TMk1 flying at RAF Valley will see the end of a role for 208 Squadron. There is a slim chance that a space may be found for 208 Squadron in the new Hawk TMk2 training system but the formulation of such a construct is far from clear at present.
Despite the ample supplies of doom and gloom currently available you will be glad to know that the Squadron continues to make the best of the situation with no shortage of flying and plenty of social events to raise everyone’s spirits. The go ahead will be given for another year of the Hawk Display with Flight Lieutenant Jules Fleming now well into her work-up for the 2011 season. The Squadron recently sent 4 aircraft to Gibraltar for an Overseas Training Flight (OTF) and another 4 to Berlin for an OTF and force development training. Flight Lieutenant Geoff Sheppard has recently returned from an arduous trip to Nairobi advising the Kenyan Air Force and of course Flight Lieutenant Roger Cruikshank still manages to make the RAF look like a part time job by spending most of the winter skiing (for the RAF I am assured)! Last June the Squadron hosted 4 Alpha Jets and their crews from FAF Tours with members of the Squadron able to experience flying in an alternative the Hawk (there was no contest) (A picture of the Alpha Jets appear on the front page of the Newsletter Section). The French seemed to greatly enjoy their stay and made enthusiastic use of our low flying system. The visit was rounded of with a combined dining-in night in the Officers Mess which was quite an event which would be a pleasure to repaet when our low flying system has recovered. Wee plan a return visit to France in May this year with a Tactical Weapons detachment from Cazaux followed immediately by a week in Tours for the Advanced Training Element.
Planning is now well underway for the Squadron Association Day and 95th Anniversary celebration at Valley on 10th June, with the possibility of some commemorative Welsh Whisky to aid the celebrations The day is sure to be a 208 Squadron event not to be missed and I hope to meet many of you there on the day. That is all for this year and I sincerely hope to be writing another update for you in 12 months time
