Harriers Back from the boat

syebba · November 27, 2010, 06:52:37 PM

Maybe very naive,but instead of just scrapping them,could they not sell them to another country that may be interested in them?Is there no overseas market for these?
ta stu..

Will66 · November 27, 2010, 07:13:54 PM

The problem with that is security, plenty of items on there are the sort of things we don\'t want to give to the highest bidder. Also there\'s are issues with fatigue, these aircraft have spent a lot of time in the air over Afghanistan and are probably getting close to needing major overhauls. Those cost a lot and take the aircraft off frontline duties for quite a while.

It\'s a relatively short term saving since we\'ve now lost our fixed wing carrier aviation capability and that will cost a lot to get again. We\'re sending Navy pilots to America to learn how to fly off their carriers so we have people experienced in flying off carriers to start training the next generation of Navy fixed wing pilots.

trotter · November 28, 2010, 08:07:24 PM

bit of trivia for ya....

the time that a Harrier can spent in a hover for any reason is limited only by the amount of water it can carry on board (IIRC its 90seconds). As there is no forward motion and thus no air getting though the Pegasus engine, water has to be injected to keep it cool.

Kinda like a turbo timer when you switch off Rexy!!

Ian65 · November 28, 2010, 08:54:47 PM

I\'ve got a bit of aircraft / car related trivia too....

A fully fuelled Vulcan would carry enough fuel to run a Ford Escort for 35 years doing 10,000 miles a year.

captainbizzaro · November 28, 2010, 09:12:08 PM

Love the Vulcan-saw the only remaining survivor make a rare appearance at the Bournemouth Air Show on the beach. Great day.

Dan Norton · November 28, 2010, 10:53:28 PM

Quote from: captainbizzaro;730285Love the Vulcan-saw the only remaining survivor make a rare appearance at the Bournemouth Air Show on the beach. Great day.

Living 5 miles from RAF Waddington, ive been fortunate to see a fair bit of it over the last few years.....round airshow time.
I also remember seeing them land at RAF Swinderby when i was a little boy, which is just 8 miles up the road from me.

When you see it in the sky now, its truely mesmorising.....theres nothing else like it.

captainbizzaro · November 28, 2010, 11:28:50 PM

It\'s a credit to the foundation for Vulcan XH558 that it\'s still in the air and not grounded like the rest of them on museums, seeing it float gracefully across the seafront and then just unleash it\'s power and launch itself almost vertically was mindblowing. Apparently it\'s gonna make an appearance at the Olympic opening ceremony.

Will66 · November 29, 2010, 10:24:37 PM

Quote from: trotter;730275bit of trivia for ya....

the time that a Harrier can spent in a hover for any reason is limited only by the amount of water it can carry on board (IIRC its 90seconds). As there is no forward motion and thus no air getting though the Pegasus engine, water has to be injected to keep it cool.

Kinda like a turbo timer when you switch off Rexy!!

I seem to remember it only being 60 seconds. They only hover to land as well since they can\'t do it with full fuel. It focusses the mind when you see the size of the flight deck of a carrier, it looks quite big but there\'s not much space for errors, the pilots do earn their money on deck landings, particularly at night. I am just glad I got to see it up close and personal.

Dan Norton · November 30, 2010, 10:36:32 AM

Ive had word that on the 15th december, and weather permitting, there is going to be a 15/16 Harrier formation fly from whereever they are based, upto conningsby and scampton!

trotter · November 30, 2010, 12:27:11 PM

Quote from: Dan Norton;730519Ive had word that on the 15th december, and weather permitting, there is going to be a 15/16 Harrier formation fly from whereever they are based, upto conningsby and scampton!

tremendous, i\'ve been working on an oilfield about 5mins walk from Scampton. Getting a bit fed up of the red arrow airshows tbh!!!

Dan Norton · November 30, 2010, 01:01:38 PM

I love the fact we have an oilfield in Lincoln.....i know which one you mean.

As soon as i get full details, i will post them.

Dan Norton · December 14, 2010, 02:45:16 PM

Quote from: trotter;730549tremendous, i\'ve been working on an oilfield about 5mins walk from Scampton. Getting a bit fed up of the red arrow airshows tbh!!!

Full details for anyone in Lincoln / want to see this.

16!!!!!! Harrier formation low pass at Raf Waddington at 14:02, and RAF Scampton at 14:04, tomorrow, wednesday 14th.

Im going upto to Waddo with the Camera

Dan Norton · December 14, 2010, 05:37:38 PM

Change of time. 13.30pm over waddo.

Dan Norton · December 15, 2010, 03:38:37 PM

Fook me.......stood up there from 1-3pm....no show!
Absolutely gutted.
Apparently they did leave to come up here but stayed high and decided the weather was too poor!
It was better than yesterday.

Really disappointed.