Plane crash in Porthcawl

[dot.hawkes]

I lived at RAF St Athan for 3 years and the light aircraft would take off from the flight school most days , all day long, they did 'bumps and starts' over our married quarter. This is where the pilot cuts the engine and then restarts it. Those planes were circling all day long, I have never heard of any accident before this one, and I lived there from 1978 - 1981.

[jno]

perhaps they just avoided flying into each other? I thought bad weather might have had something to do with it but it looks fairly sunny on the BBC video

[dot.hawkes]

I've just phoned my ex hubby about it, he worked on the Vulcans at St Athan, it was 'Bumps and circuits' apparently, but the same exercise, he thinks the trainee may have panicked if her altitude dropped suddenly before a restart.

[puddicat]

St athans the graveyard of the forces, well at least one of them!!!

[jno]

I guess that sort of thing happens. But surely planes ought to keep their distance just in case it does?

[dot.hawkes]

it wasn't when we were there puddicat, the Tornado arrived about 1980 and it was crazy! It is or was the second biggest UK RAF base, just as we left the MOD started selling off the married quarters cos Maggie T was reducing the RAF personel, then what happened the month after we marched out? The Argies invaded Port Stanley and they wanted us back!!!!! yeah right!!

[dot.hawkes]

This was actually very sad
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7885595.stm?l ss

the Mountain Rescue team from St Athan probably attended, I know my ex used to get call outs to plane crashes in the area, he was a MR Team leader