Flying cancelled because it’s a bit chilly

Adult Staff The Staff Mess
21

Scandahooligan countries (& Russia) = very good for de-icing, they have been doing it for a while!

Yep, that’s the best way - it gives the minimum “hold-over” time for the efficiency of the fluids - depending on the frost / icing, it can be a “one step” method (clear off frost & go), or, 2 step (clear off the ice / snow, then a “preventative” fluid that prevents icing for a while.

Always good to de-ice properly, lots of incidents where failure to do so has led to fatalities, especially aircraft with a super-critical wing (very unforgiving for the slightest amount of frost / ice). I’d only been at Almaty a day or so before the crash there.

1 Like
22

Great to see that 8 AEF were flying today at Cosford, despite the cold weather.

Mind you, difficult to cancel when the AOC 22 Group has traveled across the country to fly for you.

1 Like
23

Saw his tweet y’day - stopping at service stn with his forage cap on the table. Clearly not following the PERSEC guidance… :angry:

24

I just love the reply from L&SER AvO. On account of Benson still not doing weekend AEF

1 Like
25

His tweets do come across as “Look at me, I’m very senior but giving up my time.”

Well, same (apart from the “senior” bit) as most other CFAVS… :rolleyes:

1 Like
26

What is that guidance atm?

Im not aware of any “cover up” situation baded on a security state???

2 Likes
27

Still civvie jackets, etc? But maybe or cadets / staff only?

Regardless, I certainly wouldn’t expect an RAF VSO to be swanning around in full regalia, easy tgt.

28

Station Commander Cosford has plenty of people at his disposal with all the apprentices there and he wouldn’t want to disappoint his boss now would he! Those OJARs don’t write themselves you know.

29

Don’t forget 1. AEF pilots are volunteers - how warm is that cockpit? 2. Cadets - how warm is that cockpit? 3. What happens to pilots and cadets if they bail out? Can we assure their safety until rescued? 4. Ice on surfaces is a big problem and expensive to fix, and deicing surfaces mostly only used by Tutors (e.g. the eastern taxiways at Cranwell, the runways at Benson) may not be a priority.

Benson isn’t 24/7, not even close. Almost always closed on Sundays - though the ATZ always NOTAMmed as active as police, air ambulance and flying club all fly out of hours and otherwise idiots tend to plough on through the circuit thinking ‘it’s closed’…

1 Like
30

I think the answer to all 4 of your questions could be provided by the non-24/7 Cosford, who managed to fly no problem yesterday!

31

Unless the AEF accommodation was unsuitable due to the temperature (no heating etc) so regardless whether the plans could fly, it wouldn’t be safe to have a cadet wait 5hrs in freezing temperatures before going up.

Cosford is a lot further south so the temperatures would have been slightly different.

32

I refer the gentleman to my previous reply.

33

Well, -2C / -3C further south than that where I live, so maybe not. :wink:

1 Like
34

Bailing at at 8000 ft, using standard drop of 2C per 1000 ft (it should be 1.98C but can’t do the maths! :wink: ) with a ground temperature of 0C = -16C. If we are worried by bailing out temperature / wind chill / time for rescue on the ground, then AEFs would never fly in winter.

1 Like
35

Dont suggest it…

But then…
Has an aircadet ever successfully bailed out of an AEF aircraft, when needing to do so?

36

i don’t’ think so… the AEF pilots were getting good at EFATOs when the props came off! :smiling_imp:

37

Just a thought: would that Cadet earn the Parachute badge? I know technically they don’t but for the experience I’d totally let the Cadet wear it :joy:

38

Yes there has been a cadet bail out on an AEF flight. He survived the rest on the flight unfortunately perished.

5 Likes
40

Yes that one.

Let me rephrase…

Ha a cadet ever bailed out of a chipmunk, bulldog or tutor or a-another fixed wing single engine flight instruction aircraft?

41

Remember we’re talking about cold weather issues with AEF. Please take it elsewhere if you want to talk about bailing out.

1 Like