I noticed that it was an MC130(P I think) that landed whilst the BBC News was showing a continueous live feed from the airport.
I thought it a little strange at the time but given their proximity in Florida, they are the nearest lifters to hand.
Another £300m worth of contracts announced
Fire Fighting
HVAAC
Scafolding and Painting equipment
The contract to float the various parts to Rosyth
lifting the bar a bit …42
The requirements in the acquisition notice call for an aircraft that is only marginally larger than the UH-1N. For example, the unarmed UH-72 could satisfy the lift, speed and endurance requirements, but lacks armoured protection and weapon systems. EADS has teamed up with Lockheed Martin to demonstrate an armed variant called the AS635. Both the UH-72 and AS635 are derived from the Eurocopter EC145 helicopter.
Other helicopters in the same class include the AgustaWestland AW129 multi-role combat helicopter and the Bell Helicopter 412EP.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/12/28/336643/usaf-starts-search-for-uh-1n-replacement.html
Presumably they mean the AW159 as your not going to get 4 crew never mind 8 troops in a AW129
A more fundamental question regarding the flight crews..
I presume to step from an MR2 in to a MRA4 would be a relatively straight forward transition.
But from not having flown an MR2 for 2 years into an MRA4 ??
Would the MR2 crews rotate through the R1s to keep “current” ahead of the introduction of the MRA 4? There is going to be a lot of crews sitting on their thumbs awaiting their turn.
According to EADS, it will take two years between the first flight of the 400M and its entry into service (ie first deliveries planned for late 2012).
According to Boeing, twelve months are foreseen to certify the 787 (eio in late 2011).
Could anyone explain what accounts for this much longer certification period for the 400M?
Presumably many of the things that get tested with a pressurised hold and the ramp up, would have to get tested unpressurised and with the ramp down.
Not sure whether clearances for Para jumping from the side doors and ramp or para extraction/cargo drops are done by Airbus alone or in conjunction with one of the type operators. Regardless minimum clearances would be needed for IOC.
I missed that obviously, still a 4 year lead time for IOC according to AW, which presume would be if orders went in now.
How quick could NH90s be bought?
AW149s would most likely be built in the UK.
The question for me would be how long would it take to get the production line up and running? Especially as there isn’t even a flying 149 as yet.
With the NH90 would it be a case of having to buy into someone elses build order to get them quicker ?
Isn’t that Flt Lt Charlotte Fenn? Charlotte is the Red Arrows Junior Engineering Officer. I don’t see any wings on her flying suit.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/behindthescenes/jengo.cfm
http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK—Air/British-Aerospace-Hawk/1364349/L/
TJ
If so I’m happy to be corrected.
There were 11 Reds at Leuchars this year, she flew/was flying in “Red 11”
But some military commentators believe that the move ahead of the general election might be good politically but is “stupid” tactically as it could make a platoon of 30 soldiers in a single helicopter more vulnerable to ground fire than spread among three helicopters.
Is it just me or does the suggestion of 3 helicopters for 30 soldiers sound ridiculous.
30 Fully equipped soldiers in the back of a Chinook
30 Soldiers in 1 or 2 Merlins depending on the amount of equipment carried.
Or does that commentator think we should use buy Blackhawk helicopters in which case it probably would be 3 helicopters for 30 troops.
With all this talk of new build A4s etc, here’s an off the wall idea.
The BAe Hawk production line is still running with the New Mk128 trainer for the RAF, New build 200 series (single seat), with the 128 style avionics. BAe claim if has 2 hard points on each wing although only usually 1 used, so that’s 2 triple packs of Brimstone/Hellfire and 2 Defensive Pods or 4 triple packs if the loads are capable plus it’s centre line Podded Cannon (no doubt the US would use something other than the 30mm Aden).
This is a family forum where fathers sit with son’s and pass down their aviation enthusiasm and knowledge, not trying to explain ‘Graphic image content’
It’s easy to find stuff like this elsewhere on the web, I just don’t think there is a need to put it on this forum, however hard you try to justify it.
On the first line, these aircraft didn’t fly by themselves, surely passing down aviation enthusiam and knowledge must include what happened to the pilots…including those who sadly didn’t return.
Is describing a pilot as being “shot to death at the controls, slumping forward puting the aircraft into an dive, which then exploded on impact” not as graphic ?
As for it being on this site .. it’s not.
The link to this thread now has an advisory, even though there are no images on this thread at all.
The post which actually has the link to another site does contain an advisory.
If you then open that link the first thing you see is yet another advisory, and you have to then scroll down some way and (presumably) read through the first post before the images themselves then come into view.
If you don’t want to see such images why have you went that far?
And a few more
Have to say 558 looked magnificent over East Fortune this afternoon.
Sadly the old airfield isn’t operational any more so no landings, but still a joy to behold…especially for those of us who only saw a Highspeed taxi at the weather effected Leuchars last year.