[Closed] PSA: last HMS Gannet SeaKing flight

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 [i]really[/i] 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'....

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1480/24265687412_a1c56b8ca5_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1480/24265687412_a1c56b8ca5_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CYgZsU ]Snow Dumyat from office[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Over forth bridges right now.

Videos, pics, PLEEEEEEAAAASE!

Here they are flying through Glencoe earlier. [img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

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)

They sacked off India Juliet down here a while back - the TWO replacements just aren't the same taking off from about 1500mts down the road.
She's now residing somewhere in Sultan by all accounts to be pulled apart for training at some point 🙁

[img] [/img]

from Edinburgh Castle Esplanade - with my phone.

That. Was. Brillaint.

(curses to much in the camera from one of the kids last week... 🙁 )

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1674/23748749003_78be886d19_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1674/23748749003_78be886d19_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CbAxFH ]Rescue 177 final flight[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1464/23748764593_fde77dfef0_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1464/23748764593_fde77dfef0_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CbACjv ]Rescue 177 final flight[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1715/24079984630_0ed6066507_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1715/24079984630_0ed6066507_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CFSduN ]Rescue 177 final flight[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1555/24267318492_93c9992c12_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1555/24267318492_93c9992c12_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CYqmjY ]Rescue 177 final flight[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Sat in the work canteen watching them leave Prestwick this morning. Those guys will be missed, it was a pleasure to talk to them on the FIR frequency on nights. Interesting to see how the coastguard boys compare in their fancy new Sikorskys!

Had a nice view of them against the snowy Pentland hills from the top floor of the office here in Edinburgh. I would do unspeakable things to get a trip round Scotland like that on a day like today! Well jeal.

A few vids up on YouTube already, search against "rescue 177"

Weather looks stunning, perfect way to say farewell

I would do unspeakable things to get a trip round Scotland like that on a day like today! Well jeal.

Shot a quick iPhone video from Edinburgh castle, I'll upload it tonight. Cracking day for the flight and a fitting send off

I'll get some more online later, but this is all I've got so far:

[img] [/img]

https://twitter.com/MrKitCarruthers/status/687635932598669312

Anyone else think there is irony about the weather, having spent half their working life in white out and clouds? 😆

I've been fortunate to fly with 177 several times and also with their RAF colleagues. Also been fortunate to never need their rescue services.

I'll just come out and say it, I bloody love Sea Kings, in a proper child hero type way. A sorry sight to see them go, but they have put in a good shift.

Absolutely amazing,thanks for the flypast at the police college, you could only have been 200ft from us. It was awesome 😀 , far better than you promised, thank you.
we were the two dafties waving our arms in the middle of the playing fields 😆 .
You have done us a sterling service over the years.
I am glad to never have used you, but happy to know you were there.
well done folks, i salute you.

Great pictures matt!

Flying through glencoe earlier
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=927493907337410&id=590836837669787

That was a great little flight

A short video of the Sea Kings flying out the sun and past Dunbarton Rock. Sorry about the camera shake. That sound brings back a memory or two.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3mfd92

Must have been an emotional day for all of the crews.

Well done though.

Big thanks to you and your colleagues Tom. Hope you're having a party tonight.

It was filming / photo's.

ta, must have got some fantastic shots today

Noticed that you sped up past Govan 😉

even though it was a little stressful making sure we flew down the right valleys and made our times.

Cos a February night-time white out in Lochaber is a walk in the park 😉

Good job all for today and the past few decades. Like many on here when out in the mountains I've always bent an ear to the sound of an approaching helicopter and invariably and appreciably seen you and your RAF cousins out and about doing your thing.

We were waving from the roof of Alloa Academy as you flew down the Forth from Stirling. I'm so glad you flew past on the South side of the school, as if you'd passed on the North side I'd have looked like a right numptie.

Missed it as was skiing at the Shee however my wife and daughter did and said it was awesome.
20 years ago almost to the day Sqdn Ldr Nicky Smith hovered her machine above my head out the back of Glas Maol as I poured in my mate who had a massive head injury. Having had to resus him twice and control his fitting she did an epic job in the dark on a nasty site. Saved his life by getting him to Dundee at low level. Forever indebted.

^ this.

I watched a fellow forumite slip away, only for the 202 RAF boys sweep in (en route to sub at Gannet apparently), pluck him off Hellvellyn by touching down on one wheel for less than 30secs, with rotors tearing out bracken, and off to Carlisle hospital, where he woke two weeks later... He would not be here today if it were not for combine efforts of Ullswater MRT, 202 squadron and NHS staff.

Edit: I think that is why I had such a strong response to the plans for today. I grew up watching an old scool pupil become winchman, then through a career in the hills make many a prayer as I saw the paraffin budgies fly around the hills, eventually needing them desperately one day, and since then really appreciate the difference such a (beast) of a machine can make.

Bump for the daytime massive

Some of the news and official images were perfect for the 'visit Scotland 2016' campaign... 😆

Bloody missed it!

Was on Barassie beach and watched a single lonely Sea King fly by at about ten past two, hung about for a while then went for lunch. Only to get a message as soon as I went inside from my mate outside filming the proper fly past!

Gutted.

A green Sea King has just done a couple of laps of the industrial estate where I work, really low with the side door open and a couple of guys waving out of it! Was very cool (and loud!).

Initially I thought of this thread but apparently they just happened to be in the area and the wife of one of the crew works in the building opposite. Should've got some pics but was too busy watching it & wondering what the hell was going on!

Bit of excitement over Tintern abbey yesterday. 3! (yes 3! - is that all of them?) AH64 Apache's throwing shapes down the Wye.

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*likes*