Topics

16

Irish Air Corps / PC-9's to fly over city!

« on: November 10, 2004, 01:21:21 pm »

Anyone ariund Dublin city centre on Thursday should be in for a suprise as a 4 ship of PC-9's is due to do a fly over at the Castle for Mary McAleese's swearing in!!
They done a few paractice runs yesterday also!

17

Irish Air Corps / Last Dauphin SAR flight

« on: October 16, 2004, 12:42:31 pm »

Just a note to let yis know that the last ever Dauphin "SAR Bird" came home to the don last week and was marked by a small ceremony which the rest of us knew nothing about until we seen the brass hanging around the a/C!!!

18

Irish Air Corps / Visiting Aircraft

« on: September 11, 2004, 03:30:05 pm »

Hi all,
      Royal Flight HS-125 in the Don yesterday to pick up princess Anne. Also that old Beech thats based in Weston payed a visit to do a photo shoot with ex-Aircorps 2 seat Spitfire which unfortunatly couldnt make it due to weather!
It could have came today(?) as RTE wer supposed to be doing a progrmme on it!

19

Irish Air Corps / Air Display

« on: August 14, 2004, 04:28:17 pm »

Hi all,
       I know Im supposed to be in the know but, is there some sort of display going on over Dublins docklands today?
Fistly that silver Lockheed electra from weston flew up and down the liffey,then a cessna caravan,then one of our Dauphins done a few low circuits over the docks before doing a run up the liffey and as it left a white kingair(looked more like a US one than ours as I could have sworn I noticed black and yellow markings on the tail like the USAF's MATS ones??) done a low run down the river?? Beats the hell out of me whats goin on!!

20

Irish Air Corps / PC-9 Display Team

« on: July 29, 2004, 02:15:13 pm »

Hi all,
       The word is that the PC-9's are to do their first proper 4 ship display(thats what the lads are saying anyhow!!) at the Family day on the 26th! I heard that, "they are putting a display team together,and this will be their first public appearance"!!! So, there we go,didnt take them long to get up and running.They been calling themselves just pilatus section on the radio when flying so dont know if theyre goin to be given an official name that day??

21

Irish Air Corps / Air Corps "Family Day"

« on: July 28, 2004, 09:59:26 am »

Word was spread around the camp yesterday that there is to be a Family day at the Don on 26th August!!
I know its short notice but I think its to thank the crews and their families for all the work and long hours over the past 6 months. So all ye who have "extented" family in the Corps be on the look out for tickets!! I dont know if its even official yet so dont quote me!!
A pair of Pc-9's were practicing their display yesterday so it could be goin ahead alright!
By the way the last family day had German Tornados and USAFE A-10's as visitors so hopfully they are sending out invites overseas!!
P.S: One of the lads in No1 I was talking to said a similar event is taking place in RAF Valley on the same day with plenty of overseas hardware(F15's,F-16's and of course their own Typhoons!), so hopfully some of them will make the 15 minute flip across the sea for a flyover.

22

Irish Air Corps / PC-9's ARRIVE!

« on: April 21, 2004, 04:23:22 pm »

3 of the PC-9's arrived at the don at 15.00 today,flown by factory pilots with ours in the back,(261,262,263) amid a media frenzy!! They came in low from Newcastle over the ramp and done a few formation passes before 263 broke off to do what I can only describe as a breath taking display over the drome!! Extremly low passes, stall turns and even a flat spin which myself and others didnt think was part of the show and were waiting for the first ejection from an aircorps a/c since the vampire, as he left it very late to pull out!! I'd say even the Aircorps pilot in the back was a bit quesy when he did the negative G 180 degree turn!!
When they landed the media were all over them, what twats, so there will plenty of news coverage tonight!! Of course it nearly all ended in tears when the pilot of 261 forgot to put the hand break on when he got out and the a/c started to spin around in the wind, luckily ther were a few lads on hand to grab it while the red faced factory pilot hopped up to pull the brake!!
260 I believe is in Austria being fitted out with weapons and it will be August before thay are all here??

23

Irish Air Corps / Suspected car bomb at DON!

« on: February 14, 2004, 12:10:26 pm »

Dont know if yis read the papers during the week but a car containing a "Gas Cylinder" was found in the ditch around the airfield during the week! It was made safe by the EOD with a rather loud bang!! Dont know the full story but goes to show that the recent posts about airfield security are VERY SERIOUS so take heed everyone about what your saying!!

24

Irish Air Corps / IAT Fairford

« on: July 25, 2003, 03:45:19 pm »

Its surreal watching that plane fly by, its an experience to say the least.  '>

25

Irish Air Corps / Boeing BBJ

« on: June 16, 2003, 01:11:14 pm »

The rumour mill is turning full speed again with the latest being that the Boeing BBJ has been selected as the Giv replacement/addition?! The lads were sayin that it could be delivered around the same time as the pc-9's! Now dont go off on a nutty lads this was something I "overheard" because they were talkin about the allocation of tail numbers to the new a/c and mentioned that "the new jet (BBJ) might be '258' if it arrives before the pc-9's". I shall investigate some more and get back to ye!!

26

Irish Air Corps / Aircorps Book

« on: July 08, 2003, 03:07:01 pm »

A new pictorial history of the Aircorps is being put together and we are being asked to forward any photos of aircorps a/c to the O i/c of the publication. Im sure you'd have plenty to contribute , Frank!? If you havnt already heard about it drop me a mail and i'll get you the details. This is a limited edition job, so youll have to be quick when it comes out. (By the way, anyone who contributes to it will get a free copy!!)

27

Irish Air Corps / Great Show!

« on: July 07, 2003, 01:49:07 pm »

Just like to say thanks to anyone who was involved in the Salthill Airshow!! It was excellent!! Have to say the Tornado stole the show for me. Those high speed passes were the biz(especially when all the tree huggers protesting on the beach flung themselves on the ground, as if being shot as it passed overhead!! What a laugh!!). I missed a great camera shot of the F-16 going transonic though!!! My camera went u/s just as he passed with the shockwave dancing around the fuselage DOH!! '> .
And "The Reds"; well what can I say!! Breathtaking!! Nearly p'#'ed myself laughin during the commentry when you could hear one of the syncro pair whoooping and yeehahhing in the cockpit as they passed and rolled , What a life eh!
Thanks again, cant wait till next year.

28

Irish Air Corps / 4th OF JULY

« on: July 09, 2003, 11:55:31 am »

Just to confirm that the 4th july festival didnt actually take place this year, so no wonder there was no a/c scheduled!!

It was a smaller sailing regatta organised by the royal st.George sailing club that took place and I just got my wires crossed,DOH!

29

Irish Air Corps / Sikorsky S-92 in the Don

« on: June 23, 2003, 05:17:13 pm »

One of Sikorsky's S-92 prototypes is in the Don this week for evaluation and, wait for it, its green with a tricolour over each engine intake!!!!???
Very powerfull machine and suprisingly manouverable for its size. I managed to blag a flip in it and it was intresting to say the least, with the test pilot literally throwing aroun the sky at a scary low altitude(well it seemed low from inside!!).
I think half the camp got a go in it with it taking 12 at a time plus crew. (It can take more but wasnt configured for it!)
The rangers tagged along for a ride with their kit and even done a tactical deployment from it (The pilot offered to do nap of the earth stuff for them around the area but the Aircorps Col in the right hand seat said no!!!?)
I'll keep yis posted!!

30

Irish Air Corps / Beech loses engine!

« on: October 03, 2003, 08:13:26 pm »

if i remember correctly the beech had problems with its wing main spars both of which had to be replaced, also due to the many heavy landings buy students the aft bulkhead was knackered also. a turbine failure is rare but not unheard of, i wathed a GV loss one on take off the other day, quite spectacular.
to the techs out there don't let anybody ever tell you off you guys do good work