French Air Force Vs 2 Group

[detgnome]

Have just arrived back from a (too) brief visit to Cyprus. Imagine my surprise on checking in at the air terminal to be told that the return trip would be on a French Air Force Airbus. The ensuing melee to get seats was amusing (no allocated seats), but managed to blag one of the business seats near the front, also noticing that the first class seats were still fitted. In flight service was excellent, and rounded off by not being rained on during the approach!

Whilst I know the use of charter is common, are we now sub-contracting the use of other Air Force's aircraft ?

ps there cabin crew were more attractive as well....

[canberra]

during the gulf war the raf was severley overstretched. we used spanish and kiwi c130's to augment. on the subject of first class seats, ever flown in a tristar? theyve still got them.

[detgnome]

Been to MPA a few times, but have to say I never noticed the seats!

[lurkposition]

Back to Cyprus,

Are they sending civvy helicopters there soon to replace the W****x?

[detgnome]

That may (or may not) have been the purpose of my visit! Wessex out of service on 31 Jan 03, Griffin in service 1 Apr 03. 203 (R) Sqn with their mighty Sea Kings will be filling the gap.....

....assuming they get there (he he), and that they are serviceable (he he he !)

[Hertz Van Rental]

I seem to remember that this kind of intelligent exchange of spare capacity was one of the things that the European Air Group sorted out.

[Chairborne 09.00hrs]

Det,

Will 84's old cabs be returning home to the UK?

[detgnome]

I asked the question, but the answer was not overly clear. Uraguay was mentioned, as I understand there is an ongoing problem with the Wesex we sold them. There is of course a proposal to replace the Whirlwind gate guard with one of them, or failing that have one as an unofficial Sqn 'Training aid'. Aside from that I don't know, but if there is no home for them I can't see the MOD waisting money on bringing them home for no good reason.

[Talk Reaction]

Detgnome,
Ongoing problems with Wessex we sold Uraguay (I have looked at this word and recognise it is misspelt, but me is unnible to see wot is wrong to corrct it.)

Could this be the same cabs we sold, one of which allegedly had a dummy bearing left in a engine...... allegedly, I heard doone the pub? ;)

[attackattackattack]

Uru guay, (but it took Microsfot spollchick to work it out) :)

[sprucemoose]

detgnome,

As Hertz alluded, your trip with the FAF stems from the 'Air Transport and Air Refuelling and other Exchanges of Services' agreement brokered by the European Air Group.

It's in no way a precursor to the Euro, but the outgoing chief of the EAG did describe the system as a "single currency" between the partners: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK.

More than 500h of services were traded this way between February 2001 and June 2002, so it doesn't appear to be used all that heavily.

[lurkposition]

Detgnome.

Unofficial training aid ?

My goodness, you heretic .

Still it would have been easier on the lexicon to send them to peru !:)