MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands' TriStars have flown their last operational mission with the RAF
The Lockheed TriStar, closely linked to the recent history of the Falkland Islands has flown its last operational mission with the Royal Air Force. On 24 March, two TriStars of 216 Squadron based at Royal Air Force Brize Norton flew an air-to-air refueling mission over the North Sea before one of them conducted fly-pasts at airfields associated with its history. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesThis reminds me of some memorable Tri-Star moments.
Mar 27th, 2014 - 10:20 am - Link - Report abuse 0Sitting lined up on the runway for take-off heading north to RAF Brize Norton one sunny afternoon. Announcement from the flight deck says “We've got 4,000 miles, the tanks are full of gas and I've got my shades on. Let's do it” As he says let's do it the aircraft lunges forward on take-off power. Lot's of people had a good laugh.
Another one but not in very good taste. Sitting on the apron at Mt Pleasant waiting to depart for Ascension Islands and on to RAF Brize Norton. Announcement from flight deck. “Morning ladies and gentlemen, we've closed the cabin doors now and we're just about ready to get going on schedule. Oh, and for all the young ladies on board, I hope you're ready to become ugly again.”
It might be a good idea to have one of these aircraft placed near the gates at Mount Pleasant Airbase in recognition of the contribution it made to the future of the Falkland Islands.
Mar 27th, 2014 - 10:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0You'd need a really big-arsed plinth to put a tristar on though, it wouldn't so much be a gate guard as a fair-chunk-of-the-front-fence guard.
Mar 27th, 2014 - 11:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0The biggest comparable one would probably be the Victor outside RAF Marham, and that's only two thirds the size.
Thank god they have gone they were knackered after the 1st gulf war and were only being kept airborne by black magic and you try finding a virgin acceptable to the dark gods in swindon:)
Mar 27th, 2014 - 01:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Tri-Star fleet has done a very good job, as have the crews,
Mar 27th, 2014 - 02:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Lets hope the Voyager fleet does and preformed equally well.
.
'Loved' travelling on the Timmy especially with a seat that didn't work for 8000 miles.
Mar 27th, 2014 - 11:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Loved seeing thunderstorms over Africa that had the Timmy's wings shaking like heck many miles away and luckily sat in the cockpit once from MPA to Assie listening to the pilots recount experiences of flying to the Islands in Hercules aircraft.
Also hope the marks out of ten for the landings still happen.
And what a service when you get to see a friendly Phantom (or Tornado or Eurofighter alongside.
The Voyager will hopefully be good, despite the Malvinista's arguments that the Islanders airlinks are primitive.
Well when you are used to flying Argy Air lamenting the lack of parachutes and with outside toilet, your thinking is bound to be warped.
Joking aside, farewell to the Tristars and thanks.
6 Pete
Mar 27th, 2014 - 11:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I can confirm that the new service is good. Lovely aircraft, very quiet, generous seat pitch and excellent service.
@7
Mar 28th, 2014 - 01:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0Joe
Fantasic! All good for my dream of revisiting the Falklands-money permitting and filming all the trees that' don't grow 'there. Wouldn't mind seeing more of Ascension Island especially the Green Mountain if the chance arose.
8 Pete
Mar 28th, 2014 - 01:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0Well make sure you manage it somehow. Be warned though, we have no CT scanner. Ascension is an intriguing place and yes, Green Mountain is quite a surprise if you've only ever passed through the 'cage' a few times.
Just a thought, talking abt aeroplanes[Britain- Spain..
Mar 28th, 2014 - 07:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0A400M ATLAS
the MoD committed to 25 x Airbus A400M (later reduced to 22) to meet the Future Transport Aircraft (FTA) requirement for an air lift capability to replace the remaining Hercules C-130K and C-130J fleet.
Perhaps this is why the british government wont up set the apple cart with Spain,
Goes to show that sometimes joint ventures can tie you down..
Airbus Military SL of Madrid, Spain a subsidiary of Airbus Industries, is responsible for management of the whole of the A400M programme. And building parts of….
could be wrong though ..
@9 Joe
Mar 29th, 2014 - 01:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0I was lucky to once be on a Timmy that turned back to Assie (engine problem) and able to get out of the cage and travel to a mess to get food-that went nearer to the Green Mountain-amazing to go through lava plains dotted with cactus and I think there were flame trees near the mess.
I will be dicing with death coming to the Islands knowing full well there is no CT scanner. But sometimes you have to live on the edge. I guess I could go to BA instead and risk getting knifed to give that same edge of danger or fly with Aerolineas Argentinas without a parachute wearing my '82 don't cry for Argentina T shirt'.
But I'll be boring and come to see the 'tin roofed shacks' instead.
I will also be slumming it by not staying in a sky scraper hotel or accessing the Islands via a high speed intercity train link, but hey, what can you do?
And the BIGGEST sin I will commit from an Argentinian point of view is finding the plants, birdlife, rocks,mountains, rivers, and history, absolutely absorbing hopefully helping people with loading peat, and POSSIBLY even camping under a poncho.
I hope someone lets me plant Tussac Grass/Blue Grass-a busman's holiday which to an Argentine would be an absolute no no.
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