Culdrose - Where have they all gone??!!

[Aircraftpaulcornwall]

Hi All,
Have you all noticed how, over a number of months now - there has, (seemingly) been a major decrease in the number of regular traffic movements over our area!!
Apart from the occasional Merlins & Sea Kings on the 'night flying' nights of Tuesday & Thursday, there seems to be almost nothing, apart from a sparse Hawk and a very rare Avenger or Falcon!! Our good friends, 771 Sqn SAR Sea Kings seem to be active as usual 24/7 - but, apart from this not too much!! Any ideas??--Paul

[buzzer]

Easter leave,and some of the front line cabs are away either on deployment,or attending exercise joint warrior in Scotland!

[Aircraftpaulcornwall]

Hi buzzer,
Many thanks mate - that may well account for much of it - but, have you noticed, even before the Easter leave, there has been a decrease in traffic (at least over our area!) --Paul

[Aircraftpaulcornwall]

Hi Cornish-guy,
Yes, many thanks mate - my thoughts precisely also!! - Those days seem to be long gone unfortunately.
Years ago there was always something flying around, either from CU or EGDG etc, but not so much nowadays!! --Paul

[EGDR]

I have noticed a small decrease in flying, then again, like Buzzer said you have to take in into account deployments, exercises etc. 820 Squadron have been very busy on exercises testing the Mk.2 Merlins. Yesterday there were a few Hawks and King Airs around with a few Merlins out on the pans. A few days ago (don't remember when) I had the scanner going and I heard three King Airs up. For fast jets, last I knew of were a couple of F-15s playing off the north coast on Monday which again I had on the scanner. There's been quite a few OTT transport movements, no doubt increased by Red Flag a few weeks ago, but they're always nice to see
Flying this week has also likely been affected by maintenance on the Watchman radar as stated on ATIS (I believe the dome is being put back on).

[NickB]

My Dad has watched aircraft at CU from 1947... thankfully he is still with us and likens Culdrose to a holiday camp now (never a man to mince his words)!!!

At one time the airfield was full of aircraft (as were the skies) - even the hangars on W site were full by all accounts. When you hear stories of RNAS St Merryn closing and moving their 50 (yes 50!!!) Sea Furies to CU along with a host of other aircraft, it begins to paint a picture... add to that St Mawgan & St Eval being active at the same time, then the skies over Cornwall were a very different place.

Completely different times I know, but what I would give for a time machine and a good quality DSLR...

[Aircraftpaulcornwall]

Hi Kyle & Nickb,
Many thanks for the very interesting replies from you both - glad to see a few fast jets around every now and then and yes, CU was so different all those years ago.
I remember as a boy seeing a lot of a/c and helicopters especially flying around - everything from Bell Sioux, Whirlwinds and even Dragonflies and in the later years,
Shacks and Canberras also - those were the days certainly!!! --Paul