Harriers Final goodbye happenings (updated)

[garethbrum]

A NOTAM has apparently been issued for a practice today between 1300 and 1400 and for the real thing between 1255 and 1400 tomorrow and Wednesday, not Wednesday and Thursday as before. If this is true it's hardly a surprise bearing in mind the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday.

[garethbrum]

It's certainly still Wednesday at the moment but it looks as if tomorrow is now the only contingency, not Thursday.

[ch1965]

Just looked up the notam and it says,

15TH IS RESERVE DAY. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE ARE APRX AND MAY CHANGE
DUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS.

[garethbrum]

H5396/10: Formation flying will take place
Q) EGTT/QWVLW/IV/M/W/000/030/5250N00010W040

FORMATION TRANSIT BY 16 MIL FAST JET ACFT ACFT. THE FORMATION WILLFORM UP IN VCY OF 5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) FROM 1305 HR AND THENROUTE:5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) 1318 HR5221N 00006W (WYTON AD) 1322 HR5237N 00029W (WITTERING AD) 1326 HR5239N 00029W (STAMFORD) 1327 HR5302N 00029W (CRANWELL AD) 1401 HR5310N 00031W (WADDINGTON AD) 1402 HR5318N 00033W (SCAMPTON AD) 1404 HR5306N 00010W (CONINGSBY AD) 1411 HR5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD) 1415 HR5240N 00044W (OAKHAM) 1416 HR5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD) 1420 HRTHE FORMATION WILL REMAIN IN VCY OF 5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD)UNTIL 1430 HR PRIOR TO LANDING.15TH IS RESERVE DAY. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE ARE APRX AND MAY CHANGEDUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 10-12-0055/AS 1LOWER: Surface
UPPER: 3,000 Feet AMSL
FROM: 14 Dec 2010 12:55 GMT
TO: 15 Dec 2010 14:40 GMT
SCHEDULE: 1255-1440

15th now the reserve - so am guessing it could be tomorrow............

[garethbrum]

Joint Force Harrier, based at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, will launch a 16 Ship of Harrier aircraft on Wednesday 15th of December.

There will NOT be a facility on base at RAF Cottesmore. Instead aircraft enthusiasts are requested to view the flypast at one of the following locations between 1245 and 1415:

Take off at RAF Cottesmore (singletons)
RAF Wyton, Cambs
Stamford Town centre
RAF Cranwell, College Hall
RAF Waddington
Lincoln Cathedral
RAF Scampton
RAF Coningsby
RAF Cottesmore
Oakham Town centre
Land RAF Cottesmore

Most of the above RAF units have viewing areas for aircraft enthusiasts.

Those already registered at RAF Cottesmore will have access to Crash Gate 1, signposted from the A1 just after the Ram Jam Inn on the A668. Follow the signs to RAF Cottesmore, just prior to the village of Greetham at Thistleton Lane you will be advised to turn onto a one way system and park.

Please note there will be no toilet facilities and once you have parked, and due to numbers, exiting before the flypast will be extremely difficult.

There will be hot food, tea and coffee for sale at the Crash Gate.

RAF Cottesmore will be holding an ‘on base’ private ceremony for all those involved with the Harrier, past and present, and to celebrate the final flights of those pilots carrying out the 16 ship.

PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS TO RAF COTTESMORE ON THE FLYPAST DATE

[Ben Montgomery]

Fog is lifting very slowly here at Cott, very busy though. Only excitement so far has been ZD347 doing a ground run up at the 22 end.

[tornadopaul41]

hi ben if you here alot of engines wining up can you post asap please chap so i can jump in the car and head for coningsby to film them what time i don't know cheers

[garethbrum]

Gareth

Your two posts in succession? The last one states the 15th but the first says the 14th with 15th as reserve..........................confused here have they settled on the 15th then

At the moment it is Wednesday, although the NOTAM seems to suggest that is the back-up.

Cottesmore has just confirmed to me that, at the moment, tomorrow and Thursday remain options.

We can but wait and see I guess!

[stealth117]

I have just phoned the number posted on a previous page and the lady on the phone told me that the date is set to be Wed 15th as the official flypast(she said from 12:00 o'clock onwards). She said that this is all she knows. Maybe tomorrow will be another practise?

Please dont shoot the messenger but i just thought i would pass this info on. I am going to take the risk and hope it happens wednesday as its the only day I can get to Cott.

Hope this helps someone
Martin

[garethbrum]

So if it has changed would they not look a little stupid inviting former members of Harrier family just to turn around and say "it happened yesterday".

The final decision was always going to be made today.......

No one has been informed that it has actually changed to tomorrow, although I am told that the decision will be Squadron-led so it might not have filtered through as yet.

We have to believe that it is Wednesday until anyone officially confirms otherwise.

[tornadopaul41]

ch2 if you here alot of harriers starting up can you post asap please so i can dash off to raf con it takes me 40mins to get there so a early warning would be fantastic

[garethbrum]

ch2 if you here alot of harriers starting up can you post asap please so i can dash off to raf con it takes me 40mins to get there so a early warning would be fantastic

I'm told that the practise may have slipped an hour.......

[tornadopaul41]

ok cheers for that but i'm going to sit here and wait till some says that the harriers engines are running then i'm, out the door lol

[garethbrum]

16 ship canx for today but some jets will fly.

[tornadopaul41]

oh nuts lol i wonder how many will go up? any info would be a great help

[tornadopaul41]

it's sunny and blue sky here in skeggy i just saw the weather for tuseday it's cloudy yet again wind from the east rain and snow moving south on thurs ;-/

[garethbrum]

oh nuts lol i wonder how many will go up? any info would be a great help

Five to start with........

[tornadopaul41]

ok cheers if you hear any engines start up let me know ok many thanks

[garethbrum]

ok cheers if you hear any engines start up let me know ok many thanks

Just did - five.

I doubt the noise will reach Birmingham to be honest - but if I get any further info I'll let you know.

[tornadopaul41]

oh um i see soz i thought you was down there