Rostock-Laage (ETNL/RLG) - 2010 MIL

[Piet Luijken]

LOG 08-03-2010

With some time left in Berlin on this monday, I decided to drive up north towards Laage.
This year, only Laage will see all Eurofighter training flights and almost all Eurofighters in the inventory, even those destined for JG74 and JBG31.
So I was expecting a lot of movements; how wrong I was was noted during this cold day with sunny spells.
The trip as done in a BMW Mini Clubman, quite a nice car but only able of driving 200 km/h, boeh!

All spotting was performed at the spotting hill, next to the terminal, excellent as always, only the taxiway was being repaired so all aircraft had to backtrack the runway to the beginning of rwy07.

Upon arrival, after photographing the SAR Huey, a low sound was heard, which was a HEER CH-53, nice. Many more HEER choppers were noted. All performed in an exercise at Peenemunde and had their refuelling performed at Laage. Departure was by a low left turn from the beginning of rwy25.

Two flights of Eurofighters were executed, first three ship then a two ship.

The Transall arrived from Neuburg with some mechanics and their tools. Apparantly this flight will be performed regularly.

At 12:35LT GAF931 came in, a big surprise. This flight consisted of three twin seat Typhoons and a tanker Airbus. They had returned from their promotion tour in India, with tank stops at Abu Dhabi and Souda and performed a nice break before landing.

10+26 A310-304MRTT FBS BMVg "GAF931"
71+43 UH-1D LTG63
72+37 UH-1D nn "GArJoker13A"
73+28 UH-1D nn "GArJoker13A"
86+21 Bo105P1 demod HFVAS100 "GArVG05"
87+09 Bo105P1 demod nn "GArC06"
87+67 Bo105P1 demod nn "GArGreen41"
D-HMVA EC135P1 Police
30+11 EF2000 JG74 "Spark3"
31+18 EF2000 JG73 "Spark1"
31+21 EF2000 JG73 Spark2
30+24 EF2000(T) JG73 "GAF931"
30+27 EF2000(T) JG73 "GAF931"
30+42 EF2000(T) JG73 "GAF931"
30+50 EF2000 JG73 "Snake2"
30+52 EF2000 JG73 "Snake1"
84+60 CH-53G MTHR25
84+95 CH-53G MTHR25 "GArBlack51"/"GArBlack52"
50+93 C-160D LTG61 "GAF539"

Grutzi!

[Arjan]

Well.......I am jealous and I think Polleke will be too! We visited Laage a month ago on the 16th and noticed only one Typhoon parked outside the big hangar and three Typhoons flying! A Bo-105 made a pass but was unreadable. In the hall there was an exhibition of German Jet engines and also a G-91 tail. Markings read G-91R/3 c/n 389 and a JBG 44 badge. Which should make it the 31+22. Arriving at the airport we learned from German spotters 6 Typhoons and 2 A-310 tankers left the day before on a trip to India indeed. No sign then of the JG74 and JBG 31 planes! A very, very boring day (allthough nice pictures of Typhoons in the snow) after a very, very long drive.

So your log looks more tempting. I am afraid that you must have missed one flight of Typhoons though!

Our log was (for completion of the story)
EF-2000T 30+45
EF-2000 31+17, 31+19, 30+52
All JG 73 badges!

[Polleke_NL]

[Piet Luijken]

OK, so it can be even worse...without the return flight, I would have five compared to your four.

According to the locals, flying is indeed very restricted still, also due to technical problems.
However, there should be around 30 Eurofighters on base!

Very strange all, as at RAF Coningsby, same aircraft right, I have logged between 18 - 20 eurofighters a day.

[Arjan]

Yes indeed, I am also very much surprised by the very low number of Typhoon sorties! Hope it will get better soon.

[Maurizio]

mmmh, maybe like the SAAF, they bought them but haven't money for to fly them:

http://www.scramble.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=61210" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan]

However, there should be around 30 Eurofighters on base!
Very strange all, as at RAF Coningsby, same aircraft right, I have logged between 18 - 20 eurofighters a day.

There will be around 30 by the end of the year. Currently only around 20 are based (including a pair that recently 'moved in' from Neuburg). Many are undergoing an upgrade program at Manching.

Regards,
Stefan

[CUJO]

Hallo,

Yes indeed, I am also very much surprised by the very low number of Typhoon sorties! Hope it will get better soon.

the fact you had to know is that the German Air Force has a totally different habit to use its Eurofighters.
The GAF thinks it made some bad experience with the introduction of the Tornado.
There, the industry was aside the new educated maintenance personal.
Each time, a red light went on during start up, the industry showed up, exchanged a "black box" and the plane was ready to go.
Afterwards, the GAF got a bill from the industry.
The RAF is going the same way once more, therefore you see a lot of Typhoons at Coningsby (and civilian personal).
The GAF said, we don't want to depend on the industry once more, we're doing it on our own.
Writing manuals, fixing snags, trying each time to find out WHY the red light showed up on their own.
So when in a german Eurofighter a red light went on, the aircraft is shutted down and somebody tries to find the snag.
In the RAF, a box is exchanged, the red light went of, the sortie is flown.
Looks like a hard way but should save the taxpayer some money (if it really does is a totally different question).

Due to that way - and the political descision to introduce the Eurofighter in Neuburg and Nörvenich before even enough pilots and maintenance personal were trained - there is less flying at Laage.
And as Stephan pointed out in his post - I wouldn't expect more than four Eurofighter from Neuburg at Laage - six will always stay there for QRA, two are in maintenance, this leaves a maximum of four of the present 12 Eurofighter to go - if they're all operational (three are present at the moment, the latest arrival is 30+35).
As far as I have heard, the two Eurofighters at Nörvenich will stay there, in summer should be added a third one - so no Nörvenich Eurofighters at Laage.
Laage will receive the next 12 - 15 Eurofighters that are to be build for the GAF.
The WingCommander announced their AIM (!!) is, to fly 3 x 12 Eurofighter from July on - if it works, time will tell.
All exercises with the Eurofighter have been cancelled, the only one will be Laage going to Decimomannu in 2010 - that all.
The other thing is, that the Eurofighters are operational.
We were there last Tuesday - six in the morning, three in the afternoon, bringing eight different Eurofighters into the air. Another three were planned for the evening.
You had to stay there the whole day - they're exchanging the aircraft in use quite a lot.

Hopes that helps a little bit to understand the situation at Laage

BTW, the LOG from Laage, 09.03.2010
EF.2000 30+11 JG 74
EF.2000 30+23 JG 73
EF.2000 30+28 JG 73
EF.2000T 30+38 JG 73
EF.2000 30+47 JG 73
EF.2000 30+49 JG 73
EF.2000 30+50 JG 73
EF.2000 30+51 JG 73
EF.2000 30+52 JG 73
EF.2000 31+19 JG 73
Tornado 46+15 ¥ AG 51 / EG Mazar-e Sharif
UH-1D 71+43 LTG 63
UH-1D 71+91 nb (HFlgWaS ?)
EC.135P-1 (c/n 0030) D-HMVP Polizei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
30+23 & 30+49 were towed, the reminder was active, the Tornado was leaving.

Another addition:

So your log looks more tempting. I am afraid that you must have missed one flight of Typhoons though!

No worries, you didn't miss a flight. Two of the six were airspares and returned after the first refuelings, the third returned the next day from (I think) Grecce.
So you got all returning, no panic .

Greetings Cujo

[Piet Luijken]

thanks for the extensive explanation.

so I will return after july

[K-9]

Thanks a lot indeed !

Will also pay a visit to Laage, after July.

[CUJO]

It is still a little bit slow at Laage , the LOG for today (08:00 - 16:15)
EF.2000 30+09 JG 74
EF.2000 30+23 JG 73
EF.2000T 30+27 JG 73
EF.2000 30+28 JG 73
EF.2000T 30+35 JG 74
EF.2000 30+45 JG 73
EF.2000 30+47 JG 73
EF.2000 30+51 JG 73
EF.2000 31+18 JG 73
EF.2000 31+19 JG 73
EF.2000 31+21 JG 73
F-4F * 37+26 JG 71
C.160D * 50+86 LTG 61
C.160D 51+10 LTG 61
C.160D 51+12 LTG 63
UH-1D 71+43 LTG 63
EC.135P-1 (c/n 0030) D-HMVP Polizei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
EC.135P-1 (c/n 0046) D-HMVA Polizei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Five flew in the morning, four in the afternoon.
30+09; 30+28; 30+51; 31+18 were towed, 30+35 was seen in the big hangar, the reminder was active.

Greetings Cujo

[CUJO]

Another visit to Laage again - this time for the arriving participants for Brilliant Ardent:
The following Eurofighters were seen between 08:20 - 15:00:
EF.2000 30+09 JG 74
EF.2000 30+23 JG 73
EF.2000T 30+27 JG 73
EF.2000T 30+35 JG 74
EF.2000T 30+38 JG 73
EF.2000 30+45 JG 73
EF.2000 30+50 JG 73
EF.2000 30+51 JG 73
EF.2000 31+18 JG 73
EF.2000 31+19 JG 73
EF.2000 31+20 JG 73
30+38; 30+45 & 30+51 were towed, the rest was active (flying was 4-6).
Arriving for the exercise were:
EF.2000 MM7288 4-4 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7289 4-5 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7290 4-7 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7299 4-20 20.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7301 4-22 20.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7303 4-2 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
MM7299 has still its "Diecimila Ore" special tail.
Support/Visitors were:
C.160D 50+48 LTG 61 white c/s
C-130J MM62175 46-40 2.Gruppo 46.BA
C-130J-30 MM62195 46-61 50.Gruppo 46.BA
C-27J MM62225 46-90 98.Gruppo 46.BA

Greetings Cujo

[CUJO]

Made another visit on 23.04.2010, this time for the departure of the Italian Tyhoone.
And this is the result of the visit (between 08:20 - 15:30):
EF.2000 30+11 JG 74 / JG 73/JG 74/JaboG 31
EF.2000T 30+27 JG 73
EF.2000T 30+38 JG 73
EF.2000T 30+42 JG 73 / JG 73/JG 74/JaboG 31
EF.2000 30+45 JG 73
EF.2000 30+47 JG 73
EF.2000 30+50 JG 73
EF.2000 30+52 JG 73
EF.2000 31+17 JG 73
EF.2000 31+18 JG 73
EF.2000 31+19 JG 73
EF.2000 31+20 JG 73
EF.2000 31+21 JG 73
All were active (flying was 9-4) except 30+11; 30+38; 30+42 & 30+45.
30+11 & 30+42 have the badges of all three German Eurofighter units on the left side of the tail applied, the right side has the "real" Wingbadge.
It is said, that all Eurofighter at Laage should receive these markings for the time being.
Visitors were:
Tornado * 44+46 AG 51 / EG Mazar-e Sharif
C.160D 51+15 w LTG 61
Sea King Mk.41 * 89+56 MFG 5 (am)
Sea King Mk.41 * 89+58 MFG 5 (pm)
EF.2000 MM7288 4-4 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7289 4-5 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7290 4-7 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7292 4-12 9.Gruppo 4.Stormo
EF.2000 MM7299 4-20 20.Gruppo 4.Stormo "Diecimila Ore"
EF.2000 MM7301 4-22 20.Gruppo 4.Stormo
4-12 replaced 4-2 in the first week of the exercise.
Surprisingly there was no support until we left.
A C-27J was expected but didn't show up, tomorrow (or today now) a B.767 is expected (I pressume N606TW or is there any other on 14.Stormo strength yet?).

Greetings Cujo

[Tigerspoon]

anyone for a map with the spottersplaces signed!?!? thx for coop!!

[Arjan]

There is a spottershill next to the terminal building (just follow the signs) with excellent views of the civil ramps and runway.