mike65 Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Well it would appear that the Harrier has made it's last flight. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11996936 Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airportable Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Yes, caught it on the news at my parents. Those imortal words, I counted them out..... sad day indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Off to Withams then? :cool2: Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnh Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Everatts will be sniffing round ! would love to have one at aeroventure, but would prefer to see them still in service !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Thread cleaned up No Politics please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pzkpfw-e Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 There is speculation that they may wind up at Yeovilton, being flown by RNVR pilots. I won't put anymore thoughts here :angry, because the censor's pen would undoubtably be wielded! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Unfortunately any response here wil likely fall foul of the dreaded "P" word. :-( Suffice it to say the US haven't retired their AV-8's............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axenige Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Yes very much the end of an unique era in the history of British combat aircraft, I wonder if the RAF will be retaining any for the Air show circuit, as really the should do, as this iconic aircraft holds just as much a place in the publics heart as the Vulcun. Nige H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Suffice it to say the US haven't retired their AV-8's............ They are waiting for the F-35B Lightning II to be delivered - see for what the RN will use to replace the Harrier with, too. Harrier is a magnificent aircraft, when in the Navy I once saw a very spirited display which everyone watching tought was defying the laws of gravity and aerodynamics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) Unfortunately there's a good chance that the STOVL variant of JSF will either be cancelled or unaffordable, the two things being linked. Hence the interest in catapults for the carriers. There's an interesting discussion here on the pros and cons of keeping Tornados rather than the Harriers: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11997084 Andy Edited December 16, 2010 by andym Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) There's an interesting discussion here on the pros and cons of keeping Tornados rather than the Harriers: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11997084 I think this is a vital point: "His worry is that when the Harriers are taken out of service, the skills needed by the air crew, pilots and deck handlers will be hard to regenerate." Very true, if a replacement is available in 10 years time or so, it will be not so much a matter if you can afford to buy the aircraft, but much more a matter of being able to raise the competencies to operate it safely and effectively. In other words: if you scrap Harrier now, you scrap your abilities to operate fixed-wing Navy flying in the future. This is not a cost-cutting operation but a diversion from a set military strategy. H. Edited December 16, 2010 by mcspool spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 It would appear we are all of much the same mind, even if we cannot actually say so on here. It is to be hoped that a few will find a place, such as Duxford, where they can carry on flying, even if it is only for the entertainment and amazement of the public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteor mark 4B Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Slightly off thread, I was chatting to a mate yesterday who knows about these things and he reckons the Vulcan has another two years as a flier, it's SO expensive to run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Yes, caught it on the news at my parents. Those immortal words, I counted them out...... In a way, this seems fitting and sympathetic timing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12037973 Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Signals Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just found these absolutely stunning photos of them at Cottesmore http://fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=23799 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Burley Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 It would appear we are all of much the same mind, even if we cannot actually say so on here. It is to be hoped that a few will find a place, such as Duxford, where they can carry on flying, even if it is only for the entertainment and amazement of the public.They would never be granted type approval by the CAA to be flown in private hands. Thats why Bruntingthorpes Lightnings only do taxis runs. The only palce these would likely to be flown would be the states or Thunder City in S.A but that has now closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 They would never be granted type approval by the CAA to be flown in private hands. Thats why Bruntingthorpes Lightnings only do taxis runs. The only palce these would likely to be flown would be the states or Thunder City in S.A but that has now closed. I suppose they would ban it on the VTOL grounds. My understanding is the Lightning will not get approval due to its speed. We will jmust have to hope the Americans bring a few over for airshows and training. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) I suppose they would ban it on the VTOL grounds.My understanding is the Lightning will not get approval due to its speed. We will jmust have to hope the Americans bring a few over for airshows and training. Mike I thought the grounds for acceptance or rejection depended on the complexity or simplicity of the jet aircraft. No complex military jet aircraft has ever passed CAA accreditation. Lightning was complex, Harrier more so. If there was another reason for Lightning not flying on the civil register it was the appalling safety record of the type. The riveted fuel tank sat above the intake to the engines and any leak led to fuel being fed into the intake. A large number of lightnings burned to death. This I suggest gave it no chance of getting on the civil register. Harrier is an incedibly difficult plane to fly, (VTOL, Viffing, hovering flying backwards and sideways. Only the very best could fly them and they needed constant practice.) Harrier is I suggest not suited to being a display aircraft, because you have to be a full time pilot to keep skills current. You can't take three months off and come back to it and put on a half decent and 100% safe display. (unless you are Arnold Schwarzenegger??) And it is too expensive to fly everyday..... Speed isn't really an issue for Harrier, since Sea Vixen, Hunter etc. have made it onto CAA civil register and are of similar performance. Edited January 4, 2011 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 We will jmust have to hope the Americans bring a few over for airshows and training. C'mon, if they are getting too expensive for the military to fly, do you think private organisations can raise the funds to pay for the upkeep of airframes and pilot proficiency? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 C'mon, if they are getting too expensive for the military to fly, do you think private organisations can raise the funds to pay for the upkeep of airframes and pilot proficiency? I was thinking more along the lines of the US military bringing some of theirs over. They have not consined them to the scrap heap yet. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I was thinking more along the lines of the US military bringing some of theirs over.They have not consined them to the scrap heap yet. Ah yes, of course. Since the F-35B STOVL is on hold they will probably keep flying the Harriers longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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