I notice that we had a joint graduation at Cranwell during the week with Recruits, CWO and Officer Cadets all graduating from the same parade.

Good to see a full parade square again, but hopefully not a precedent to close another Station.

Well I suppose they have to do something with the Old place! Every time I drive by expecting to see the circuit full of aircraft, I’m disappointed! Hard to think that the sky was once full of JPs and young men learning to fly!

I recall being Duty QFI at Cranwell one Friday afternoon. It was 1615 and we had an empty circuit but there were 32 aircraft airborne. Everyone was down by 1655, all visual recoveries. I wonder if that would happen these days?

YS

I thought it was to celebrate RAF100 not a new regular policy.

Memory can play tricks as we are finding out this week in the Senate. So I am a little sceptical.

To have 32 JPs airborne, at the same time, with an average sortie length of 1 hour requires a launch rate of 32 aircraft per hour: one ac every 2 min.

We were certainly far busier back in the day but I don’t recall launching anything like that number unless perhaps for a College Grad - even then 32 ac would seem unlikely.

I will concede that time dims the recollection, however it sticks in my mind that the number of aircraft airborne was exceptional. It was not only JPs, but CAW Dominies. Friday afternoon may have been exceptional for them as well! It was also the period when CFS were resident at Cranwell and that increased the numbers.

Whatever, it was more than a RAF station would probably achieve today on other than a special occasion. The most I recall on a graduation flypast was 22 aircraft including whip and spares.

YS

Yes, a friend mentioned that after my posting here. In my defence I’m now far more Joint than I am RAF and I don’t keep track of the ins and outs of what the RAF is doing, especially in the training environment. Hence my surprise when I saw the posts on social media about it, but hadn’t heard much comment elsewhere.

I’m assuming from the photos it was a former AAC Pilot with the PFB and medals in amongst the graduating officers. If correct and he has come across from the AAC, how does that work his wearing an RAF flying badge if he has passed an Army course of instruction?

CWO? Isn’t that a US Army term? Does the RAF run a knife and fork class for WOs similar to the Army, and if so, do they pass out as Sqn/Ldr (Major)?