Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Kevin Wood on 18 October 2008, 22:31:20
-
I've been spending a bit of my time this week operating a radio station to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in the UK by Samuel Cody.
On Thursday there was a flypast http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7673625.stm as part of the celebrations. Now, I was stuck in a meeting but my mates at the radio station naturally had the Farnborough Tower frequency to hand.
Apparently, Vulcan XH558 was called in to land from a holding area. The conversation went along the following lines:
Tower: Vulcan, you're clear to land. Are you aware that the main runway is closed and you'll be landing on the cross runway?
Vulcan: Not without a parachute arrester, I won't!
Tower: Well, the main runway is not serviceable.
Vulcan: If I can't have the main runway I'm diverting.
Tower: <Pause>
Vulcan: What is the status of the main runway?
Tower: The ILS needs calibrating.
The pilot flying XH558 was a chap called Martin Withers. Back in the Falklands war he was a member of the crew who flew the BlackBuck raid, taking off from Ascension Island, flying to the Falklands, refuelling in-flight several times on the way, bombed the runway at Port Stanley in the dark, and returned to Ascension, on vapours.
Ironic that 26 years later he is told he can't land on an 8,500ft runway in perfect flying conditions without a functional Instrument Landing System. ::)
Never underestimate the power of the jobsworth.
Kevin
-
If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/
-
If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/
Why do I have to agree with that :(
-
If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/
Think that is a understament :) :) :) When half the RN is in mothballs in Portsmouth and our army and airforce is undermaned , another fine job done by our polititions >:( >:( >:(
-
What a mess :o ::)
He could land that easily
Have you read his book?
-
If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/
As soon as the Sea Harriers were retired Argentina got excited
-
What a mess :o ::)
He could land that easily
Have you read his book?
Yes. An excellent read. :y
Kevin
-
It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements. :( :(
Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones. ::) ::)
What is even more worrying, given the current shortage of convential weaponary, is would we have to resort to using full nuclear resource in any future major conflict? :o :'(
-
I tend to pick up military and railway books as I find them - currently reading a book about the WW2 bombing of Germany - very interesting
-
It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements. :( :(
Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones. ::) ::)
However it scared the Argentine forces into protecting the mainland. HMS Conqueror kept the aircraft carrier in port as well.
The Argentines were really scared of Vulcan attacks on the mainland.
There are rumours that if it had gone bad it could have gone nuclear :o
-
It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements. :( :(
Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones. ::) ::)
I don't think they ever expected it to cause much lasting damage but it sent a very powerful message to the Argies that they were within our reach.
Kevin
-
I`ve just finished reading the vulcan book and i`m currently reading apache by ed macy about the british apaches in afghanistan and thier role in the rescue of the marine from the jug room fort in helmand province its a very good book and i highly reccomend it..... :y
-
I thought Farnborough didn't have an ILS system? Everything got talked down - certainly until a few years ago...
-
It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements. :( :(
Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones. ::) ::)
However it scared the Argentine forces into protecting the mainland. HMS Conqueror kept the aircraft carrier in port as well.
The Argentines were really scared of Vulcan attacks on the mainland.
There are rumours that if it had gone bad it could have gone nuclear :o
Yep that's very true! :y :y
-
I thought Farnborough didn't have an ILS system? Everything got talked down - certainly until a few years ago...
They've certainly got one now. http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=UK80835
Kevin
-
It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements. :( :(
Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones. ::) ::)
I don't think they ever expected it to cause much lasting damage but it sent a very powerful message to the Argies that they were within our reach.
Kevin
True, and they knew of course about our nuclear attack submarines, not the USA would have let us use them! ;)
-
I thought Farnborough didn't have an ILS system? Everything got talked down - certainly until a few years ago...
They've certainly got one now. http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=UK80835
Kevin
Runways
ID
(Click for details.) Dimensions Surface PCN ILS
06/24 8005 x 148 feet
2440 x 45 meters ASPHALT 075FCWT YES - BUT PLEASE CHECK CALIBRATION STATUS BEFORE DEPARTURE
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
I thought Farnborough didn't have an ILS system? Everything got talked down - certainly until a few years ago...
They've certainly got one now. http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=UK80835
Kevin
Runways
ID
(Click for details.) Dimensions Surface PCN ILS
06/24 8005 x 148 feet
2440 x 45 meters ASPHALT 075FCWT YES - BUT PLEASE CHECK CALIBRATION STATUS BEFORE DEPARTURE
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
:-[ ::)
.. and calibration involves zig-zagging over half the county in a light aircraft getting in everybody's way. I've seen it. ;D
Kevin
-
Ooh look, Blackbushe says:
Operating Hours CLOSED DURING PERIODS OF EGLF ILS CALIBRATION
:y
-
Ooh look, Blackbushe says:
Operating Hours CLOSED DURING PERIODS OF EGLF ILS CALIBRATION
:y
Interesting. They just stay away from Lasham. Don't like flying into steel cable, obviously. ;D
Kevin
-
Bombing runways is always tricky. Firstly, you must run in parallel (rather than crossing it), which is why the AA guns will usually be waiting at both ends. Secondly, the airbase would have teams at hand to quickly fix any bomb damage, so in real terms you only shut it down for 2-4 hours. Still, these missions have a devastating impact on the enemy morale, especially the airbase ground crews who naturally feel more safe during conflict.
-
I've been spending a bit of my time this week operating a radio station to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in the UK by Samuel Cody.
On Thursday there was a flypast http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7673625.stm as part of the celebrations. Now, I was stuck in a meeting but my mates at the radio station naturally had the Farnborough Tower frequency to hand.
Apparently, Vulcan XH558 was called in to land from a holding area. The conversation went along the following lines:
Tower: Vulcan, you're clear to land. Are you aware that the main runway is closed and you'll be landing on the cross runway?
Vulcan: Not without a parachute arrester, I won't!
Tower: Well, the main runway is not serviceable.
Vulcan: If I can't have the main runway I'm diverting.
Tower: <Pause>
Vulcan: What is the status of the main runway?
Tower: The ILS needs calibrating.
The pilot flying XH558 was a chap called Martin Withers. Back in the Falklands war he was a member of the crew who flew the BlackBuck raid, taking off from Ascension Island, flying to the Falklands, refuelling in-flight several times on the way, bombed the runway at Port Stanley in the dark, and returned to Ascension, on vapours.
Ironic that 26 years later he is told he can't land on an 8,500ft runway in perfect flying conditions without a functional Instrument Landing System. ::)
Never underestimate the power of the jobsworth.
Kevin
Did the Vulcan eventually land on the main runway or divert?
-
Did the Vulcan eventually land on the main runway or divert?
It landed somehow. Then developed brake problems (I wonder?) which has apparently delayed its' return to Bruntingthorpe today. :'(
Kevin
-
It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements
Just to clarify, the bombs were dropped exactly on target, as they landed on the specified co-ordinates 8-)
shame, that when the the island was mapped, the runway co-ordinates were out by about 20 meters, which is where the bombs landed
-
It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements
Just to clarify, the bombs were dropped exactly on target, as they landed on the specified co-ordinates 8-)
shame, that when the the island was mapped, the runway co-ordinates were out by about 20 meters, which is where the bombs landed
As I recall from reading the book and viewing the pics within, only one from the stick actually landed on the runway, the remainder were nearby.
It was explained that the run was at an oblique angle so as to ensure that there was at least some probability of some landing on target. If it was a parallel run and they missed, all would be alongside and a perpindicular approach would easily allow a straddle and thus a miss.
-
As I recall from reading the book and viewing the pics within, only one from the stick actually landed on the runway, the remainder were nearby.
The run was at an oblique angle so as to ensure that there was at least some probability of some landing on target. If it was a parallel run and they missed, all would be alongside and a perpindicular approach would easily allow a straddle and thus a miss.
That's right. There was a reconnaisance photo showing the craters in the book. I still think it was a pretty impressive bit of flying in the days before GPS, laser guided weapons, etc. The route from Ascension to Port Stanley isn't exactly littered with landmarks, after all.
Kevin