Muckaway:
I’ve been parked beside the runway at Brize when the Vulcan was based there briefly after it’s restoration; shook the lorry like mad when she took off Those Antonovs are impressive to watch too, especially when you’ve seen how much they’ve been loaded with
I’ve been in the cockpit of the Antanov 225 when it was at Manchester airport.
I was an airside coach driver who was taking crews to hotels and back to their planes, the 225 kept getting delayed, so they were back and forth.
Very old looking inside, but the crew were great, gave me some poison that they claimed was coffee, told me about changing an engine somewhere in the artics and they carry spare wheels etc and are all engineers, mechanics and pilots, everyone does everything.
The wind destroyed a radar station at Byron Heights in the Falklands in 1994, literally blew half of it over the mountain. At the time the RAF had nothing big enough to fetch the repairs down with so they chartered an antonov. Had a good look around it and then we had a game of footy inside the aircraft with the crew.
Muckaway:
I’ve been parked beside the runway at Brize when the Vulcan was based there briefly after it’s restoration; shook the lorry like mad when she took off Those Antonovs are impressive to watch too, especially when you’ve seen how much they’ve been loaded with
I’ve been in the cockpit of the Antanov 225 when it was at Manchester airport.
I was an airside coach driver who was taking crews to hotels and back to their planes, the 225 kept getting delayed, so they were back and forth.
Very old looking inside, but the crew were great, gave me some poison that they claimed was coffee, told me about changing an engine somewhere in the artics and they carry spare wheels etc and are all engineers, mechanics and pilots, everyone does everything.
We normally get the Antonov landing on a Tuesday at DHL East Midlands, the windows shake when it is leaving and I live about 4 miles away from the runway.
Muckaway:
Our firm just gave them other work Once the lime spreading and Banbury flood defense contract’s finished, I bet they’ll be keen to get on to Brize to throw off the likes of me who’ve been glad of anything aslong as I get paid and it’s easy work…
As a slight derail. I used to deliver to many of the Lincolnshire air bases. Waddington, Cranwell and Scampton being the most difficult to access, but because I went every day I was given an Access All Areas pass, they even let me park near the runway for lunch to watch the Vulcans training. I love RAF bases and Water [/quote]
We have passes for some bases, don’t go to Brize enough and it makes life easier. Never had to pay for a crb check, though we have ministry clearance so that most likely supercedes the CRB anyway.
I’ve been in the cockpit of an Antonov as well as far as I could tell it was held together with gaffer tape. Last time we loaded it and it took off, it lurched rather heavily to one side and the office wallahs that had come to see it trundle up the runway breathed a collective gasp as we feared for the lives of the Preston Locals, given what was in it. I’ve got a pic somewhere of 4 trucks parked under its wings looking like dinky toys.
I have been at the controls of a Chipmunk basic trainer but have never delivered owt on a tipper to an airfield but did building supplies airside in an artic once. Had to remove every little stone from all wheels before crossing runway, and that included the spare.
while working in camps in northern Ireland some years ago before the cease fire 1995 ish ,laying ducting for the army’s new computer system we had some tarmac delivered by an army approved contractor this was hand lay via tarmac chutes ,the truck was an 6x4 merc , i noticed to chains hanging from the rear of the cab
when i enquired what they were for ,"its to stop the cab snapping off when its tilted " the cab was bulletproof
massive thick glass no opening windows ,but an air con pod on top ,non traceable plates etc
he told us a few story’s of being pushed out of quarry’s with the loading shovel when he was found to be supplying the army ,and could only use a few places
we had long family history checks prior to the job ,and could get in most places with the passes we had
raymundo:
I have been at the controls of a Chipmunk basic trainer but have never delivered owt on a tipper to an airfield but did building supplies airside in an artic once. Had to remove every little stone from all wheels before crossing runway, and that included the spare.
We have to sheet muck up if we are airside; no problem with easysheets and I sheet everything (unless it’s full of wire-helps reduce the “a stone blew off complaints”), but we have some drivers who take exception to being told what to do…
When i drove tippers the company i worked for owned land on RAF valley and we regularly went for loads of sand there. We had to be escorted across two runways and were then left alone to go down a track to the place we loaded the sand. When returning we had to phone for an ■■■■■■ to cross the runways but they never had us check the tyres for debris?..still got my pass for Valley camp in my wallet complete with ugly mugshot
They call it F.O.D,foreign object debris,a small item can ruin a jet engine,in the process of ■■■■,squeeze,bang,blow,to create thrust,the item gets in the blades.
Engineers,have been known the leave spanners and pens inside the engines,in error.
toby1234abc:
They call it F.O.D,foreign object debris,a small item can ruin a jet engine,in the process of ■■■■,squeeze,bang,blow,to create thrust,the item gets in the blades.
Engineers,have been known the leave spanners and pens inside the engines,in error.
Those Antonovs are impressive to watch too, especially when you’ve seen how much they’ve been loaded with
Once the lime spreading and Banbury flood defense contract’s finished, I bet they’ll be keen to get on to Brize to throw off the likes of me who’ve been glad of anything aslong as I get paid and it’s easy work… 
