Culdrose v Yeovil -One base for the Grey Fleet

Ok both have their merits. However, the buzz is the Grey fleet must amalgamate in one base, which of course makes sense to the budget people. With Merlin (MCSP) secure, and Future Lynx on the cards, surely someone has got to make the call. For what its worth and mainly to provoke debate, Lol….. by the time an old dodgy airframe like the Lynx gets some bolt on goodies its never going to be able to reach the sea areas from Yeovilton, so by default Gods Country has it.

 

Who says Future Lynx is on the cards? The budget has already been re-directed towards updating the remaining white elephants produced by that well known maker of garage doors in Yeovil. If we are lucky, they may even incorporate some software from the 90's this time to allow the pingers to find all those nasty submarines.

 

I dont think pingers exsist now Dajar - they are Maritime Patrol Helicopters

 

The only thing that the Merlin has regularly patrolled is the inside of various hangars at Culdrose. I think the main weapon system design of the aircraft throwing itself at the ground does limit its use as a Maritime Patrol Helicopter. As for Cornwall being "Gods country", who would voluntarily want to live in a cul-de-sac where you have to travel 150 miles to reach civilisation?

 

You sound a bit bitter - do you speak from experience or just someone based at Yeovilton?

 

Why did we ever close Daedalus? Immediate access to the Solent, a useful slipway for load/unload, Browndown Camp up the road and the Bun Penny.

I guess the lack of a road infrastructure and the fact that lots of Senior Officers wanted some peace from all those noisy aircraft meant it was doomed.

 

totally agree with you, instead those poor little lynx's can only just make it to the sea areas to do their work before returning to refuel again. It cant before long before they move to Culdrose. Then there will be some complaining!

 

As a serving Observer at Yeovilton I can't wait to get down to CU. The run ashore is better than Ilchester. The nightlife is better, the houses are cheaper, the totty is more attractive and (apart from 771) the aircrew are more professional.

 

I guess you are the bitter "southside" from the PPRUNE forums?

Maybe you can go Merlin ;-) (if you are good enough of course)(or maybe you are a chopped pilot?)



.............inbound.............take cover

 

An interesting viewpoint about the aircrew being more proffesional!!!
Have you anything to base this observation on Southside? Is your view based purely on life at Yeovilton or have you been out to the Operational environments that the other aircrew communities from Yeovilton have and still are operating?

Dare i ask how many Operational medals you wear Southside?

 

Wasn't aware that many Observers worked "Southside..."

(But concur re locals appearance)

 

Don't think he said he worked, just served.

 

Southside is dead (and has been for some years!) - apart from the new tower that is. From my perspective, Culdrose is also dead(beat) and only fit for those who can't cut the real FAA (Junglie and Lx).

fido

 

I've got a better idea. Why don't we all just go home and leave it all to SERCO. That would keep His Tonyship happy, as their far cheaper than us boys and girls. After all, in the press today (Mail On Sunday), they've suddenly found out that we take bits off one flying machine to make another one fly. Now call me old fashioned and set in my ways, but haven't we always done that but under different buzz words.

Now we can leave the fast jet boy's move north, as they'll be better looked after by the Crabs. We've not seen them lose any man power? They've still got Full timers on the gates, instead of hiring in MGS and MPGS. And didn't their Airships say that they could bomb anywhere in the world, hence they were the nuclear deterent, and were only really found out in 1982 when they mixed up their true and magentic Norths.

Haven't worked out what to do with Cull-D yet, but I don't think that Islamic funda-mental-ists have any Subs yet (Which ways Mecca? Up!), so they could be considered a luxury. They don't have many SERCO, as they're all defecting to France to build something which will hopefully make Boeing Bust.

So, I've now got a Fatwa out on me, and whatever the Cornish do to people who upset them. Probably call me something nasty. And I won't get a job in SERCO either.

Chaos, panic, disorder. My work here is done.

 

as they'll be better looked after by the Crabs. We've not seen them lose any man power?

hey mate check your facts the "crabs" are in the proccess of an 8000 person drawdown, thanks to sir tony

I think Culdrose has got to be the best base surf, sun?, beer what more do you need?

 

Nothing to do with it being closer to home then?

 

i wish it was still close to home, however sunny scotland is posting now hopeing to go back soon though

 

Fair enough Toscababy, 8000 souls out of how many? And after how many years? And the Roger Nigel has parred to the bone, and then some. And lets not forget LEAN. I was even at a brief when they've admitted that LEAN, IS a cost cutting exercise. Incidentely, do people know that the Elmer J's are going away from lean, as its making them fat and lazy.

But thats getting away from the point. There's loads of building going on at VL, so it looks like, with current form (Osprey), they'll be shutting it. Surf Sand and Fog, here we all come then.

Mind you, I've never really been that keen on Counties without Motorways in them. Cornwall is one, and I think Norfolk is the other one. Mmmmm?

 

see i must be attracted to them there counties cause moray doesnt have a motorway either, but it is a nice place to live and work with friendly locals, just like cornwall

 

oh yeh on the LEAN thingy I think there calling that value stream analysis now, another way to justify some officers job and get his boss a promotion i suspect.