RAF Valley 21-22 April 2015 - David Thompson
21 April 11:30 – 17:00 and noted from the ‘spotters’ car park
opposite the 01/19 threshold . A word of warning to future first
time visitors like myself , the base security patrols are quite
active and should you stray beyond the car park boundary to the
airfield boundary , both are low wooden fences , then within a
very short time you can expect a visit from said security patrol
to ask you to remain inside the car park area . I did stray once
or twice but those locals or those in the know remain firmly
ensconced in the car park , no doubt having seen it all before !
The Valley Aviation Society have a shop in the car park but
there are no toilet facilities on site
http://www.valleyaviationsociety.net/index.htm .
A selection of photo's taken during the trip
Gate
WV396/91 Hunter T8C 4 FTS c/s
Residents flying
XX161/161 Hawk T1W also noted flying in the Mach Loop
XX188/188 Hawk T1A
XX204/204
XX250/250 Hawk T1
XX256/256 Hawk T1A also noted in the Mach Loop
XX348/348
XX350/D special anniversary c/s
XZ596 Sea King HAR3 winching practice over the airfield
ZK010/A Hawk T2
ZK012/C
ZK015/F
ZK016/G
ZK017/H
ZK018/I special c/scheme 100 years/1912-2012
ZK019/J
ZK024/O
ZK026/
ZK030/U
ZK033/X
ZK035/Z also noted in the Mach Loop
ZK036/AA
ZK037/AB Hawk T2
Visitors
ZJ807/BF Typhoon T3 called in ‘aircraft armed’ to ‘tower whilst
on
approach. Overshoot x 2 .
22 April
Back again today but lucky enough to be on the inside this time
on a base tour with the Airfield Research Group . Our first stop
was a visit to 208 Squadron with a good comprehensive brief by
their adjutant were I picked up that 208 were giving up their
IDT role of refresher training for returning Hawk T1 pilots to
100 Squadron at Leeming . I’ve subsequently found out that this
is subject to both QFI’s and aircraft being made available to
100 to be able to undertake this extra role . There were three
Hawk’s under maintenance in the hangar we visited but there
appeared to be at least two other hangars with Hawks in too
before we made our way down the flightline . At the end of the
line stood the special 208 100th anniversary Hawk , XX350/D
which carries the name of the present Boss Wg Cdr NJ Gatenby and
Sqn Ldr D Arlett on the port side below the cockpit and on the
starboard side Sqn Cdr GR Bromet DSO and Flt Cdr BL Huskisson
DSC with the front of the Hawk being black and representing the
present 208 and the rear being WW1 green to represent 208’s
historical roots as No 8 Naval Squadron , RNAS , details here ;
http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/208r-sqn-unveils-100th-anniversary-jet-at-raf-valley-03032015
. Born in Tadcaster North Yorkshire ,Geoffrey Bromet became the
first OC of ‘Naval 8’ in October 1916 and was awarded the DSO in
1917 . His Second-in Command was Bernard Huskisson who was later
promoted to OC 4 Squadron RNAS .
After lunch in the Officers Mess and a look at some very , very
impressive inter-war glass and silver memorabilia and some
equally impressive post-war 4FTS memorabilia there was a short
visit to air traffic control . Looking somewhat aged inside both
the approach and local controllers were understandably busy
handling movements around the local zone but also equally busy
controlling the transiting traffic into the Mach Loop and the
more sedate sightseeing flights along the Menai Strait!
Our next and final stop was at 4 Squadron and the difference
between the 4 and 208 Squadron facilities could not be more
different certainly in ‘real estate’ and hardware although I
suspect that their respective unit esprit de corps are evenly
matched. The squadron headquarters is so modern it would not
look out of place on a business or science park and the car park
is vast and rather unusually covered too which is probably as
much to keep the rain and snow off the cars as it is to keep the
sun off them! Once inside the PFI experience continues as you
are welcomed into the world of Ascent Flight Training with all
it’s associated modern fixtures and fittings and who, for all
intents and purposes actually run and operate 4 Squadron for and
on behalf of the Royal Air Force for a contract length of 25
Years. The ground based flying training is carried out by Ascent
using retired military aircrew as instructors and tutors whilst
Babcock supply the engineering support and back up for the Hawk
T2’s .
We were walked through the building and shown the three screen
desk top flight simulators , the aircrew changing and equipment
storage area , the huge flight planning area , flightline
operations , aircrew briefing rooms with two crews recently back
in from a navex which included a sortie over Spadeadam and their
pre and post flight notes still on the white boards but most
impressive of all were the two 360 degree simulators mounted
within an orb like structure , the cockpit being reached by a
flight of stairs whilst in an adjacent room the instructor sat
at a control console watching his pupils every move , quite
literally his every move and then as he remarked it was “home
for tea with cake and medals “ ! It was all very , very
impressive and I have no doubt whatsoever that under the new
Military Flight Training System (MFTS) sadly for us in the north
of England the closure of RAF Linton On Ouse is another step
closer as the MOD’s preferred bidder Affinity will work
alongside the MOD’s training system partner for MFTS namely ,
Ascent ! More information on Ascent here ;
http://www.ascentflighttraining.net/
And that was our day over and a very good day it had been too
although with one or two observations . If the station is to
take on more extra flying training tasks it will surely need
some investment as the control tower , at least internally ,
looked well worn and the hangars were they are , are well
scattered and a mix of designs and ages but perhaps the soon to
be vacated SAR enclave will be used to house any future new
flying units ? Regards the contractorisation , awful phrase I
know , of 4 Squadron , is the squadron Boss still the boss or
are the contractors managers and site leadership team , another
awful phrase , the real bosses who have ownership of the budget
and with it possibly control over flying hours for both aircrew
and aircraft ? The role of the serviceman and woman in air force
blue has reduced over recent years as more and more tasks and
roles have been given over to private companies and
organisations , has the time finally come for the role of the
squadron commander to take off down the same path ?
208 Squadron hangar all under mtce
XX239/239 Hawk T1W
XX303/303 Hawk T1A
XX324/324
4 Squadron hangar all under mtce
ZK014/E Hawk T2
ZK015/F
ZK020/K special c/scheme 100 years/1912-2012
ZK021/L on jacks for u/c retraction tests
ZK023/N
ZK034/Y
ZK037/AB
Flightline – flying
XX161/161 Hawk T1W does not carry 208 Sqdn markings
XX188/188 Hawk T1A
XX204/204
XX250/250 Hawk T1
XX256/256 Hawk T1A
XX287/287
XX317/317
XX348/348
XX350/D
ZK010/A Hawk T2
ZK011/B
ZK012/C
ZK016/G
ZK017/H
ZK018/I
ZK019/J
ZK024/O
ZK026/Q
ZK033/X
ZK035/Z
ZK036/AAHawk T2
ZK037/AB
ZK038/AA
There were several Sea King’s parked out and flying but they
were too far away to make any positive identification . Likewise
, there were Griffin helicopters flying but again too far away
to identify any individual aircraft .
Visitors
ZJ800/BC Typhoon T3 overshoot
ZJ935/DJ Typhoon FGR4 overshoot
ZJ647/47 Alpha Jet c/sign ETP74 , landed c11:45 from Boscombe
Down
G-BBTY Beech C23 Sundowner 180