Chevvron

Thanks for the info. :ok:

The guy who replaced me as WGLO at 613 was a Sqdn Ldr WSO, so maybe it was him and the OC 613.
By the way, the highest acting VR(T) is normally Wg Cdr; Vorderman and Foy were given 'honorary' commisions as Gp Capts but I don't know how that fits in

I was a 'Tornado Pilot' once at a party when stationed at Bentley.

Knew just enough BBB to talk my way into the company of some nice ladies, helped by an SAC mate who really had a cut glass accent (Think Monocled Mutineer)

Didn't seem to phase them that I was wearing glasses so thick you had to have bloody good eyesight to see through them.

" I met many 'walter' types when I was a VR(T) Officer. They bought themselves No 5s and attended mess functions as if they were 'regulars' and at things like airshows, would sometimes appear in their No 1 apparently having 'forgotten' to attach their 'VRT' badges

Not quite, but very closely aligned to the above, I recently knew a civilian, and he was a pure civilian, not VR or FTRS, who, when he was taxying aircraft, whilst there was a requirement to wear the full kit, minus LJ, would duly appear wearing....Flt.Lt rank tabs because he was the civilian equivalent and thus, to his ego, as he often explained, he was entitled to wear them. He also considered himself to be....the pilot.

He was challenged about this, but, duly ignored the relevancy of the question.

He was also a "walt" in the cockpit, operating the aircraft in a very aggressive manner, exceeding the power limitations, you always knew who was in the cockpit by the noise alone, as well as making histrionic gestures to those outside....the minor details of rpm and temps for example, plus any captions that may have appeared, being not so much disregarded, more simply not monitored.

Quite how the "when" not "if" accident never happened is something of a miracle really.

Thankfully, this manifestation of the ego has now ceased.

Tmmorris - my apologies, the 3 pints of Kingfisher meant that I had thought Chevvron had given the explanation!

Chevvron - no, not a WSO. There was an OC and and ex-OC on the squadron both wearing a VRT scraper. Not really interested in a 'witch hunt', it's just that your comments didn't accord with what I had seen. Anyway, all gone now.

More than a Walt - Full blooded con man

[thread creep]reminds me of the Sunday morning SAR standby breakfast in the mess, recently 'demoted' Fg Off Sir P Hine sitting at our table, dull Nav2 comes and sits next to him, "so what do you do when youre not flying cadets then?"..."oh, I recently retired"...[/thread creep]

I just read this on another forum:

Never a Staff Cadet
 

Whats all the fuss about; he never seems to have claimed to have been a Staff Cadet so no harm done !!!!
Of course the reason why is he would have never had got past his Staff Cadet 'interview' with the senior staff cadet.
Sad indictment on the selection/checking process for VGS entry for this individual.

Anyone can have an A/G certificate known as a Radio Operators Certificate of Competence (ROCC). Civil and military ATCOs and FISOs with a CURRENT unit endorsement or validation can simply apply to the CAA on the requisite form paying them £35 for the issue of the certificate. All others ie controllers/FISOs without a current qualification and civil and military pilots must pass a simple 2 part exam invigilated by an authorised examiner (like me!)

I reckon he should go for the Labour Party leadership - he'd fit in really well . . .

There are now allegations on another flying forum (Flyer GA) that the same individual was sacked by the district council that own the airfield that he worked at for allegedly stealing AVGAS from aircraft.

Allegedly when the CCTV was checked the only thing they could see was the ops vehicle and so it was discounted from inquiries at the time. He sounds like a complete wrong-un and if true should probably be doing time. I wonder if any of this brought up in the trial?

The B Word

I suggest that we are very careful regarding discussion of the case that is yet to come to court. As a colleague from his VGS and subsequently a fellow member of a syndicate in which I was also taken in, I have been watching the saga with great interest. The story will become more bizarre and impact a number of highly respected organisations which trusted him. We need to ensure that we do nothing that jeopardizes the outcome of that case.

Point noted - do you suggest I change my post?

Cheers LJ, I don't think any change is necessary.

The allegation from the Flyer forum is also wrong. No one was sacked for stealing Avgas. Someone did resign for a separate, non-aviation related incident. That was several years ago, well before Tierney worked at the Airfield.

LJ. You wrote the following:

"Don't forget that average VGS instructor gets a nose-bleed if they venture more than 10nm from the ATZ. They are taught to fly impeccable circuits and then pass that onto the Cadets. But their cross-country skills, R/T, knowledge of airspace and alike is not so good. That is why their flying time counts little towards the award of a PPL, unlike baby pilots that complete Elementary Flying Training (EFT) get effectively all of their flying time counted towards an NPPL."

Apologies for the thread drift but this has nothing to do with the dishonest person being discussed. It's merely your latest unjustified criticism of your local VGS as was. Have you even a shred of evidence? This VGS had an exemplary record and was highly rated by CFS/CGS.

As for the not so thinly veiled jibe at the two VRT officers that is beneath contempt. They have spent decades teaching cadets to fly and encouraging air mindedness not to mention being excellent ambassadors for the RAF. If you really want to say something I'm sure as simple "thank you" would suffice.

I have the pleasure, in my day job, of working with a lot of ex RAF pilots and I have great respect for their experience and training. However, the fact remains that where the VGSs were concerned the RAF let them down in the utter fiasco described elsewhere on this forum.

BBK

It has everything to do with this thread. There are those that think that this individual's VGS training equipped him with the same skills as a PPL pilot - it doesn't. You have assumed that this impression was formed from your own VGS - it wasn't. It came from a discussion from a very experienced VGS pilot from another VGS who is not a military aviator and is a private pilot examiner. This individual used his knowledge gained from VGS flying and then invented a CRI/SEP/TMG/ME/SPL FI fantasy that the training he had received could never stand up to scrutiny - it didn't.

Also, I'm not maligning 2 individuals in my other post that you have misread - I was questiioning Chevvron's post as at first it didn't accord with my understanding of what I had seen. No criticism made or intended. Please re-read.

'Thank you'

LJ

I'm not sure if it's still the case but RAFVR(T) Officers are normally, but not always, retired at age 55, however they may stay on as CIs and instructors until (I believe) 65. A CI who is a retired officer is entitled to wear rank slides showing his authorised 'title'.
There used to be no age limit on VRT Officers at AEFs provided they could pass the annual medical, which meant you would often encounter a VRT Fg Off who was actually a Gp Capt or even Air Cdre. I believe these types can only fly until age 65 nowadays too, leading to the loss of many very experienced AEF pilots when some idiot changed the rules.

Upper age for uniformed staff was raised to 65, followed by 2 year extensions if required, about two years ago. Probably an attempt to ensure we had enough uniformed staff to continue until the 100th anniversary of the RAF 😉

There's certainly an age limit on AEF pilots now. The introduction of the new Cadet Forces Commission this year, while it makes practically no difference to most of us (apart from new rank tabs, lettering regiment/RAFP style instead of pins) might pave the way to more flexibility on age based on medical fitness. That's not been done yet but legally I believe it could be easier now.

I have "walted" in growbags for almost every rank including Air Rank, Gp Capt, Wg Cdr and Fl Lt, while flying gliders in the RAFGSA.

I always felt very self conscious even though they were loaned to me while winch driving, retrieving, bus driving and flying. They usually honked to high heaven and had the weight of a suit of armour. :eek:

Being 19 or 20 at the time there was no way I could carry anything off so no deception here. Personally, I believe that these people feel the need to overcome a massive inferiority complex and are prepared to deceive to achieve it.

Imagegear

Thread creep, sorry

What medical fitness!?!? As long as you are breathing, they keep you on. I know of uniformed staff with walking sticks, can't stand too long on parade......

When I was in Grammar School during the 50's one of my class mates had a brother who was apparently a pilot in the RAF. I remember this guy because, on my first day at the school, he was balled out in front of the whole school for forging his report. As the years went by we heard how he was flying Sabres in Germany and I once saw him in full uniform riding a bike through the town. At the time I thought that was a bit unusual.

It must have been two years after I left school that I saw a double page spread in the Telegraph describing his court appearance charged with impersonating an officer of the RAF. Apparently he had gone into the RAF for national service and was accepted for pilot training. When he was chopped he put off telling his father who was a retired Wing Commander and started to lie about his life as a pilot. He bought a second hand uniform but was too stupid to remove the medals,one of which was a Croix de Guerre. When asked how such a young airman could have this award he claimed that he received it in the Suez crisis. Apparently it was this which led to his exposure as a Walt.

What I have never understood, having proudly followed my son through military pilot training, is how he kept his ex RAF father away from things like Wings award ceremonies and passing out parades.

I remember a few years ago a police air suport unit got fooled into beliving a chap was a CPL(H) in fact the pilot was in fact a PPL(H).

The PAS unit manager and chief pilot who were good guys interviewed him and he passed the flight assesment te in the EC135, and offered a job, only to discover that he had forged the CPL(H). I will not comment on the manufature of forged licences here, but it was quite impressive someone not military trained or with commercial experience could pass the flight test.

It got in to local media, but then the police and the CPS quietly dropped the case, as I think it was highly embaressing for the police.

But isn't it odd I can check a doctor, radiographer, social worker, solicitor, online, but not a pilot. Likewise a care hire company can check your licence online (with your consent) from anywhere in the world.

When I examined PPLs who hadn't met me before, I would often ask at the end of the flight test why as PIC U/S why they hadn't asked to check my licence, medical and examiner authorisation, as it is a check list item. I should also say when I have hired aircraft from flying schools I have rarely been asked for my licence, but in part because I was a familiar face at airfields.

I think there is alot of complacency about licences and the CAA could make it easier for instructors to check licences, not least post 911 to give the instructor peace of mind.

Google 'fake pilot's licence' - there is more of it about than you might beleive. Makes me wonder about the ones who haven't been caught.

Reading Tierney's CV I do love the fact he puts his 'A2 QFGI" claim along with the manual handling course he did at the council!

Which checklist do you mean?

(I'm not suggesting that the student/PICUS shouldn't do this; it is clearly good practice. I ask simply because I'm not aware of a prompt that most people would have immediately available to them, and wonder if I am missing something).

I've even heard of an Air Traffic Controller who had 2 licenses in different names. He came unstuck when going for a job at one particular airfield, claiming he had worked at Farnborough. None of us had heard of him when the other airfield phoned to check, so ATSD were informed.

And my fellow controller from RAF Wyton.


Cheating pilot?s new career is flying high | UK | News | Express.co.uk

Uffington sb
Well, well,well ... Gibbo, who'd have thought it! On second thoughts tho' ...

So a Senior Officer making an informed decision based on the outcome of the Service Investigation into an accident that lead to the deaths of two young cadets is now an Idiot!! Your arrogance staggers me.

Had two club members with a ppl persuade that crook recruiting for Colonel Cullen's lot in Angola that they were qualified to fly choppers as well....both luckily got out alive although one was in the line up where Cullen executed some of his own.
One returned through Brussels with a semi automatic pistol in his camera case as he was going to execute the recruiter (King?) and got pulled by Heathrow customs. Got away without a custodial sentence.
In a similar vein had an instructor who said he was RAF...actually assistant controller at Ipswich...went onto great things in the CAA including prosecution of Glen Stewart...hounded a mate on Concorde who caught him out when he boasted that he was on spits...

Hmmm, not the only pilot who lied about his hours joining Airtours - especially around the time they were recruiting for the DC10 . . .

While not condoning in any way Tierney's flying without a licence (and therefore insurance I guess) and his Walting, I have seen nothing to indicate he ever damaged an aircraft, or was caught infringing airspace or annoying air traffic. Maybe this flying lark isn't as difficult as some people think? :E

Seem to remember a thread some while back that gave the impression quite a few pilots flew in Alaska without the "formality" of a license.

A real con artist...
 

I had the pleasure (!!!) of working with Wesley, and had absolutely no idea that he was a complete con artist. Not only has he been charged with flying without a licence, he is also under investigation for theft from multiple organisations.

My PPL lapsed a year or so ago, and when I was talking to Wes about flying, he offered to sign me off...so glad I didn't accept!

He also leant me his lovely Irving flying jacket for an open air flight I had last year...no doubt that's stolen too.

He played to the court (and represented himself), and deserves so much worse than community service and a fine. It'll catch up with him, no doubt.

STATEMENT - BBMF AND WESLEY TIERNEY

Some of you may have read and seen images in FB and media recently of a gliding instructor, Mr Wesley Tierney, charged with illegal flying activities. Mr Tierney was associated with BBMF some 4 years ago, but in the non-operational capacity of Public Relations Volunteer - a duty related to ground representation at air displays. Mr Tierney was removed from these duties after the season was concluded and has enjoyed no other relationship with the BBMF since.

For those that haven't seen the second page of his claims to fame. Posting here for people to understand a little more of the wild claims that were being made that he had now admitted were false.

I hate to think how many more individuals were taken in by him, hopefully never more.

FB

Wouldn't You Have Liked To Be There?!
 

Clearly a serious matter and I can't add to anything above really.

However, I have to say I would have loved to have been in that courtroom as he defended himself. Now that, would have been entertaining!

TN.

Sadly, the infamous Jim Shortt* of AARSE fame never went to court.


* Apologies, that's James, Baron Castleshortt, [insert numerous bogus post-nominals]