NAVY NEWS, MAY 2009 3
HELLO, hello, it’s good to be
involving Hawks from 100 Sqn at RAF and Air Navigators – which has been and pay as you dine. The independent serving as the backdrop for the ‘big
back.
Leeming and, more impressively, some promoting safety in the skies for eight review body advises Whitehall on day’, Thursday May 7, the 100th
A little exuberance from a Naval
Eurofighter Typhoons. decades – witnessed every aspect of pay and allowances across the three birthday of naval aviation, nay, military
Harrier pilot as he performs a barrel roll
And there was some ground-attack life aboard the 20,000-ton warship. Services. aviation, in the UK.
past HMS Illustrious.
training – after all it’s what the Harriers “I’ve never been to sea with the They’ve now left Lusty, as have the It was on that date in 1909 that
And why not?
are here for – against land ‘targets’ in jets on board,” said Arthur Thorning, Naval Strike Wing. The Harriers were the Admiralty invested £35,000 in
It’s been almost 12 months since
eastern England. a former aeronautical engineer with last aboard the carrier off Oman in Her Majesty’s Airship No.1 (better
naval pilots last touched down
For fliers and ship’s company alike, Boeing. the spring of 2008. Since then n known as the Mayfly).kn
on the hallowed flight deck of of
it’itt s been good to be back.s “It was very impressive – clearly the the jets have worked up for – and d That milestone will be marked
Lusty.
“The ship feels better when Navy has machines and pilots of the operated over – Afghanistan. at mid-day on May 7 by a flypast at
Commitments in
her flight deck is busy and highest standard.” After leave over the New Year,, over Illustrious involving allo
Afghanistan, followed by
we are able to demonstrate Before we get too hung up on the the Harriers headed across frontline RN helicopters.
some top bombing in the
delivering air power – safely aerial aces, however, Mr Thorning was the Pond for a month’s Although the carrier
USA, kept the Naval Strike
and effectively – whenever full of praise for the rest of Team bombing with live ordnance will not be open to the
Wing away from their
and wherever it is required,” Illustrious who make that flying on the ranges at the US Air general public during her
traditional home: an aircraft
said Illustrious’ CO Capt Ben possible. Force’s Davis-Monthan base stay at Greenwich (due
carrier at sea.
KeyK . “What has really impressed me was in Arizona. to the logistics of ferrying
And so it was in the final days
“It’s been fantastic to have the the quality and morale of the crew Now back home at RAF people back and forth from
of March that a mix of six GR7 and GR9
Harriers of the Naval Strike Wing – they seem keen, very helpful and Cottesmore in Rutland, the the riverbank), therth e will be an
Harrier bombers, a dozen pilots and 80
back on board.” friendly. jets will be back on the carrier ‘aircraft park’ in the grounds of
engineers, technicians and staff joined
Pilot Lt Simon Rawlings added: “I always come away from military later this year, first for Joint Warrior the Old Naval College with a Gazelle,
Lusty for a fortnight’s work-up in the
“The squadron’s spent a lot of time units thinking how lucky we are to have exercises (previously known as JMC Lynx Mk3, Sea Harrier and Sea King
North Sea.
in Afghanistan, so it’s great to be such quality people. Illustrious seems and Neptune Warrior) in Scotland, then on display, plus a Merlin simulator, a
The jets flew 84 sorties – enough
on Illustrious, doing our core job of a shining example of this.” for Loyal Arrow, war games involving Royal Navy display stand, and the RN’s
to see four new jump jet jockeys
delivering air power ashore.” The GAPAN guests weren’t the only aerial forces from 15 Allied powers in hot air balloon. Admission is free.
earn their deck landing qualifications,
Among those watching the Harriers visitors to the strike carrier during the the Baltic. On Saturday May 9 and Sunday
and two experienced Harrier pilots
roar up the ramp and drop back on North Sea work-up. Ahead of all that, Illustrious will 10 there will be ‘dynamic displays’
re-qualified.
to the flight deck at the end of their The Armed Forces Pay Review Body be the focal point for Fly Navy 100 involving helicopters and surface
It wasn’t merely a case of ‘simply’
sorties were ten experienced aviators spent three days at sea to discuss commemorations in the capital. vessels on the Thames between 2 and
taking off and landing again.
from Lusty’s affiliate. financial issues with the ship’s The carrier will be moored on the 2.30pm.
There was some air combat training
Members of the Guild of Air Pilots company – notably this year’s pay rise Thames at Greenwich from May 6-10, Pictures: LA(Phot) Des Wade, Naval Strike Wing
003_NN_May.indd 1 21/4/09 15:53:31
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