Chairman's Brief

Rescue at Altitude

By RADM Dan "Dano" Fillion, USN (Ret.)

We were in the seventh month of our six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf exiting “Fenway” (back in the day) for a 0330 recovery and shutdown. We had completed a double bag and were looking forward to some chow. It was a typical dark night, as they all usually are without much moon. I was the Det MO and the H2P was the Training O. The H2P had performed superbly both on the ground and especially in the air. He shot an “on the numbers” approach with the AWs backing us up; life was good.

As we got in close to the deck, I made a “closure” call which my H2P acknowledged. At that point he smoothly raised the nose of the aircraft to decelerate. However, as we crossed the deck edge, the stabilator kicked off. Immediately. I acknowledged the Master Caution Warning Light, to which the H2P concurred, and I took my eyes off the hangar face to re-engage the stabilator. As I returned to look outside the cockpit, I heard the AW call “stop forward, steady hover”. I now saw the HRS Bar through the chin bubble and I yelled “I HAVE THE CONTROLS WAVING OFF TO PORT!” The H2P did not acknowledge my two commands but the aircraft was now moving sideways away from the ship accelerating with a 35 degree left wing down attitude. Several more calls for "I have the controls” did not get executed. I was pulling on the cyclic and collective with all I had, but I was giving up a foot of height and probably 75 pounds to the H2P who was no stranger to the weight room. Using ”non standard” terminology in the cockpit finally resulted in him letting go of the controls. Immediately the aircraft went from 35 degrees left wing down and accelerating to 40 degrees right wing down, accelerating, and climbing at a rocket's pace.

Doing my best usual attitude recovery procedures (i.e., trying to find the “ball”), I heard the most calm strong voice on the VOX that I had heard in the last several seconds; “Attitude gyro, MO.” The call came from the senior aircrewmen that night and his command resulted in me getting my “shiitake mushroom” back together. I did the next approach and landing to a shutdown.

We learned a lot that night.

I may very well be the only pilot who was rescued by an aircrewmen at altitude! The women and men who serve their country as aircrew/rescue swimmers are a very special breed of Sailor! NHA recognizes that no rotary-wing TMS can fly safely and effectively without the warriors in the back and we sure can’t fight the aircraft without our aircewmen! Aircrewmen/ Rescue Swimmer’s Wings are GOLD for a reason! NHA is working hard to support the Rescue Swimmer Badge Initiative and continues to support all the families that support our aircrewmen.

NHA exists to provide camaraderie, mentorship, and advocacy for all things Rotary-Wing. NHA needs you as a member of your organization! Consider it! Join. This is your tribe!

Non-standard brief item on every NATOPS Brief I did, from that day on after having a bad night behind the boat emphasizes “Remember studs: one splash all splash.”

VR & CNJI (Committed not just Involved), Dano