PSA: last HMS Gannet SeaKing flight

For anyone up here.

I wonder if my boss will notice my 10:30 Skype çall being made from Glencoe…

http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2016/01/11/royal-navy-helicopter-heroes-plan-final-fly-past-over-mountain-rescue-scenes

WIll try and get either up to Greenock or down to Troon, the wee one likes helicopters 🙂

I should be out surveying a road line near Roybridge then, will listen out. Thanks for the tip.

Maybe a bike ride to the Erskine Bridge Thursday morning.

That will be emotional. I knew a RN Seaking pilot who did the search and rescue up there (in the 70’s 😳 ) fabulous for them using their skills and for those they rescued.

My boss just texted back – her husband is off to see it, maybe a staff day out needed… 😀

hopefully catch a glimpse out the window in Monkton.

I spent 6 years of my life at Gannet, 819NAS and then Gannet SAR once the front line ASW flight was disbanded. Some of my fondest naval memories are from there.

Whahay! Weather I don’t think is to be great, they will need to be looooow.

I plan on putting this out to our schools across Scotland on social media today – those in rural areas particularly will know the aircraft. any chance of a school or few on the route getting a wiggle or low pass? 😉

And in all seriousness, all our office will be at the base of the Wallace Monument….

Imagine you’ll be over Struthers Primary and heading for Loans as usual on the Troon run? i’ll be the one with an enthusiastic toddler waving 🙂

i also spent a huge chunk of my time in the navy based at Gannet or on 819 nas . when i joined Gannet in 77 it was known as her majesties penal colony Scotland . more salty old jocks than that and hardly a gcb in sight .

Crosses fingers it gets lost and ends up over Halifax.

tcomc1000, i’ll hopefully be standing on the playing fields at the police college at Kincardine with the boys from work, i’ll give a big wave.

I don’t really get the out sourcing of search and rescue. Does it not provide amazing continuous training for all the military crew, perfect for when they go into combat. Living in Somerset near RNAS Yeovilton, they are constantly flying various big and small helicopters around these parts for training and doing all manner of manoeuvres and obviously combat training. There is certainly not a shortage of helicopters in the armed services around here. Would search and rescue not help to provide some additional, seat of the pants training as well as providing a national service to the public?

You would think eh? I had the same thought regarding the army and the amount of infrastructure work needing done, considering they built the original Kincardine bridge (RE IIRC) you would think it would be easily achievable for them to knock up some temporary roads and bridges at least. Good training that.

Lived and worked in close proximity to Gannet for a fair few years now, you sort of take the seaking for granted, unless it goes really low over the house, which is ace.

Bristow replacement just doesn’t have the same grunt.

ETA at prestwick buddy?.

Enjoy yer last flight, as Kit rightly says, sterling work over the years.

We at work will be up the Wallace Monument view area, I suspect with half the uni!

Looking forward to the waggle at Kincardine 😀 .

Never needed rescued but have watched your work with admiration over the decades.

One of the green sea kings rescued my buddy in the Lakes, as they were heading up to Gannet and were in the Eden Valley when the call came in…

😀

I’m not on the flight path for this unfortunately but I saw you leaving Inverness after your last Nevis call out (2nd Jan?) and gave you a wave then 🙂

Anything nice/special planned for Lochaber? I know the local lads are keen to get some final pics?
You will be missed!

Excircised with Rescue 177 many a time with the Troon Lifeboat. Happy days, sad to see the trusty Bird retired

Have a great day!

Perfect crispy, windless morning, and a nice sunrise over Gannet.

Enjoy your day Tcomc!

Another Ex 819 SAR engineer here, proud to have served on the squadron and had many a good time. I’m currently working at Edinburgh Airport so will be listening out for you guys

Both Sea Kings (plus escort of a Puma or Lynx? Couldn’t get a proper look) have just left Glasgow Heliport around a minute ago. Looks like they might have even been cleaned for the occasion 😉

Ignore the above, was three Sea Kings

Excircised with Rescue 177 many a time with the Troon Lifeboat. Happy days, sad to see the trusty Bird retired

Small world, you’ll know Iain then?

Some more of the staff and students are going to come out and watch at the college as well.

It is going to be a cracking ride the crews – the weather here is stunning… I look forward to the forthcoming pics and youtube vid of Highlands from the air in snow…

View from my desk is ‘OK’….

Snow Dumyat from office by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Over forth bridges right now.

Videos, pics, PLEEEEEEAAAASE!

Here they are flying through Glencoe earlier.

just flew over my office (Edinburgh) at about 200 feet!

vintagewino – Member
just flew over my office (Edinburgh) at about 200 feet!

Ditto!

Yup, just flew right over my house in a nice V formation. Bye bye Rescue 177! (& a much better c/s than Coastguard 999 which is a right mouthful)