Aldergrove - 23 October 2023

[gadwall58]

1000 - BAT Formation - ZA772 + XZ320 & ZA775 - Gazelle AH1 - 665 Sqn - outbound SE to Lisburn. After coasting out of N Ireland route is Ronaldsway - Barton.
1026 - BAT Formation coasted out and now changing to Ronaldsway approach on 135.905.

[Murphology]

3 aircraft in the formation heading east towards Bangor now

[Skymaster]

Today's routing https://armyaircorps.co.uk/aac-news/far ... e-gazelle/

5 Regt AAC Gazelle UK Flypast - 23rd Oct 2023

1000 FS Aldergrove

1005 38X HQ Thiepval Barracks

1130 Manchester Barton

1330 RAF Shawbury

1400 Hereford

1420 DE&S Abbey Wood

1445 Army HQ - Andover

1450 Middle Wallop

1540 Safran Aerospace

1545 Fleetlands - Vector

[gadwall58]

0115 - RCH894 - 06-6168 (AE1466) - C-17A - 3rd AS / 436th AW - to Dover (KDOV). - arrived 22/10/2023.

[gadwall58]

0823 - FRA31 - G-BLNU - Islander R1 - FR Aviation - to Bournemouth climbing FL90.

[gadwall58]

0955 - FRA34 - G-BLNT - Islander R1 - FR Aviation - outbound NW climbing to 5000'.
1039 - FRA34 - inbound from NW for RNP via SULEV for runway 07.
1059 - FRA34 - climbing runway heading to 3000' for ILS runway 17 and into the circuit runway 07.
1205 - FRA34 - on finals runway 07 to land.

[ringo747]

Is that the last of the Gazelles gone from Aldergrove or was this just the "formal farewell"?

[gadwall58]

Is that the last of the Gazelles gone from Aldergrove or was this just the "formal farewell"?

ZB690 is still at Aldergrove.

[gadwall58]

1115 - FRA41 - G-BJYT - BN-2T Islander - FR Aviation - outbound NE climbing 6000'.
1207 - FRA41 - inbound from N for RNP via SULEV to runway 07.

[gadwall58]

1141 - UAI42 - G-BYXA/XA - Tutor T1 - NIUAS - outbound N up to 5000'.
1214 - UAI42 - inbound from N for runway 07.

[gadwall58]

1158 - UAI02 - G-BYWH/WH - Tutor T1 - NIUAS - outbound NW up to 5000'.
1303 - UAI02 - inbound from NW for runway 07.

[gadwall58]

1230 - UAI01 - G-BYXA/XA - Tutor T1 - NIUAS - outbound NW up to 4000'.
1256 - UAI01 - inbound from N for runway 07.

[gadwall58]

1322 - FRA38 - G-BLNT - Islander R1 - FR Aviation - outbound climbing FL80.
1429 - FRA38 - inbound from N for RNP via SULEV to runway 07.

[gadwall58]

1359 - UAI01 - G-BYXA/XA - Tutor T1 - NIUAS - outbound NW up to 4000'.
1449 - UAI01 - inbound from NW for ILS runway 17.

[venom]

whats going to replace them ?

[gadwall58]

whats going to replace them ?

The out of service date for the Gazelle AH1 had been earmarked for March 2024 but obviously this was brought forward by five months as we have seen. The original plan had been to replace them with Airbus Helicopters H135. Several were bought for this purpose and straight away placed in storage and no longer to replace the Gazelle.

I believe the latest defence thinking allows for a limited number of helicopter types across the three services, training assets aside, with Chinook, Merlin, Wildcat, and eventually the Puma replacement as it is due out of services in the next few years.

At the moment I believe the RAF are the main providers of tasks previously undertaken by the Gazelle. I have heard a rumour that Wildcats may be used but time will tell.

No doubt others may know more than myself.

These could even be in line for the job - https://raf.mod.uk/news/articles/first- ... addington/

Found this also - https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news ... lance-role

[venom]

cheers for that
cplin