ARmy Rumour SErvice

Oddly, the MoD RSS PR feed is somewhat reticent in its proclamations about a recent SAR incident not too far from it's RAF Valley SAR main base, which was resolved with the use of airframes from Prestwick and Leconfield. Here follows a quote from someone in-the-know at Valley;

althenick

I'm more of a lurker really but i'm moved to post on the issue of valley being off state-
Normally we run 5 a/c not 4-

No 5 is at depth having a frame repair-spotted at valley and one tripped down to depth approx 4 weeks ago, no replacement available from depth, currently 3 weeks late.

No 4 has been long term u/s due to ambiguos wording/interpretation of the flight test schedule and various peoples reluctance to get off the fence.

No 3 was u/s with a frame crack- now concessed with 5 hrly inspects till depth visit- now 3 weeks late.

No 2 was awating air test post ecu cx-its secound since the original failed vibs- which had previously been rejected for the same,but we won't go there.

No 1 was happily flying as the only S asset till it was recalled by mig with high debris count from samples, which is looking like a mrgb cx,while its out its frame cracks could be sorted!

The full thread is at; http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...les-coast.html