RAF Mildenhall Air Base 19th June 2007

Images from the V-A-S tour to Mildenhall, the tour was a success with high temperatures and sunny weather conditions, we was given a tour around one of the based KC-135R and the crew give us a very nice talk about the 100 ARW.

Many thanks to all US personnel for their warm hospitality and giving us a great day out, well worth a visit.

Polly Vacher Mona Airfield 17th June 2007

Images of Polly Vacher's visit to Mona airfield in her Piper Dakota, Polly's latest voyage is to visit all 206 airfields in the Jeppesen VFR Manual, between 21 May and 31 July 2007 and she is well on her way to do that.

Trans Atlantic Solo flight July – August 1997:
With 500 hours and a newly acquired instrument rating – Polly flew solo across the North Atlantic to Boston and back in her single engine Piper Dakota.

Wings Around the World: In aid of “Flying Scholarships for the Disabled” January – May 2001:
The smallest aircraft to be flown solo around the world by a woman via Australia and across the Pacific.

Wings Around the World II - Voyage to the Ice
It has taken Polly just under a year to complete the Voyage ( 6th May 2003 to 27th April 2004 ) and collected some record breaking awards on the way:

First woman to fly solo over the North Pole in a single engine aircraft
First woman to fly solo in Antarctica in a single engine aircraft
First person to fly solo around the world landing on all seven continents
60,000 nautical miles, 357 days.

Thanks to Mona Flying Club for their warm hospitality and for giving me the chance to meet this remarkable lady, i hope she completes her latest challenge and raise lot more money for her charity.

RAF Valley Anglesey Jan - April 2007

Images from RAF Valley during March 2007, another good month with lots of Hawk flying hours and some very interesting visitors, Typhoons, Jaguars, C-130K, Boscombe Down Navajo and the Red Arrows practicing the 2007 display routine.

For sure the highlights this month was the final fly-past of 12 6 Sqn Jaguars over RAF Valley in number six formation before their retirement and the Swedish Air Force SAAB Gripen testing the new Meteor Missile.

The Meteor’s ramjet propulsion system will ensure a range in excess of 100 km and a speed of more than Mach 4. The Missile system will also be compatible and use on Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale and other advanced fighter aircraft such as JSF.

Army Air Corps Caernarfon 05-09 June 2006

Images of the three AH-Mk.1 Apache helicopters (version of the US Army Apache AH-64D) from the 662Sqn of the 3rd regiment based at Wattisham visiting Caernarfon airport for use of the Welsh MTA.

The first AH Mk1 Apache was handed over to the Ministry of Defence in April 2000, ZJ172 was one of eight UK Apaches built by Boeing at their Mesa, Arizona facility and shipped to the UK for final assembly and test. The first production Apache built by Westland Helicopters was delivered on time to the Ministry of Defence on July 31 2000. The first helicopter entered service in January 2001 designated as the AH Mk 1., 67 helicopters have been delivered to MOD, the last was formally handed over at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2004.

Many thanks to Captain Parsons, Captain Hillman and all RAF personnel for the warm hospitality.

RAF Valley Anglesey 2006

Images from RAF Valley, this military training base is situated on the Northwest coast of Anglesey, North Wales.

The Station opened on 13 February 1941, in No 9 Group, Fighter Command, and for the first few weeks of its existence was called Royal Air Force Rhosneigr after one of the nearby villages, but was re-named Royal Air Force Valley on 5 April 1941.

As a Master Diversion Airfield, RAF Valley was open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to receive all types of aircraft forced to divert due to bad weather. In 1980, the Station, and its relief landing ground at Mona, logged over 139,200 aircraft movements, which placed it amongst one of the busiest airfields in the UK, and justified its motto, ‘In Adversis Perfugium’ – ‘A Refuge in Adversity’.

March Field Aircraft Museum 2004

Images from my visit to March Museum in 2004, the Museum has a great selection of aircraft and I must say some of the best restored examples of aircraft I have ever seen.

Over 60 historic aircraft are on display both in and outside of the main museum building.

The museum is operated by the non-profit organization the March Field Museum Foundation.

Its support comes entirely from donations, contributions, and the proceeds from the gift shop, the museum opening hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. A well worth the visit and i hope one day i will be back.