign?

Ha Ha.

PikeyEng, will endeavour to stop winding you lot up and share the love dude.
(How do you get a surfboard onto the flight deck)

You know you're an Ascoteer when you can order breakfast in any American hotel without being asked ANY questions!

Things to watch out for:

"Are you ready to order?"
"Is that regular orange juice?"
"Will that be all?"

So, a deep breath and then:

"Hello, I'm all ready to order. 2 eggs over medium, Canadian bacon, home fries, rye toast with regular butter, regular OJ, regular coffee, please. That's all - and separate cheques please. Thanks!"

So simple, you would think. But it takes an Ascoteer many trips to the US to develop the practical R to I skills needed to cope with American waitresses!

Although the 'Loadmaster alternative' is to blag the free coffee whilst waiting for wheels - and then stuff your face with in-flight rations at the aircraft whilst the front end are planning.....

ASCOT Callsigns were formed as an acronym of Air Support Command (ASC) and Operational and Training (OT) to manage the big AT Fleet that meandered its way to service the pink map in the late 60s and early 70s. Alas the pink world started shrinking in mid 70s but the legacy has lived on.

ASC was formed on 1 Aug 1967 to absorb the then Transport Command and certain elements of other ac that could be deployed overseas in a tactical air power effort.

The call-sign was the brain-wave of a corporal in HQ ASC at Upavon where they controlled the many different types of AT ac. He probably received £25 for this 'invention' but the copyright would have fetched him millions.

You know when you are an Ascoteer when:

You have done most of the above mentioned things, moved across to the other fleet, had a bloody good time but look forward to going back and doing it all again one day...soon...please....

From one who has experienced both sides of the fence (AT & SH), each has its own merits and downfalls. Same team fellas, same team.:E

On a lighter note:

A. Walked all the way back to Block 101 from Limassol
B. Been caught stealing the Stars and Stripes flag and held at gunpoint
c. Experimented with OM15 in the Co's coffee (allegedly)

You know you're an Ascoteer when you receive at least one phoncall per week that starts with' "So. What do you think you're doing this weekend?"

PS - Is it just me or do the kids in Gander have remarkable likenesses to GE's these days?:8

Or when you have left the stars and stripes on the ground and made off with the golden arches mcdonalds flag that was flying above it !:ok:

.....to present to one's navigator!

Or, as has happened with my missus and I:
"Your husband has been delayed and won't be back at Lyneham until tomorrow"
"That's odd, he walked through the door an hour ago"

...and an almost infinite number of variations thereof...

Its been a while, thread now locked. We had a few jealous contributors that thread as well.

Ascoteers Multiple Choice

Oh BEagle

Did you want regular OJ with or without pulp and what about that coffee? with or without cream, low fat milk or sugar?

Clearly you need a re-famil on American breakfasts!;)

You know your a real and current Ascoteer when you think just WHAT is Beagle on about..............:rolleyes:

You know your on SH when:

A. You dont own a Samsonite
B. Hotels are things of dreams
C. You would consider re-mustering to Air Eng to get to the truckie fleet (if it was possible)
D. All of the above.

Had enough of SH and need a change, anyone fancy swapping, dont all rush at once! :) please please please

When you've watched a loadey patiently sort through EVERY lumpy box, removing the chocolate & when he finally looks up & spies you watching him simply says,"for my nipper".

WOPTB & BEagle,

Is one to assume that you two dont like Air Loadmasters much or are they just convenient targets for you really great bloke types?

Having read most of Beag's post's and realised what a real Cabin Crew chum he was I wish I had a quid for every time his cup was rimmed or special sauce was added to his food............I'd be worth a bloody fortune :ok:

Do grow up.....

...and go and sit in the back.




.

Beagle,

you will be very disappointed to know that the modern day WSOP Cmn (AKA...ALM) divides his time between freight bay and flight deck because times have changed, its called progress. However, some things will never change and that includes the ancient art of 'rimming'. It doesn't happen often, its normally reserved for those special characters...you know the type!!

GM

Ahhh BEagle, an unexpectedly speedy resort to the ultimate put down!

One lump or two?

Wortypops, play nice now, and don't let the nasty man upset you. Not at your time of life anyway.

You know you're an Ascoteer when you can enter a gentle conversation, throw in a one-liner, and walk away leaving an raging argument :)

methinks there are several "true" Ascoteers about :)