Fighter Pilot BBC 1981 (merged again)
 

I imagine this has been asked before, but damned if I can find it on the search thingy. Has anyone got a copy of the series on DVD that I could get a copy of. Happy to pay etc. Please PM me if so. I know Robbie Low had it on vid but that was a long time ago.

Thanks

Maxibon

Not quite a DVD, but this guy has a few interesting clips on YouTube.

Glad I never had any instructors like that!:eek:



YouTube - FIGHTER PILOT Landing Instruction - TV Series 1981

What were the instructors final words? "Don't be tense":)

Unfortunately I DID have instruction like that on the JP......

Me too, which probably facilitated my exodus to the back seat.

If you click on the link of the Youtube Poster it will take you to his web page where you can order a copy of the series. Mine cost about seven quid. Failing that, feel free to Pm me and I'll see if I can do a copy from mine. Very nostalgic. By the way, watching the series I noticed there was no form of Bulldog/Chipmunk training given. Other than UAS Studes, did you train from scratch on the JP at that time. I know of the FSS at Swinderby but assume that was formed later.

Regards

Woody

My experience was similar, and it once included included a thump for forgetting a FOEL check on one of my first trips!

Woody - I joined and went straight onto the JP5 without any previous experience other than gliding. Some learning curve!!!!

I watched the you tube bit and smiled at my memories of BFT, yes it was tough and at times the instructors where less than fluffy but it carried me through. When i also became an instructor I remember my boss having a quiet word with me to say to be a bit easier on a slightly underconfident chap -my reply - there is no room for underconfidence with Nukes get confident or go and warn out of the mess and go home to mother - this is the military. Now i suppose in this present fluffy age i would be hung for such an attitude but back then i got away with it - why? because i was right!
probably off thread but though i would mention it. Also found Church fenton in its present state very sad.

Ouch ! ! !

That brings back some memories of life as a 'stude'. Remember 'Stude for a job' ?

That was not politically correct, empathetic, touch feely positively motivating instruction. It's just how I remember it. However . . . it was supposed to teach you to fly and toughen you up mentally. I got through the course with a lot of damned hard work and grief - most of my coursemates got chopped. I don't have any complaints about the way they did things. Moreover, I don't suppose that the new way of doing things would gave graduated any more pilots quite frankly.

One of the things I remember is that the instructors were a hard bunch but they really did care about you passing the course and at times they were rght up there with you. Mine pulled the stops for me. Charm was not one of their teaching techniques!

Interested to see what other guys think about this. Yes, in those days it was only guys !

Thanks for posting the link, i have been wanting to get a copy of the series for a number of years.

I also went straight on the the JP3 at Fenton, having had an Air Cadets flying scholarship (30 hours). I remember thinking on the first demo circuit that things were happening way too quickly and that i'd never get to go solo. I did but (thankfully) eventually on graduating ended up rotary.

My creamy instructor was also of the teaching method akin to 'look it's easy...' However, the method of training got you to the required standard, although it isn't going down too well whilst teaching my son to drive!

Wwoody

Thanks for that - it arrived at the weekend - strange to see it again and just how badly edited it was - supposedly showing Linton circuits when it was actually Brawdy.

I too did a flying scholarship and then CF and found the difference in teaching to be shockingly wide. Not sure my 30 odd hours in a C152 bore any resemblance to any form of RAF flying. Crabbo - when were you at CF?

Max

Ta, Maxibon.
Must admit, I was just a youngster when the series was on but t'was very nostalgic watching it again. Theme music always stuck in my head though. Off topic, and I know it was a bit dodgy, but does anyone have any copies of that early 80's series called Squadron? Would love to see it, again, just for the nostalgia.

Steve (AKA Woody)

It was shown just before I went to IOT. I remeber thinking that I hoped I didn't get instruction like that. I did! In fact, I think that was better than some of the instruction I received. I particularly remeber,

"My 13 year old sister could do better than that''

from my creamie QFI. I liked to think I was better when I became a QFI.

What an arsehole! Must have been a Linton thing as I'm sure Church Fenton was blessed with a better standard of QFI when I went through. Except for... you know who you are!!!

It made me the man I am...

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/580/greentoon.jpg

I have just purchased a DVD of this series. Contact [email protected] He will render the series on DVD for you, I paid £7.50 inc of postage. Enjoy those memories!

Can someone confirm the CS as "Roller 38"?!

I believe this is the series where "you can't go to war with a w@nker on your wing" was uttered ................brilliant.

I watched the clip a while ago, so forgive me if I am not recalling properly, but isn't the QFI's technique completely wrong?

He tells the poor bloke that when he wants to climb or descend during his approach, he should push the nose down or up, and when he wants to go faster or more slowly, he should advance/retard the throttle.

That's not correct, is it? I was always told (and indeed practised) the exact opposite; throttle controls ROD and attitude controls speed.

Just my observation from what I thought was APPALLING methods..

Hi Maxibon and all

I think you will find that nearly all the circuit work was shot at Elvington, not Linton (or Brawdy). Also the "stude" in that clip is, if I remember correctly, actually the series producer, who did go solo in the JP3.

Some of the people on that course did indeed make their first flights in the JP3. There was no EFTS, FSS or other relatively inexpensive way of expelling the less able.

I had a bit part in the whole thing - in the "Going Solo" episode there is a two-second shot of me sitting against a tree at Elvington writing a letter home. I do not remember "instruction" in the style of that clip being inflicted on me at any time at an FTS. 2 TWU - now that was a different story!

Sven

Of course it does. But in practice attitude controls flight path and thrust controls speed. If you are on the correct glidepath, but 10 kts. slow, do you lower the nose? No, you increase thrust.