24-05-12
Chinook Gate Guardian and the new Mk.4 cab.
22-08-11
RAF to recieve 14 new Mk.6 cabs
11-05-09
RAF Odiham to remain open!
25-07-06
60(R) Sqn visit RAF Odiham
25-07-06
25 Years of the RAF Chinook:
11-05-05
18(B) Sqn Anniversary:
27-10-03
Night flying news release:
20-04-02
18(B) Sqn are to organise a reunion dinner for all Aircrew and Groundcrew who served with 18(B)Sqn
during Operation Corporate.
01-02-02
As a result of the majority of 16 Air Assualt Brigade being tasked elsewhere in the world,
only 1 Parachute Regiment took part in Exercise Eagles Flight. The Support Helicopters were based at Westdown Camp
on Salibury Plain with the actual amount/type of rotory aircraft as follows: Three 27 Sqn Chinooks, Two 33 Sqn Puma's
and One 28 Sqn Merlin.
10-01-02
Up to six Chinook helicopters have been tasked for the first of this years major exercises, Ex Eagles Flight 02
will be taking place in the South of England at various locations including SPTA, Keevil, Hullavington, Lulworth
and Chivenor before moving to East Anglia for the last couple of days.
Due to run from 21-01-02 through to 01-02-02, there should be plenty of Helicopter activity witnessed as the SHF
support the 16th Air Assault Brigade in moving troops and their equipment around the locations.
26-11-01
RAF Odiham stays !
27-09-01
A public meeting is to be held on the 27-09-01 in Odiham town to inform the public of the latest news on the possible
relocation of the RAF's Chinook fleet to Yeovilton in Somerset. Although the RAF have denied any rumours that a decision has been made
already, people in the local area are worried about what would happen if the base were to close. The official announcement is not expected until December.
09-07-01
Exercise Eagles Strike is due to take place in Southern England and East Anglia in military training areas from the 16th to 28th of July with a
number of Chinooks taking part. The Army Air Corps new addition, the Apache Longbow, should also be taking part.
08-05-01
The MOD have announced further military training areas are to open, this includes the Salisbury Plain
Training Area(SPTA) which will be a great relief to both the Army and RAF alike. Up until now RAF helicopters have been
restricted to landing at RAF stations ONLY
01-05-01
Exercise Eagles Lift, which was due to take place in June 01, has been another victim caused by the
restrictions of the Foot and Mouth crises. The Exercise which was supposed to be held on SPTA has had to be cancelled this year as Salisbury plain
remains closed.
09-04-01
The MOD have announced that 21 Military Training Areas have been cleared for access for training purposes,
it is hoped that yet more will be open in the near future so that the British Army and the RAF will be able to work
together in forthcoming exercises.
27-03-01
Because of the restrictions on low flying and general training caused by the F&M crises, the crews
at RAF Odiham have been utilising the geographical contour of the airfield. An increase in the use of the TAC park
for USL training and inclines on the South side of the runway for
Sloping Ground, has meant that some training can continue.
11-03-01
The Official RAF Odiham web site goes on-line. With information
about the Station Structure, History, Welfare, Community relations and location map, it is sure to be a big hit
for both the general public and serving personnel.
02-03-01
Some of the pictures from Exercise Eagles Flight
are published in the latest issue of the RAF NEWS. Issue No.1018 contains
an article on the RAF's role in Eagles Flight 2001 with pictures to support the text.
26-02-01
Due to the Foot & Mouth crises that has hit the U.K within the past week, the MOD has announced that
low flying training for Rotary aircraft will be cancelled till further notice. This drastic move is to help
prevent the possible transportation of the disease to/from remote training fields around the country.
25-02-01
Although Exercise Druids Dance is due to start on 26th of February, the SHF Chinook's are not to be
tasked until 6th March--16th March.
09-02-01
Up to six cabs will be used on the next Exercise Druids Dance said to run from 26th February-18th March
on and around the SPTA.
31-01-01
Unfortunately due to the bad weather on Salisbury plain, most of the flying has been delayed or cancelled
for the first couple of days of Ex Eagles Flight. However I have managed to get some
pictures of the SHF in action on Salisbury Plain.
25-01-01
More details have been released about Ex Eagles Flight which is due to start next week (29-01-01) through to 09-02-01.
20-12-00
The latest news is that Four cabs from 27 Sqn will be involved in Ex Eagles Flight 2001.
13-12-00
The first of next years EAGLES exercises will take place towards the end of January /
start of February 2001.
07-11-00
RAF Odiham have distributed a Chinook helicopter from 18 & 27 Sqn to help with supplying sandbags to the towns of Barlby
and Selby in Yorkshire. A second week of heavy rainfall has meant that the River Ouse is on flood alert and the
military services are now using Chinook helicopters to drop off thousands of sandbags to line the edges of
the river.
24-10-00
It was announced by the media late yesterday that RAF Odiham is amongst a short list of bases
to be SHUT DOWN!! The newly formed Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) is thought
to be looking at improving the way the helicopter force is operated and one of the options would be to move the
whole of the Chinook fleet to Yeovilton where they would use the then empty Southside of the runway. Other
options would be to make Yeovilton the base for the 16th Air Assault Brigade Lynx and Gazelle fleet or the RAF's
"new" Merlin helicopter.
10-9-00
The RAF Chinook takes centre stage, literally, at the Middle Wallop Airshow this weekend as it
participates in the massed approach and an airfield assault demonstration. Pictures of the Chinooks in action will appear very shortly.
4-9-00
RAF Shawbury's 60(R)Sqn have brought three Griffin helicopters to RAF Odiham
for another week of "Tactical Training" utilising the field system's that Odiham have to offer.
10-8-00
Two Chinook's will be participating in the Middle Wallop International Air Show MWIAS between the 7th
and 10th of September. It was initially thought that they would also be included in the Helimeet competition
but this is not to be. I'm sure they would do well!!
24-7-00
Air Traffic Control (ATC) Odiham will be extremely busy this week because of the Farnborough 2000 airshow
taking place nearby. ATC Odiham have taken on the task of making the RAF Odiham airfield available to
business jets visiting the airshow, this allows Farnborough to focus on the visiting
participating airshow
traffic that dominate their airfield. The normal visits of private jets such as Gulfstreams etc to Farnborough
have had to divert to RAF Odiham to be able to drop off and pick up passengers either visiting the airshow or
arriving as ferry passengers from BAe sites or abroad.
17-7-00
A single "Nook" turned up at the Chivenor open day on 12th July only to go U/S when it
was needed for the airfield assault exercise. Speaking to one of the crew, they said "we've broken
something and are trying to fix it".
8-7-00
A practice formation flypast flight took place around the area of Odiham airfield this
afternoon in preparation for the Military Tattoo flypasts taking place from the 9th to 15th of July.
Four Seaking's, a single Puma and a Chinook took part.
Later in the evening the Falcons parachute display team practiced jumping from the Puma and Chinook
onto the airfield.
5-7-00
A Puma and Chinook are expected to do a parachute drop over Odiham airfield on Saturday the 8th of July
between 18.00 and 19.30. It is not known why at this stage.
27-6-00
The RAF Odiham "Wokka" site gets a mention in the House of Commons during the ongoing debate about the
Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash.
One MP is reported to have said " The RAF Odiham's Chinook Wokka site is very good".
20-6-00
As expected, 60(R)Sqn have brought three of there Griffin's to RAF Odiham for a week of "Tactical Training"
to take place utilising the field system that Odiham have to offer. They arrived between 12.00 and 13.00 local time
on Monday.
14-6-00
One or more of the Chinooks from Odiham are due took to take part in Artillery 2000 taking place
on Larkhill range from the 29th of June to the 1st July, they are expected to bring in underslung 105mm Light guns
to be used during the exhibition.
12-05-00
Three Griffin's from 60(R)Sqn are due to arrive at Odiham on 19-06-00 for a week of low fly
training, this will involve the use of LFA 1B's extensive field system.
06-05-00
Two Chinooks have left for Sierra Leone
06-03-00
The latest news on 657 Sqn is that they are due to move to Odiham on 01-07-00 (July)
19-2-00
Unfortunately because of strong winds the abseiling and parachuting never took place. They were used
for "dry runs" for troops to learn how to disembark and unload from the back of the helicopter. Also an extensive
group of sorties which included under slung loads from South Cerney as base camp to both Hullavington and Keevil
airfields.
11-2-00 Four Chinooks from 27 Sqn "B" Flight will be taking part in Eagle Flight 2000
to be held between
14th-25th of February. Whilst at South Cerney paratroopers will take part in abseiling
and parachuting from the
helicopters.
It is known that 657 Sqn from Dishforth with it's Lynx helicopters will be moving to RAF Odiham and joining
7 Sqn in it's hangar in 2000 and that there are some internal moves taking place between hangars.
The Secretary of State for Defence, The Right Honorable Philip Hammond MP visited Royal Air Force Odiham today to view
the newly-into-service Chinook Mk 4 helicopter.
During his visit, Mr Hammond also unveiled a Chinook ‘gate guardian’, a generous gesture from the Royal Air Force’s
Chinook Defence partner, Boeing Rotorcraft UK.
Full story here.
The Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has visited RAF Odiham today to announce that the MOD have signed a £1BN contract with Boeing to supply 14 new Chinook
helicopters for the RAF, the new cab will be known as Mk.6 variants.
The signing of the contract today will bring the UK's overall number of Chinooks to 60 making it the largest fleet in Europe.
Click here for a full story.
It has been announced that RAF Odiham is to remain open as Project Belvedere has been cancelled please read the Offical Press release for further details.
The Station Commander, Gp Capt Andy Turner is qouted as saying: "The cancellation of Programme BELVEDERE and the long term basing of Chinooks at RAF Odiham is great news for us,
our families and the local community. It will allow us to cement already strong relationships locally and do our best for our servicemen and women and their families."
RAF Shawbury's 60(R)Sqn will be visiting RAF Odiham from the 4-8th of September as part of their Tactical Deployment training,
expect to see up to three Griffin helicopters flying tactical sorties with underslung loads. They will utilising the extensive local field systems
for navigational purposes.
On the 27th of July RAF Odiham will be celebrating 25 years of the RAF Chinook operating at the airbase. RAF Chinooks have seen action in almost every
British military operation from the Falklands conflict through to the very latest evacuation of foreign nationals from Lebanon.
18(B) are to organise an association reunion at the 18 Sqn Hangar on the 11th of May 2005, exactly 90 years to the day since 18Sqn were formed.
To commemorate this occasion a cab has been painted with nose art plus the squadron crest. Later in the year, in June,
there will be a Squadron families day which will include flying displays, BBQ, kiddies events and of coarse the bar !!
The night-flying phase of an Operational Conversion Flight (OCF) will take place from Monday the 27th of October till Tuesday the 11th of November (Monday-Thursday each week). There are to be two waves of aircraft each evening, the first 17-30 till 19-30 and second 20-30 till 11-30. Times could vary up to 01-00.
Any enquiries about the increase in Night Flying from Odiham should be directed to the Corporate Communications Officer on 01256 704280.
Click here for more details
Click here to view some images from the exercise.
I hope to capture some images of the action as it takes place, watch this space !
Rumours of the RAF base closing and the Chinook
Support Helicopter Force (SHF) base relocating to the Royal Naval station of Yeovilton were ended today as the
MOD decided not to close RAF Odiham and to keep it open for "cost and operational reasons", this is good news
for both station crews and local members of public.
It is also known that the Chinook Helicopters have now been cleared to fly low level down to ground level but MUST NOT
LAND, basically hovering is now allowed in the field systems of LFA 1B.
The Exercise consist of the following:
Up to 1,800 soldiers, 400 wheeled vehicles and 40 Lynx and Gazelle helicopters from 16th Air Assault Brigade.
RAF support will also be a key, in the form of 6 Chinook and 2 Puma helicopters, and 2 Hercules aircraft
and 2 Jaguar fast jets.
The exercise will be conducted within the following military training areas: SPTA; Keevil; Hullavington;
Barton Stacey; Chivenor; Castlemartin and Pembrey ranges.
The Chinooks are due to start work from 30-01-01 onwards, moving under slung loads and troops to some of the
locations listed.
Ex EAGLES FLIGHT will be taking place in the South of England, conducted by the 16th
Air Assault Brigade with the Support Helicopter Force(SHF) aiding with the movement of troops and supplies
in the "Field". Take a look at
Exercise Eagles Flight 2000.
More details soon.
As always I will keep you posted on what is happening on the base.
Another "Nook" was seen in action at Yeovilton airshow on 15th July, it was participating in yet
another airfield assault along with Seakings, Lynx and Gazelle's. As one would expect the Chinook was in
great demand moving small tanks forward into the public viewing area.
Pictures coming soon.
