Tornado's in the sky!

[Hot_Wheelz]

Was down in New Brighton working today and looked up to see two Tornado's flying in formation on approach to YYC.

I'm sure it's probably just Britain coming over here to train with us, but did anyone else see them? Or know why they're here? Looked like they were carrying long range tanks. I'm pretty sure Britain and Germany are the only ones who still fly these into Canada

just a pic of one if you don't know what they look like:
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04_05/jetL2504_800x545.jpg


:D

[Ven]

I believe they were here last year as well. I like 'em, I hope they return all the time.

[Jay911]

I was at the viewing area at the airport having lunch when they came in. ID'd on radio as "JACKAL 11" (one-one) and parked at the Shell Aerocenter.

It was hard to get any decent pics of them at the Aerocenter thru the fence, but..

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-sjc1/hs329.snc3/29082_393299117115_636707115_4687635_3094571_n.jpg

JACKAL is, from what I can tell from net searches, the callsign for 12 Squadron out of a base in Scotland (something like Essiemouth is the name).

[Zhariak]

So we all know the military uses Shell now!

Isn't that some potentially sick marketting!

(I'm joking, I know they are stuck with whatever is at the airport...)

[Jay911]

Just heard from another colleague that Maple Flag is about to begin at Cold Lake, so that's why they're here.

[Hot_Wheelz]

omg i want to go see the jets at cold lake now!

[syritis]

there was a LOT more here last summer.
i work right by the airport and dam these things are loud. always exciting to see one or two cocky pilots that decided to take off and go straight up. otherwise they're pass visibility before coming over the horizon

[AndyL]

They're in and out all the time - usually doing training down at suffield (?).

Every blue moon we used to see a harrier coming/going from YYC - Now those are FRIGGIN COOL to watch do a STOL. Maybe use 50' of runway - still well within the hash marks when they're up...

[Jay911]

When they were coming in to the airport it was kind of amusing. The airport was pretty hectic at that point, with aircraft coming and going on the main runway about as fast as they could get fit in. More than once the tower told planes "Cleared for takeoff, no delay once in position", meaning get in the air right now - another plane is coming in for a landing right away.

It was easy to tell that Jackal 11 was not a usual flight - he sounded like he was speaking through an oxygen mask. They were cleared for landing on runway 34 "in formation". Then.. "Okay sir, is that the speed you're going to land at?" "Jackal one-one, a-firm."

They landed a wee bit faster than the average passenger jet. :)

[Spoons]

Originally posted by AndyL
They're in and out all the time - usually doing training down at suffield (?).

Another point of where no one else reads others posts.

It was said above. Most military actions in the world are coalition forces. Maple Flag is a war game up in Cold Lake where they practice how to work together. Happens ever year, usually around this time, which is why they are here.

Suffield would make no sense. To my knowledge they don't have a live fire range for fighters.

[badatusrnames]

Originally posted by Spoons
Suffield would make no sense. To my knowledge they don't have a live fire range for fighters.


Sharp-eyed sky watchers in southern Alberta may spot a pair of British war planes streaking through the clouds over the next few days.

A pair of Tornado fighter-bombers touched down at the Calgary International Airport Monday, bound for a week-long training exercise on Canadian Forces Base Suffield, located 250 km southeast of Calgary.

Nicole Burt, a public affairs officer for the base, said the Royal Air Force ground-attack fighters will be used to add a realistic air element for Exercise Prairie Thunder, a simulation being held on the base throughout the month of May.

“They’re just coming out for about a week to do some basic flying missions for the simulated exercise,” she said.

“They’re there to provide the feeling for the ground troops of experiencing overhead flights and to use radar tracking.”

The jets and their crews are from 12 Squadron based out of RAF station Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, the United Kingdom’s main Tornado base.

The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) has taken advantage of the spacious southern Alberta base for several years and has a continual rotation of some 1,400 troops there throughout the year.

Burt said beyond flying from Calgary and back once the exercise is concluded, the jets will only be flying over Suffield so air aficionados won’t have too many opportunities to spot the planes.

http://calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/05/10/13898276.html

[AndyL]

No - Cold lake wouldn't make sense - there's an appropriate airstrip there that can accomodate tornados... Suffield is where the multinational training is normally done - and calgary is the closest runway that'll take the jets.

[Jay911]

I wasn't exactly sure that they would land at Calgary for Maple Flag, for the reasons identified above, but I just reported what I was told. Thanks for the clarification.

[Cos]

Saw some flying around on monday, saw some coming in on Thursday, and got a really good view on Friday of them landing.

[nonlinear]

it's spelled "t-o-r-n-a-d-o-e-s."

[Spoons]

Originally posted by AndyL
No - Cold lake wouldn't make sense - there's an appropriate airstrip there that can accomodate tornados... Suffield is where the multinational training is normally done - and calgary is the closest runway that'll take the jets.

No Cold Lake is where aerial coalition training is normally done ie. Maple Flag. Ground coalition training maybe, but not aerial.

And Cold Lake can't accommodate Tornado's? You really need to check your sources.

Never the less I guess they were bound to Suffield, but not as aerial coalition training, only to add realism to their exercise. I always thought Maple Flag was around this time. :confused:


Originally posted by nonlinear
it's spelled "t-o-r-n-a-d-o-e-s."

No, it would be Tornado's, it is being used as a name.

[badatusrnames]

Originally posted by Spoons


No Cold Lake is where aerial coalition training is normally done ie. Maple Flag. Ground coalition training maybe, but not aerial.

And Cold Lake can't accommodate Tornado's? You really need to check your sources.

You misread. He meant that having them fly in and out of Calgary would make no sense if they were here for training exercises in Cold Lake, as Cold Lake has a runway that could accommodate them.

[Jay911]

Originally posted by Spoons
No, it would be Tornado's, it is being used as a name.

Actually, unless you are talking about something the aircraft possesses, it would be Tornados. You would talk about the Tornado's engines or the Tornado's pilot, or if you are contracting the word is, as in, "The Tornado's being piloted by a mad man!" :rofl:

[Spoons]

Originally posted by Jay911


Actually, unless you are talking about something the aircraft possesses, it would be Tornados. You would talk about the Tornado's engines or the Tornado's pilot, or if you are contracting the word is, as in, "The Tornado's being piloted by a mad man!" :rofl:

Touche :rofl:

Oh and Andy I did read wrong. But Aerial coalition exercises are done in Cold Lake, not Suffield.

[Supa Dexta]

I've been on the bombing range and had to shut down oil rigs when maple flag starts up.. It is definitely cold lake. There are always jets doing fly bys at low alt. year round though, to shake shit up.. :rofl:

There was just a couple of fighters flying around the south end of the city.. No idea what they are though.

[scary_perry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNp4ghGiMJk

[AndyL]

Sharp-eyed sky watchers in southern Alberta may spot a pair of British war planes streaking through the clouds over the next few days.

A pair of Tornado fighter-bombers touched down at the Calgary International Airport Monday, bound for a week-long training exercise on Canadian Forces Base Suffield, located 250 km southeast of Calgary.

Nicole Burt, a public affairs officer for the base, said the Royal Air Force ground-attack fighters will be used to add a realistic air element for Exercise Prairie Thunder, a simulation being held on the base throughout the month of May.

“They’re just coming out for about a week to do some basic flying missions for the simulated exercise,” she said.

“They’re there to provide the feeling for the ground troops of experiencing overhead flights and to use radar tracking.”

The jets and their crews are from 12 Squadron based out of RAF station Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, the United Kingdom’s main Tornado base.

The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) has taken advantage of the spacious southern Alberta base for several years and has a continual rotation of some 1,400 troops there throughout the year.

Burt said beyond flying from Calgary and back once the exercise is concluded, the jets will only be flying over Suffield so air aficionados won’t have too many opportunities to spot the planes.

[email protected]
http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/05/10/13898276.html

:closed:

[Spoons]

Originally posted by AndyL

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/05/10/13898276.html

:closed:

Another fine example on how nobody else reads anyone else's posts. That was posted already.

[Jay911]

And why should the thread be closed?