Yes I saw the program on wings. They were talking about the flying control comitee in the wake of the tragedies at Rouen and Biggin. It showed the FCC stopping a German Mig-29 at RIAT one year. They just got the tower to tall him to land because he had been low coming out of a moanouvre. This system only seems to work though if they can contact the tower immeadiately.

Well maybe, still sounds like a bit of a ploy to stop anyone seeing it. Maybe I am too sceptical.

That sounds about right. We expect a camp every 3 years. So that works out at (15/3) 5 rounds on the L98 a year. 1 AEF a year, thats 20-25 mins flying. No wonder interest in aircraft is diminishing.

Last that I heard, They were talking of abolishing RAF summer camp and replacing it with a joint Army RAF camp that would be basically only doing army stuff. Thats just a rumour but it would not surprise me if it were true. The other rumour is that the AEFs only have 3 or 4 years left before they are disbanded. Field days now are doing army things in the field or visiting an RAF base, We wouldnt get a flight we would visit the parachute packing people or MET people or Air traffic control with maybe a squadron visit. The first three are all similar at whichever base you go to. That is why most people opt to do Army related things over base visits.

We still have fun but more could be had.

The fact we have so few camp places is ridiculous but there is nothing that we can really do about it unfortunately. The stations do not have the space anymore for cadets in the summer. The camps are still great its just the getting the chance to go on one is the problem.

We still get to do aerobatics but only simple ones so that they ‘do not scare the cadets’. No spins or anything like that. We are also not supposed to fly low over clouds apparently because that might also be scary.

Well Steve has definately offered many of us an interesting insight into warbird operation that many of us would rarely get. Thank you.

I do not know about anyone else but I for one feel that his sign-in name of ‘steve patterson’ is ridiculous and out of order. I for one hope that the webmaster deals appropriately.

Last time I went RAFM they said that they would not restore the Halifax because it gives people (esp. school groups) an idea of how terrible war is. Apparently, everybody detaches themselves from the realities when looking at whole aircraft. Why dont they fire 88mm shells at the Lancaster whilst their at it? (to show what it looks like ‘limping home’).

On a serious note would they lift it with the wings on? Isn’t there a danger that they may fall off?:eek: