200702 by Navy News

NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2007

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LEARNING to fly helicopters is rather like climbing hills; the moment you conquer one summit there is another, higher one just beyond.

So it is for the potential Naval aviator. He or she submits to the grading process with 727 Naval Air Squadron, recently relocated to RNASYeovilton (seepage 26 opposite), and if successful will be pointed in the direction of RAF Barkston Heath, home of the Defence Elementary Flying Training School (DEFTS), close to Cranwell in Lincolnshire. If they still measure up, they either opt for the fast-jet route through RAF stations Linton-onOusc and Valley, or they head for RAF Shawbury for a career in rotary-wing aircraft. With up to 60 hours flying in the bank, they are back to square one, though time spent aloft in a conventional aircraft is not wasted. "They need to start on fixed wing in order to learn airmanship, awareness and captaincy of the aircraft," said Lt Cdr Simon Pipkin, the Commanding Officer of 705 Naval Air Squadron, which handles advanced helicopter training at the Shropshire airfield. "More hours in the air equals a better pilot, because they are not just learning the mechanical skills - there is more to it than that." So after the Slingsby Firefly they got to know at Barkston Heath, fledgling Naval helicopter pilots find even the docile single-engine Squirrel HT1s of the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) quite a challenge. For that reason students go through almost a month of ground school training to familiarise themselves with principles and techniques of helicopter aviation. Early on they are introduced to the power plant that will keep them aloft, a beautiful cut-away model of the surprisingly small Turburners Arriel ~as turbine engine- and very quickly learn " Squirrel helicopters of the Defence Helicopter Flying School in the skies over Shropshire, and mixed cap badges on a field exercise from how treat it with respect. RAF Shawbury (top right) Pictures: len Eorshsw (RAE Shuwbury( to. In the early days the risk of in bination of classroom work, simudo the reconnaissance is reliable and a as conversion units await the new written off "They very, very very engines being through lators and around 35 hours in the the field, and later, with 705, they good little trainer for the people 'overtemping' on start-up was a pilots and the front line beckons. - the manual throttle air - more than five hours solo. will do it from the air. With anything up to 25 helicoming through," said Capt Neil problem "Some of the sites, such as Although designated an Army Bishop, second-in-command of copters in the air at Shawbury brings mixed blessings, as it can - like its be cranked up too hard on a cold Pigeon Wood, look very small but 660 Squadron. at any one time, it can be a busy 'squadron', the unit we can get a Chinook in Shawbury sisters, 705 Naval Air engine and cause damage, but it is "Nothing we do is surplus place, but long hours on simulathere. to requirement - there tors and in preparatory work pays also highly responsive in practice Squadron and 60 (R) Squadron "However, they must RAF - has a purple make-up, with is no fat on this sylforced landings, for example. dividends by the time the students look at the surface staff from all three Services and Simulated cockpits and virtual labus, as we are the get to their first sortie. of Wood civilian instructors who parts Pigeon foundation for all provide systems now drum the correct Although the new pilots are are not so with over the good, future rotary training. continuity years. procedure into pilots from the generally well-motivated, there is a a 15 There is also instruction in degree slope And it is an Army start only one engine has been safety net in the form of the warnat the top and only - air 'crew resource management', as lost since 1998, while five were %4 Air Corps squadron, so ing system warnings, which seven at the degrees lost in the preceding four years. r )J we" try to show them form part of a remedial learning many will go on to work in a multibottom. crew environment. how an Army squadAfter a course of lectures from process, ground warnings, which -' "Communication end This includes imbuing everyron works - and there former nilnts nnvientnrs provide motivation for extra trainis and important, they is a good chance they one, officer or rating, with the concrewmen, all ex-Services and now ing, and character and leadership also to see the will bump into an old fidence to recognise a problem and get guys working for FBH, the students will warnings, which tend to weed out in; course mate out in fly helicopters they have an in-depth understanding of raise it with the pilot, whatever the incompatible candidates before think I will be difference in Service or rank, 'Crikey, how the helicopter works and how Afghanistan, or some' they reach the front line. that in a while Then they head a few miles doing where like that." its systems interact Every opportunity is given to also have to "They An Army major currentwest to the Nesscliffe training area Fully primed, the students are trainees to pick up the knowledge heads for Exercise Griffin Challenge - a bivvy out; if they join the Joint ly Maj Gary Hickson by now itching to get airborne, they need, even down to flight the squadron, and the two Flight chance to appreciate landing sites Helicopter Force they may have And whatever the hue of the safety posters on the walls above to bivvy beside the aircraft, so they Commanders are from the RN from an earthbound perspective, uniform, that opportunity comes urinals (though you would need a learn these additional skills in a and RAF. with a move to an Army Air Corps start to learn what areas "They pretty impressive bladder capacity at scenario based on a non-combat 660 is the for nine weeks of basic we can into, based on the five only squadron get squadron to memorise the details printed - size, shape, surface, slope evacuation scenario." which teaches Ss Shawbury exactly helicopter handling. on Engine Failure in the Hover or the same to all students, and said Lt Cdr Personal and lead660 Sqn AAC provides a comsurroundings," development syllabus Engine Fluctuation). Adrian Coulthard, Chief Ground are also on the curwhether a novice ership training Army corporal prehensive introduction to the art With the basic skills mastered Instructor for the School. riculum, with students delivering a who may go on to Apache or a of rotary-wing flying with a com- and a battery of tests on the officer who has flown formal briefto a senior officer and Royal Navy ground and in the air confirm a two-scat Tornado. planning their own Adventurous that - the students are ready for Students tend to fly once a day, Training expeditions overseas. A CIVILIAN instructor died when two Squirrel aircraft crashed at the another steep learning curve. Then comes the part they have although that can be increased if DHFS last month, leaving three others injured, one a Naval officer. This is delivered by 705 NAS, been waiting for the weather intervenes winter Staff at the School have expressed their sorrow at the death of getting their which teaches them how to use hands on the controls. courses have an extra week built in John Garnons-Williams, a highly-experienced former RAF aviator the aircraft, rather than just fly it. "The Squirrel has a 98 per to cope with poorer conditions, but with 660 Squadron AAC. MNext month - 705 NAS takes the courses have to finish on time A Board of Inquiry has been convened. cent serviceability record - it students to a higher plane

Instructor killed in helicopter crash

0 Squirrels of the Defence Helicopter Flying School on the apron at RAF Shawbury

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TPI-Sepvice ethos is key factor, THE

DEFENCE Helicopter School Flying (DHFS), based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, consists of a ground school unit and three squadrons, one from each of the three Armed Forces. Budding aviators generally arrive at Shawbury from elementary flying training at RAF stations Cranwell and Barkston Heath, having completed at least 40 hours fixed wing but no rotary

experience. Trainees start with 660 Squadron Army Air Corps and progress to 705 Naval Air Squadron. RAF students - and some RN personnel - then move on to 60 (R) Squadron RAF, while Navy and Army pilots move to conversion units to train on aircraft they will eventually fly. A fourth section of DHFS, the Search and Rescue Training Unit, is based at RAF Valley in Anglesey. THE DI-IFS was conceived as part of the 1994 Defence Cost Studies, during which it became apparent that joint training would be more efficient, would allow aircrew of the three Services to be familiar with the different ways squadrons operate, and allow the early dissemination of best practice. Although key posts are rotated between the Services, at present the school has a healthy Dark Blue bias, either through RN officers or others with a Fleet Air Arm background. The new Commandant of the DI-IFS is Capt Martin Westwood RN, who took over last month.

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