Would it be my last visit to Linton as an active airfield ? I sincerely hope not, but all the conversations I had seemed to indicate the writing was to be put on the runways in the shape of X’s
For those of you that have never visited, it’s such a pleasant place. The ever present breeze, views to Sutton Bank, hardly any car noise and usually the wonderful songs from the Skylarks. Unusually I cannot remember hearing one this visit ! Perhaps they are too sad to sing ? Anyway drying the tears away, to my report. Four Tucarno’s and thee Grobs were on the apron. No’s ZF140,142,147,139, 346 came out later. The others were on a Nav exercise at Valley. The complete apron was laid out with extingwhishers which may be routine ? Perhaps some one can tell us. Out came the sandwiches and flask. “Wait, there goes the RT”only got 12 but it was going for the ILS and a L.A. There she was five miles out from 21. Quite a lot of haze around her! A Typhoon perhaps ? Then she came
my first F35b lightning. “Noisy she was” with her fan hood up pulling away and then she was gone ! “Made my day it did” ! A chap came from the Norwich area and we had a long chat about all things aviation. Not a lot else happened activity wise, solo flights, practice pans the usual training stuff. All usual for them but a dream for us wannabe,s ! I gentleman arrived who was ex RAF ATC and we had over an hours very interesting conversation in which he kindly corrected and improved my ATC understanding. Apparently the reason for building the new tower at Linton “I did not know this” was to improve the visibility when aircraft do RH circuits from 10 and LHs from 28 “I hope I’ve got that right” ? Well it seems all aircraft will be gone from Linton sometime in October should the worst happen. Another interesting bit of gen received was that not all the decisions on fast jet streaming are taken at Linton. Apparently they can tell who will make the grade at Cranwell. The viewing area had to clear twice for fuel bowsers carrying 20000 litres of a Avtur, these bowsers had 12 litre American engines in them said there crew. The phone rang “your tea will be ready in an hour” said the boss ! So chairs loaded and that’s it from Linton ! Hopefully we will get to know when the last flight past will be so we can all go and have a good sob
