"Elite" helicopter pilots
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Probably getting a bit lost after flying all that way by themselves..... 
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I think with moments like these, the rotor guys are elite
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No Airborne.
It was teamwork. Pilot could not have got there without crewman, crewman can't talk the aircraft there without the pilot. Certainly on a cab that size. I used the scenario of putting an underslung load on a plinth at night on goggles during my BA interview to show how I had demonstrated 'teamwork'. Went down well. Just like confined areas, where an awful lot of trust/judgement/cooperation going both ways is involved and required.
Not sure about the so-called 'loyalty check', where certain crewmen took it upon themselves to give it, "UP! UP! UP!" on a routine day approach to a fort to satisfy themselves that they weren't just talking to their microphone.
Unnecessary over-torque.
It was teamwork. Pilot could not have got there without crewman, crewman can't talk the aircraft there without the pilot. Certainly on a cab that size. I used the scenario of putting an underslung load on a plinth at night on goggles during my BA interview to show how I had demonstrated 'teamwork'. Went down well. Just like confined areas, where an awful lot of trust/judgement/cooperation going both ways is involved and required.
Not sure about the so-called 'loyalty check', where certain crewmen took it upon themselves to give it, "UP! UP! UP!" on a routine day approach to a fort to satisfy themselves that they weren't just talking to their microphone.
Unnecessary over-torque.
I was No 1 crewman on a Chinook 10 ship from Keevil - Carlisle a few years back. We had an ATMP, roll cage internal, with a very awkward motorbike on the ramp ,which was level due to the fuel level on the motorbike.
(Ideally, I would have drained the tank a little, but we got the confounded thing at the very last moment!).
500 feet over the outskirts of Stafford, the bike started to move a little under the strops, so I decided to reposition them one at a time. Unfortunately, whilst repositioning the motorbike, a fuel line came loose and started to spray fuel over my visor. Then the other strop slipped a bit more. I managed to get the attention of the No 2 crewman who came down to give me a hand and eventually we got the bike back into position and secure.
However, during the height of this commotion, as the two of us wrestled with this motorbike over Stafford, with fuel spraying over me, the LHS Nav asked:
'I'm a little bit peckish, have we got any chocolate down the back?'
The RHS, who was poling and doing the radios took a glance at his mirror and replied:
'Er, I think the guys are a little busy at the moment'.
Monty77 is 100% correct. It is all about teamwork, and we succeed or fail by the faith and trust we place in each other.
(Ideally, I would have drained the tank a little, but we got the confounded thing at the very last moment!).
500 feet over the outskirts of Stafford, the bike started to move a little under the strops, so I decided to reposition them one at a time. Unfortunately, whilst repositioning the motorbike, a fuel line came loose and started to spray fuel over my visor. Then the other strop slipped a bit more. I managed to get the attention of the No 2 crewman who came down to give me a hand and eventually we got the bike back into position and secure.
However, during the height of this commotion, as the two of us wrestled with this motorbike over Stafford, with fuel spraying over me, the LHS Nav asked:
'I'm a little bit peckish, have we got any chocolate down the back?'
The RHS, who was poling and doing the radios took a glance at his mirror and replied:
'Er, I think the guys are a little busy at the moment'.
Monty77 is 100% correct. It is all about teamwork, and we succeed or fail by the faith and trust we place in each other.
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Nothing against chinook boys, but that picture doesn't look that tricky. It looks like the pilot has good visual references, and his back wheels have a level surface.
Now the chinook display, that impresses me....
YouTube - Sea Kings on Ex Saif Serea
(17 seconds in. A bit trickier, but still not that tricky)
Now the chinook display, that impresses me....
YouTube - Sea Kings on Ex Saif Serea
(17 seconds in. A bit trickier, but still not that tricky)
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Yes Monty77 it's team work and trust
Many moons ago I was face down on the outside pod cage of a Sioux with a very expensive piece of comms kit as an underslung load.
The idea was with me face down I could be very accurate in guiding the pilot to getting our load to the top of a tower and over the high barrier fence.
We got near to the tower and the load was still very stable with hardly any “swing” at all and we were almost over the outer safety railings.
Then an over eager Signals Sergeant leaned out from the railings and grabbed the aerial.
He was desperately clinging on to his new toy connecting him to 3000 pounds of Sioux in a very dodgy hover a few feet above his head to a 300 foot metal tower !!
“Drop load - go left !!”
The whole lot ended up in the car park below - flying with prudence we said !!
The idea was with me face down I could be very accurate in guiding the pilot to getting our load to the top of a tower and over the high barrier fence.
We got near to the tower and the load was still very stable with hardly any “swing” at all and we were almost over the outer safety railings.
Then an over eager Signals Sergeant leaned out from the railings and grabbed the aerial.
He was desperately clinging on to his new toy connecting him to 3000 pounds of Sioux in a very dodgy hover a few feet above his head to a 300 foot metal tower !!
“Drop load - go left !!”
The whole lot ended up in the car park below - flying with prudence we said !!
Last edited by rogerk; 28th Jan 2009 at 14:35. Reason: spellin
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I suspect your average SH Crewman would have reacted with Up Gently and with the appropriate lateral voice marshaling and accurate flying from the pilot they would easily clear the obstacle.
Then with a bit of hand waving to clear the offending pongo away followed by some more voice marshaling and accurate flying..................jobs done and very expensive comms kit is still intact..........flying with professionals I reckon is the way ahead
Then with a bit of hand waving to clear the offending pongo away followed by some more voice marshaling and accurate flying..................jobs done and very expensive comms kit is still intact..........flying with professionals I reckon is the way ahead
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Come off it Seldomfitforpurpose !!
"Crabair" always fly sideways so you would have drifted so far off the target you could have flogged the load to the East Germans for a few crates of beer !!
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Not a Chinny mate myself, but have to admit to witnessing this with the upmost respect to all of the crew involved:
...and they did not take all day over it either.
AL1. I perhaps should add that they were assembling the Fire Tower not taking it apart.
...and they did not take all day over it either.
AL1. I perhaps should add that they were assembling the Fire Tower not taking it apart.
Last edited by Tiger_mate; 28th Jan 2009 at 18:42.
Gentleman Aviator
And in this context it is perhaps timely to remember the Fighter Pilot's Prayer ......
...... Oh Lord, grant me:
The wings of an Eagle ....
The eyes of a hawk ....
...... and the balls of an SH pilot!
...... Oh Lord, grant me:
The wings of an Eagle ....
The eyes of a hawk ....
...... and the balls of an SH pilot!
Hey Tigermate,
That was me doing the top stages of the Buer Tower, about 15 nm NW of Gut in 89. Crewman was Dougie V and I can only repeat that these things are pure teamwork. The JHSU lads who worked with us were also part of that team! I had little or no references and it took the best part of 15 mins and some of Dougie's smoothest voice marshalling to get it in.
Just out of interest, where were you?
That was me doing the top stages of the Buer Tower, about 15 nm NW of Gut in 89. Crewman was Dougie V and I can only repeat that these things are pure teamwork. The JHSU lads who worked with us were also part of that team! I had little or no references and it took the best part of 15 mins and some of Dougie's smoothest voice marshalling to get it in.
Just out of interest, where were you?
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Just out of interest, where were you?
Tiger mate,
Its definately the Buer Tower! Tom may well have been the other crewman on my ac. Another crew led by Garth B did the bottom 2 stages, leaving us to complete the top.
I remember the Puma, I'm sure it was moving our strops around.
Its definately the Buer Tower! Tom may well have been the other crewman on my ac. Another crew led by Garth B did the bottom 2 stages, leaving us to complete the top.
I remember the Puma, I'm sure it was moving our strops around.
