Hercules in flying visit to Brawdy (From Western Telegraph)

Hercules in flying visit to Brawdy

RAF Hercules transport aircraft and Chinook helicopters are using the former RAF station at Brawdy, for a flying training exercise this week.

There will be up to ten Hercules movements at Brawdy each day, most of which will take place during lunchtime and the afternoon, although there will also be limited night flying training.

There will also be night flying, possibly into the early hours, by up to two Chinook helicopters tonight (Wednesday).

To support the flying training an element of the Tactical Communications Wing at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, will be based at Brawdy to provide air traffic control facilities for the duration of the exercise, along with the RAF fire and ambulance personnel from RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire.

Following experience during operations in Afghanistan, a requirement has emerged for continuity training of Hercules and Chinook aircrew to operate from unfamiliar airfields in daylight and at night.

The RAF will be using both the new C-130J model Hercules, recently cleared to serve in operational areas overseas, arid the older C-130K version during the exercise.