RNAS Locations

Im looking to join the Fleet Air Arm and was wondering if its fast jet pilots are only posted to Culdrose or Yoevilton whilst based in the U.K?

I've had a good sift through the RN careers website and havent really come up with much more info about where its pilots can be based (whether fixed wing or rotary). Can anyone offer some insight?

ALSO,

Whilst on tour (or whatever you prefer to call them) are pilots typically based on carriers or on-shore?

Thanks in advance!

 

Simple Foxtrot----The old air stations do not exist anymore or have been taken over by the RAF. They were originally geographically placed around the UK in the main, home for the various Squadrons of fixed wing aircraft, like those bases ---those aircraft are no more!

 

I cant say i understand..
So Culdrose and Yeovilton are 'home stations' and your saying that fleet air arm pilots will just be plonked in on any base of the RAF's where their aircraft happens to be? So, for example, RAF Cottesmore has harriers there so they have RN and RAF pilots on location??

 

Sorry if my post sounded hard to understand-----There used to be several Air Stations where pilots were based via their squadrons, Some had the operational Squadrons and what were known as second line Squadrons; so for example RNAS Lossiemouth (now RAF) was home to Scimitar and Bucanneers, RNAS Brawdy was home to the Hunter Squadrons used for training and Gannets. RNAS Yeovilton was the home of the Sea Vixen Squadrons and RNAS Culdrose the Gannet Squadrons. Nowadays -it is different-----No old type fixed wing aircraft left---saving the Harrier--which is now being amalgamated into something else and most of this is happening at a couple of RAF stations.

 

Foxtrot,
As RAF aircrew even I would hope that RN aviators are not merely 'plonked' into RAF stations as required. With the demise of the Sea Harrier FA2 and the transition of Joint Force Harrier to an all Harrier GR7/GR9 organisation, RN fast jet ops moved from Yeovilton to Cottesmore/Wittering.

Wittering has 20(R) Sqn which is a jointly manned unit acting as the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit. At Cottesmore, the RAF have 1(F) and IV(AC) Sqns whilst the RN have 800 Sqn. 801 Sqn was to have formed by now but there are insufficient QFI/QWI/aircrew dependant upon whose story you believe. Ergo, formation of 801 has been delayed with an enlarged 800 now being called the 'Naval Strike Wing' I understand. I emphasise that I'm not a Harrier mate so the likes of Chiefftiff may be able to give you more first hand info. Hopefully, 801 will be able to reform in the near future.

JCA is most likely to be based at Lossiemouth which will be a pleasant return to that Station's Naval history (although some RN types may disagree with me on that issue!). Small numbers of other RN aircrew serve on RAF Tornado sqns, most commonly because they've failed to gain a 'single seat' tick during training. Those guys normally complete a tour or 2 on Tornados to gain experience/capacity before transitioning to Harriers (although several have transferred (voluntarily I hasten to add!) to the RAF).

Meanwhile, as far as this particular crustacean understands it, RN rotary bases are remaining unchanged.

Hope this is of use.

Regards,
MM

 

As one who was stationed at Lossie or HMS Fulmar-as it was known--will concur with you MM on the pleasant return. I remember one time when we had a Hastings come in on an emergency landing,--all ok and a couple of days later it was readto return to RAF Stradishall (near Cambridge), the RAF pilot got in touch with us Fire Station lads and asked if anyone wanted a trip down instead of the train. Whereapon I said --not half-- after collecting safety equipment etc--eventually we took off and I had a very nice cockpit flight to Stradishall. There the RAF lads (obviously briefed) took me to Cambridge Rail station---for my train. Only disadvatage was ---having to carry the parachute harness with me lol !!

 

Sea Kings - Culdrose and Yeovilton
Merlin - Culdrose
Lynx - Yeovilton
Harriers - Cottesmore and Wittering.

See how easy that was? Sea King Mk4 and Mk6CR (Junglies) are based at Yeovilton. Mk6's/Mk7's based at Culdrose.

Junglies tend to be shore based when deployed (sandy areas mainly, but may go on Amphibious exercises on Ocean/Ark Royal/Albion/Bulwark etc.) Harriers are similar in usage but Lynx and Mk7 Sea Kings tend to be used mainly on board.

Hope this helps more than the above posters.. :lol:

 

Ah,

The impression that im getting from forums is that the RAF are on the edge of their seats waiting for the government to axe certain air stations and aircraft. I wondered if the RNAS's were having similar expectation although they only have a few air stations?
:?:

 

Not many left to get rid of foxtrot a choice of 2, without a single site big enough for both, here's hoping the Government shut DARA Fleetlands and role the "depth" maintenance back to the 2 sites. Pompey FC can have the site for there new ground.

 

Don't forget Hawks at Yeovilton and Culdrose as well as Jetstreams at Yeovilton

 

err...well I'm certainly not.

 

a_a

FRADU Hawks at Culdrose (ex- RN/RAF aircrew mainly), Jetstreams also at Culdrose for Observer training with only a few at Yeovs for Fleet tasking etc.

 

a bit off thread but I have to ask. Where was/is (If it still exists in some form) RNAS Twatt?

 

Matelo99, You will find RNAS twatt has long since gone.It opened in 1941, closed 1946, and the naval code name was hmsTern. It was in Scottish Orkney.
Foxtrot, Dont think of joining the Fleet Air Arm as a pilot, mechanic or anything in between. just sum up the facts, only two airfields, Culdrose mainly anti submarine warfare,not much future there,Merlin helo a load of crap and too expensive to keep flying. A handfull of hawks, flown and maintained by civilians, a SAR unit threatend with closure and a few sailor training outfits. Not very exciting and im suprised its still on the books. Yeovilton, All the Harriers are now with the Air Force, Comanando Sqdns doing an excellent job but with ageing Seakings, it will not be too long before Yeovilton will be just a museam. There are no air billets after reaching the rank of commander, youre made to leave aviation and go pouncing around driving ships, not good if you are air minded. I foresee that the FAA will not be in existence very much longer

 

No they're not.

If the FAA maintains that sort of attitude, then you may be right. However, in this Crustacean's opinion, the UK needs a Naval Air Arm just as much as it needs an independent Air Force. Long live the FAA.

 

Wrt the potential closure of RNAS Airstations, the general rule of thumb is if there is a explosion in new build on the base (new messes, Ward room, main gate....that sort of thing) they are on short finals to shut you down. Just like thay did at OSPREY (Portland) a mere stones throw from a fantastic dockyard and exercise area. Which was closed due to it............being too convenient I think. To get back on track there doesn't seem to be any new build at VL.....apart from SLAM......oh my God they're gonna close YEOVILTON!!

 

Added to that at Culdrose the WO+SNR`s mess condemned and the Wardroom in not much better a state, with the IPT`s based in the Yeovilton area. Its a certainty if one is to go it will be Yeov`s.

Tip for seniors book yourself a course at Culdrose at the moment live in a nice hotel rather than the the Mess(aptly named) and miss the experience that is PAYD.

 

i honestly cannot see them closing any more air stations. (i have said it now!) we are strugling for space at VL, if for some bizzare chance no one was deployed we would never fit all the cabs in their hangars. i cannot comment on CD but i guess its pretty much the same there.

 

jungle_ jim wrote.
i honestly cannot see them closing any more air stations. (i have said it now!) we are strugling for space at VL, if for some bizzare chance no one was deployed we would never fit all the cabs in their hangars. i cannot comment on CD but i guess its pretty much the same there.

I dont think so, I pass CD four times a day and I am absolutly amazed by the lack of airiel activity, between severn and nine in the morning there must be thousands of personel entering the airfield (civilian and military) then nothing, one would think a senior air officer would have a stroll onto the airfield and see what was being acheived in flying trainning. Im not making excuses for them but the Merlin cant fly because pusser can not afford the spares. If the FAA had only gone for a good quality utility helo we as a service (the FAA) could be doing our part helping the army out in the middle east. I think once senior civil servants get wind of whats happening at Culdrose its days will ba numbered.

 

The Merlin was never procured as a good quality utility helo, it was a risky, high tech ASW helo and by all accounts the mission system is second to none. The lack of activity at CU is strange but the fact that the Merlin has poor serviceability cannot really be blamed, CU also have Hawks and Mk5 Sea Kings. Spares are not a matter of affordability, but rather the political nature of the supply pipeline i.e. Agusta and their Italian manufacturing facilities. Someone does need to get a grip of the spares situation but its not a case of chucking good money after the bad, but making sure we have a robust and sustainable system for providing spares to the Squadrons. All I can hope is that the US Presidential Merlins provide economies of scale that we can benefit from!

I can't see anyone wanting to take on the vital role that the FAA performs, let alone to be able to perform as well as we do day in, day out. The future is bright.