FighterControl

Saturday Flying

As we have done in the past RAF Valley will soon be conducting some limited flying training on occasional Saturdays. This decision has not been taken lightly, however, with the backdrop of events playing out in Eastern Europe, it has seldom been more important for us to ensure we train sufficient pilots to ensure front-line needs are met. Only Hawk aircraft will be operating with the first flights on 11 March. The RAF would like to apologise for any inconvenience and thank our neighbours and the public for their support and understanding. Prior notice of Saturday flying will be publicised on our social media channels and in the local press.

It's got nothing to do with events in Eastern Europe. The raf are so far behind in pilot training for a number of reasons, but mainly fast jet serviceability. I hate it when they release such rubbish. Let's blame something else on our poor performance.

Is this them trying to make up time, or test flying the jets after the engine issue?

Make up time, poor weather has helped develop a back log.

Fighterfoto wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 05, 2023 12:47 pm

Make up time, poor weather has helped develop a back log.

I'm sure having less than a handful of flyable airframes for an extended period hasn't helped either

Totally agree with PeteHemsley I virtually choked up my dinner when Rishi 'Helmet' Sunak stated recently that "of course the UK would be very happy to train Ukrainian jet pilots in modern fast-jet to refine their piloting & tactical skills."
Strange I think, when the previous weeks news featured an article saying the Hawk T2 has so many issues with serviceability & engine issues that future RAF fast-jet pilots are queuing up for a chance to get flight hours instead of a simulator-time.
Some sources quoting a 5 year backlog in RAF FJ training.

It's what happens when you cut things to the bone, not the RAFs fault, just the MoD and defense spending in general.

Supra wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 05, 2023 1:04 pm

Totally agree with PeteHemsley I virtually choked up my dinner when Rishi 'Helmet' Sunak stated recently that "of course the UK would be very happy to train Ukrainian jet pilots in modern fast-jet to refine their piloting & tactical skills."
Strange I think, when the previous weeks news featured an article saying the Hawk T2 has so many issues with serviceability & engine issues that future RAF fast-jet pilots are queuing up for a chance to get flight hours instead of a simulator-time.
Some sources quoting a 5 year backlog in RAF FJ training.

Helmet !!?? That made me chuckle , very polite

There was an unflattering photo of Rishi stood on his own looking as serious as a heart attack wearing what appears to be an oversize RAF Flying Helmet. On the very cruel social media the caption read
"What a big Helmet? Check-out the size of that hat too!" It kinda stuck with me! I have no idea who created the original post? Copied below is a link to a similar photo showing Vlod' & Rishi suffering
the effects of the Chinook crew swopping their O2 for N20 (Nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas!) Those Chinook crews know how to have fun in their job....while it lasts!
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... t=0&sim=11 Apologies for not posting the 'original' but I'm oversubscribed on Board Warnings for being radical. ( I call it humour!)

Supra wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:12 pm

There was an unflattering photo of Rishi stood on his own looking as serious as a heart attack wearing what appears to be an oversize RAF Flying Helmet. On the very cruel social media the caption read
"What a big Helmet? Check-out the size of that hat too!" It kinda stuck with me! I have no idea who created the original post? Copied below is a link to a similar photo showing Vlod' & Rishi suffering
the effects of the Chinook crew swopping their O2 for N20 (Nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas!) Those Chinook crews know how to have fun in their job....while it lasts!
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... t=0&sim=11 Apologies for not posting the 'original' but I'm oversubscribed on Board Warnings for being radical. ( I call it humour!)

. I’ve had a few warnings on face ache , they don’t appreciate humour

The hawk t2s have had major engine issues since day one. They've had 4 serviceable jets at Valley for some time now due to the compressor blade and engine casing issues. It's taking 5-6 years to train front line fast jet pilots from joining to sqn selection. The current state of the RAF is simply painful. Typhoon maintenance has never taken longer, training fleet is in a extremely poor state and the multi engine sqns don't know what the hell is going on. The whole system is a shambles.

In what way do the multi-engine squadrons not know what’s going on?

PeteHemsley wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:19 am

It's got nothing to do with events in Eastern Europe. The raf are so far behind in pilot training for a number of reasons, but mainly fast jet serviceability. I hate it when they release such rubbish. Let's blame something else on our poor performance.

Spot on Pete, best of it is the Texans are on schedule so it's only for 4 Sqdn. who only have a couple of students at the minute the rest having been fobbed off because they can only put a few jets up at the most due to ongoing problems.