Mid air collision

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Discussion

gopher

Original Poster:

5,160 posts

260 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
right outside my local....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7883338.stm

doesn't sound good, at least one fatality it seems.

Eric Mc

122,071 posts

266 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
According to Radio 4 they were operating out of RAF St Athan. Sounds like it might have been a pair of RAF AEF Grobs.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

206 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
AEF?

Cadets on board?

IforB

9,840 posts

230 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Yep and yep. A very sad day.

Badgerboy

1,783 posts

193 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Most likely from UWAS, which was my old Sqn a few years ago when I was in Uni.

If it was a Grob involved from Saints, the crew would have at least been kitted to jump if needed. Not heard if anyone has bailed at all.

Can't find any more information, hope none of my old instructors were involved. frown

Crimson Tide

4,950 posts

215 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Christ, that's awful. I used to love wheeling about in Tutors as a cadet, but thoughts of something like this never even occurred to me. Condolences to those involved frown

hornetrider

63,161 posts

206 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Very sad for all involved. Will never forget my first stall turn in a Chippy.

Badgerboy

1,783 posts

193 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Quite, I never even thought about anything bad happening when I flew, even when we practised the bailing out drills and PFL's.

Not sure if it was two Grobs yet, or if a civilian aircraft was involved.

DJFish

5,924 posts

264 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
hornetrider said:
Very sad for all involved. Will never forget my first stall turn in a Chippy.
Indeed, do you remember the pre-flight video? "Jump jump John" at which point you're supposed to calmly exit the aircraft......

If it was an AEF it'd be a very sad end to what was always the highpoint of the year when I were a nipper.


Kaelic

2,686 posts

202 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Chippy's over the north sea as an air cadet are some of my favorite memories....

IforB

9,840 posts

230 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Looks like it it was two Grobs.

Terribly sad if true.

Cara Van Man

29,977 posts

252 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Oh dear....I had my first AEF out of Marshalls at Cambridge.

It was a boiling hot day and after my first taste of aerobatics I re-decorated the inside of the Chipmunk hehe

I was on SAR when the Wessex went down with the cadets on board in the mid 90's....that changed our rules on giving 'joy rides' considerably.

Edited by Cara Van Man on Wednesday 11th February 14:31

Badgerboy

1,783 posts

193 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
frown It will be at worst two uni students and instructors involved. Irony is at the time I was there some of the Air Crash investigators were based there.... I wonder if they still are.

Pretty depressing.

james_tigerwoods

16,287 posts

198 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Cara Van Man said:
Oh dear....I had my first AEF out of Marshalls at Cambridge.
Me too smile

Cara Van Man

29,977 posts

252 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
james_tigerwoods said:
Cara Van Man said:
Oh dear....I had my first AEF out of Marshalls at Cambridge.
Me too smile
They let me fly the Bulldog 4 seater...that was fun, but maybe not for the other 3 passengers.

fish

3,976 posts

283 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Badgerboy said:
Most likely from UWAS, which was my old Sqn a few years ago when I was in Uni.

If it was a Grob involved from Saints, the crew would have at least been kitted to jump if needed. Not heard if anyone has bailed at all.

Can't find any more information, hope none of my old instructors were involved. frown
I also was in UWAS when we flew Bulldogs out of St A. By all accounts very sad as although they have parachutes they will have been no chance to use them in a mid air. Porthcawl was the run in point for rejoin to the airfield so it's possible they collided when coming in the base.

Accidents are few and far between on the UAS's but by all accounts if this is two UAS A/C then this will certainly be one of the worst. There would have been upto a max of 4 people on board or min of 2 if solo students.


The Moose

22,867 posts

210 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
When back at school (around 16 y.o.) I flew a handful of Grobs with the RAF CCF and never ever considered an accident like this could happen.

Bloody Hell

hornetrider

63,161 posts

206 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
I used to fly out of Shawbury. The instructor had a big broadsheet stuffed up front that he used to make a fuss about opening up and 'reading' after he said the fateful words, "You have control"

james_tigerwoods

16,287 posts

198 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
Cara Van Man said:
james_tigerwoods said:
Cara Van Man said:
Oh dear....I had my first AEF out of Marshalls at Cambridge.
Me too smile
They let me fly the Bulldog 4 seater...that was fun, but maybe not for the other 3 passengers.
Not me frown

But when I flew, the instructor always had a camera handy for his Aerial photography and I had to learn how to do controlled, smooth banks smile

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

234 months

Wednesday 11th February 2009
quotequote all
DJFish said:
hornetrider said:
Very sad for all involved. Will never forget my first stall turn in a Chippy.
Indeed, do you remember the pre-flight video? "Jump jump John" at which point you're supposed to calmly exit the aircraft......

If it was an AEF it'd be a very sad end to what was always the highpoint of the year when I were a nipper.
Still come to mind every time I get on a flight or hear about the AEF's. Tothether with the bloke who played the video once saying "And if you say pardon don't expect a response as I'll already be 500feet below you!"