Reds Flight Auction

[rugby_rules]

Red arrows flight being auctioned of to the general public for H4H.

Full story on BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/7566652.stm

 

[The Real Slim Shady]

What happens if the winning bid turns out to be somebody who is not physically fit to undertake the flight, or they have a bird strike after take off and the occupants have to eject? This is a crazy idea.
It has got to be a sad state of affairs if the Armed Forces need to raise money by auctioning off flights in its aircraft. Why can't the Government just pay up and look after it's servicemen and women properly without the need to resort to this type of money raising stunt.

 

[rest have risen above me]

What happens if the winning bid turns out to be somebody who is not physically fit to undertake the flight, or they have a bird strike after take off and the occupants have to eject? This is a crazy idea.
It has got to be a sad state of affairs if the Armed Forces need to raise money by auctioning off flights in its aircraft. Why can't the Government just pay up and look after it's servicemen and women properly without the need to resort to this type of money raising stunt.

The Red Arrows fly people in the back seat quite regularly normally not in displays. During their 5 week Cypriot holiday most afternoons a sortie is a pax flight for Stn personell and others as a thankyou for putting up with the noisy gits. These people are not trained aircrew but have all been briefed what to do in an emergency so a birdstrike isn't a problem. The health issue just means that the rich sod that pays for the flight might have to donate it to the latest bit of skirt he's trying to impress, or one of their loved ones.

As for the Government paying you are correct. They should pay. BUT they are not, so the forces have to do what they can to bridge the gap as the forces have always done. To do this we need to use ALL the weapons in our arsenal and if the Red Arrows can raise 15000 pound for one trip then good. Hopefully the Red Devils will put up a parachute jump or the Falcons. I'm not sure what the Navy can offer but maybe dinner at the Captains table could be mentioned. Captain of the Ark Royal would probably suffice, along with a helo trip out and back.

 

[mad_collie]

They eventually offered up all nine seats for auction, and raised £1.5 million just for the flights.

Good effort.DT_Xtremez_14:

Linky Clicky Thingy

 

[tag_lincoln]

Awesome, Good effort.





They're still tw@ts though.

 

[M&M]

LONDON (Reuters) - Woman pays 1.5Mil to fly with the Red Arrows for H4H. A British woman has paid 1.5 million pounds in a charity auction to fly with the Royal Air Force's aerobatic Red Arrows display jets, the Help for Heroes charity said on Monday.

Julie Heselden's winning bid gives her and eight family members or friends the opportunity to fly in the nine famous display Hawk jets after the Royal Air Force put the Red Arrows up for auction for the first time.

Heselden is married to Jimi Heselden. He owns HESCO Bastion, a company that makes temporary blast walls used widely by British and U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are speechless," the RAF said in a statement after Heselden's bid at the Heroes' Ball on Friday, a fundraiser for the HFH charity which provides support for servicemen and women injured in the line of duty.

"We know it is a special prize -- a once in a lifetime opportunity -- but we are all astounded that someone could be so generous," the RAF said.

"The RAF is genuinely delighted to have helped in raising such a fantastic amount of money for such a worthwhile charity."

Just under a year after being set up the HFH charity has raised more than 10 million pounds.

"The charity has grasped the imagination of the public as they become increasingly aware of the price some of our servicemen and women are paying in serving their country," said a spokesman for the charity.

(Reporting by John Joseph; Editing by David Clarke)

Well done the reds!DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[Throatarea]

The Blues

The Blues

The RED Arrows,

Top team, excellent reputation at home and abroad, with the young and old, male and female. Everyone who is British knows the Red Arrows. They are and always have been excellent PR for the RAF and for UKPlc.

The HFH flight auction was a brilliant idea, for one of the best and worthy causes, well done.DT_Xtremez_28:

Off Topic

The Blues.

Looking at their website I can understand the noncom ground crew and support staff where blue cos they are not the aircrew. But why the **** do the EngOs dress in Red. Surely they are Engineers and their allegiance should be to the engineers not the Aircrew. Or would it not look good in the mess!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rest have risen above me]

The RED Arrows,

Top team, excellent reputation at home and abroad, with the young and old, male and female. Everyone who is British knows the Red Arrows. They are and always have been excellent PR for the RAF and for UKPlc.

The HFH flight auction was a brilliant idea, for one of the best and worthy causes, well done.DT_Xtremez_28:

Off Topic

The Blues.

Looking at their website I can understand the noncom ground crew and support staff where blue cos they are not the aircrew. But why the **** do the EngOs dress in Red. Surely they are Engineers and their allegiance should be to the engineers not the Aircrew. Or would it not look good in the mess!!!!!!!!!!!

Rumours are it comes from a previous SEngO who was fed up of being ignored in the mess.

1.5 Million is a result..DT_Xtremez_19: