F & F Day 5/8/17

[cj9ru]

Yes, bit OTT.

I attended last year on base as my son is serving at Lossie. It was a great day out for the families. Lots of other good stuff
( and very tasty beefburgers! ) for the kids. These are the families of the folk that fly/ support the stuff we watch.

Hope they all have a good day ( I presume your comment a bit tongue in cheek)

Chris

[Thunder]

It's a bit much though, just shutting public roads so they can bore a few holes in the sky. This isn't an airshow either, it's a private event, using publicly owned equipment for their own private use.

Hit the nail there. Ever since the RAF have been at Lossie and the Navy before them, the local community have fully supported them in every way possible, at least the Navy give the locals a regular airshow to show their gratitude. The least the RAF could do is to leave the golf course track open so those not fortunate enough to get on base access can still enjoy the flying.

[tomdotcom]

I note the public release says : "It is recommended by the CAA" so its only a recommendation and not mandatory. I dont think the police would have the authority to move you from a public place whilst on foot.
Just my humble opinion of course.......

[toom317]

I note the public release says : "It is recommended by the CAA" so its only a recommendation and not mandatory.

And there's another thing, what has it got to do with the CAA? It's a military display at a military base. Does the military not have its own set of guidelines for these events.

[CosmonautX]

A useful update from the Lossie Facebook page should clarify things:


gif upload site

The display line should run roughly parallel to the track at 23, and it seems pedestrians will be OK there so locals - spotters or otherwise - should be able to get a decent view from there, even if they won't be able to drive up and park. It looks to me as though the road closures and concerns about "loitering" are primarily with the points at either end of the display line, though I'm less clear on why the point down at 05 is an issue.

This does seem like it addresses a fair few of the concerns and looks more reasonable than the initial notice. It's shame this wasn't put out with the initial release, but hey-ho!

[CosmonautX]

Well that looks ok for viewing at the north end. What was all the fuss about?

The initial announcement wasn't particularly clear, and it seemed as though the track at the golf course end might have been off limits. This looks more reasonable, though it does rule out a few of the usual spots.

[Thunder]

Can't see any logical reason for shutting the public roads. Lets hope that Lossie never gets Typhoon Display team duties, or the locals will have to get used to road closures most days of the week for half of the year.

[CosmonautX]

Yes, it does seem a bit excessive but having a look at the 2017 display sequence it seems that the Typhoon will be entering from one end of the display line low and fast and that most of the high-energy manoeuvres will be at either end of the display line with repositioning for various parts of the display over the base and the less built-up areas (most of the display box is the airfield itself or farmland, it seems). I wondered whether they want to be absolutely sure that the area is clear of any passing traffic and that large groups of cars and spectators don't form (the final sortie for XV saw good-sized groups at the top junction, down by 05 and along the roads around that side of the base) near either end of the display line where most of the more aggressive flying will be, or at the 05 end where it seems there'll be a fair bit of high-speed manoeuvring to reposition for different parts of the display sequence.

A set of road closures probably makes it easier for the police (RAF and regular) to be sure no-one - or rather no large groups of people - are in the most risky areas, but it's more than a little bit of an imposition on locals. I'd be interested to see how the work-ups are handled at Coningsby - I've seen plenty of photos from there but I've never heard of road closures during the last stages of the work-ups as the display base height steps down to 500ft, though I believe the usual viewing areas are out of bounds for the awarding of the PDA.

[cj9ru]

Well thanks for that David, serves us right for putting all that effort in to make an enjoyable day out for everyone.

First off, I can't control the weather. Scondly...Everyone? Or just everyone that matters?

I love the jets and I'm more than happy to put up with the downsides of having a major military installation so close to my house, so why shouldn't I expect to be invited along? Am I not a friend?

And why are we not even allowed to watch from the end of 23? I was there when the Tornados left earlier in the year and they were flying fast and low over the many people that were there. I don't buy the Shoreham argument. That was a fifty year old plane. These are modern military fighter jets.

Sorry, this just smacks of a cosy wee club with a hint of nepotism where only those that know someone are invited along to enjoy themselves at everyone elses expense.

Right, off to do my rain dance

This is a friends and families day as held at most RAF bases on an annual basis. Its for families and kids and friends of our serving personnel etc. Nothing at all to do with 'cosy wee clubs' or 'nepotism.' It is a day put on by the military for the families that support our servicemen when they are away on detachment working often in dangerous places or away from home for months. They could hardly let their kids have the freedom they had last year if the general public were allowed on. A very enjoyable day I had there last year with my son and grandchildren. I think you are completely missing the point of this day altogether. It is not an airshow...it is a families day. It is not being put on for us that enjoy planes. Just that, a families day, nothing more or less. Sorry, but comletely don't get where you are coming from with the above.

It is great to get to watch any flying at these but that is not the main focus of this day at all.

Chris

[toom317]

Well thanks for that David, serves us right for putting all that effort in to make an enjoyable day out for everyone.

First off, I can't control the weather. Scondly...Everyone? Or just everyone that matters?

I love the jets and I'm more than happy to put up with the downsides of having a major military installation so close to my house, so why shouldn't I expect to be invited along? Am I not a friend?

And why are we not even allowed to watch from the end of 23? I was there when the Tornados left earlier in the year and they were flying fast and low over the many people that were there. I don't buy the Shoreham argument. That was a fifty year old plane. These are modern military fighter jets.

Sorry, this just smacks of a cosy wee club with a hint of nepotism where only those that know someone are invited along to enjoy themselves at everyone elses expense.

Right, off to do my rain dance

This is a friends and families day as held at most RAF bases on an annual basis. Its for families and kids and friends of our serving personnel etc. Nothing at all to do with 'cosy wee clubs' or 'nepotism.' It is a day put on by the military for the families that support our servicemen when they are away on detachment working often in dangerous places or away from home for months. They could hardly let their kids have the freedom they had last year if the general public were allowed on. A very enjoyable day I had there last year with my son and grandchildren. I think you are completely missing the point of this day altogether. It is not an airshow...it is a families day. It is not being put on for us that enjoy planes. Just that, a families day, nothing more or less. Sorry, but comletely don't get where you are coming from with the above.

It is great to get to watch any flying at these but that is not the main focus of this day at all.

Chris

That's all very nice, but the problem is you are closing down public roads and restricting the movement of the public outside the base, in order to have your little gathering.

[Nighthawke]

And you want preferential treatment over 30 million other taxpayers because...?

[stavid]

We don't. Just leave the b****y roads open.

[Thunder]

Why haven't they shut off the A941 Elgin-Lossie road that goes right through the "display area" from South to North at the East end of the aforementioned area.

Also the press release clearly states that there is a no loitering stance within the areas that are circled in Red, so what if you park your car just outside the "display area " boundaries before 1445, then walk down the road to the Drainie House corner or the corner at the Gordonstoun crash gate?

[cj9ru]

Guess we will just have to differ on our view points on this. I really don't see the problem with this given the aims of the day and obviously you cannot see it from my point of view.

I have always thought these friends and family days were a good idea for serving families...then again perhaps they shouldn't be doing it. After all roads are never closed for music and other events around the UK are they.....?


Hey ho each to their own I suppose.

Chris

[onemac]

Does anybody else see the irony of Two Typhoons inbound for the F&F Day (presumably from Coningsby)? Wonder if they will be marked???

Al

[Nighthawke]

I'm not getting preferential treatment - I'm one of those 30 million other taxpayers who didn't get an invite, but I don't care. It's no different to any other public-funded event held behind closed doors. They happen and I get on with life as usual. Most people have got better things to do than get wound up because they can't see a few 'planes.

Personally I have no connection with this event - in fact I'm several hundred miles away. However the petulant whingeing and whining struck a nerve so I responded.

[Nighthawke]

No insult intended. Just an observation on/interpretation of what has been written in previous posts.

[stavid]

So much for no parking at the usual spotters area. Golf course end chokka. That aside, really enjoyed it. Great break in the weather for typhoon display. Coastguard helo coming over to wave to the kids was a nice touch but the typhoon fast pass at the end was class. One for the great unwashed!!