NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2009 11
Higher education
THE Commando Helicopter And as the Bavarian Alps are instruction of up to 50 pilots and fully prepared for future valleys at helicopter-flying
Force enjoys a reputation
high – and ruggedly unfriendly to aircrewmen each year. operations in Afghanistan, height.
for high standards of
flyers as well – Southern Germany Flying Sea King Mk 4s, pilots where their front-line On completion the
professionalism and
was an ideal ‘classroom’ for the undertake an aircraft conversion sister squadrons 845 and students had at least
flexibility, and to
exacting and thorough instruction phase that includes handling the 846 NAS are currently six hours’ mountain
provided by 848 NAS – the ‘Jungly aircraft in various emergencies deployed, it is essential flying each under their
keep standards
Training Academy’. and instrument flying, before that students are primed belts, some solo, all
high you need
Based at RNAS Yeovilton, the linking up with the aircrewmen – for the mountainous serving as a sound
to aim high. squadron numbers 100 ratings taken from RN ratings and Royal environment, introduction to the
and 30 officers, and is Marines – to learn how to fly in a thousands of feet above bread-and-butter work
responsible tactical environment. sea level. of front-line Jungly
for the The squadron also trains more Both squadrons aircrew.
than 150 helicopter maintainers continue to deploy in On the last day of the
annually. Afghanistan, operating Sea detachment both aircraft
Aircrew and maintainers receive King Mk 4s at the edge of their had to make the first leg of the
military and amphibious training, flight envelope, with summer journey in cloud – a steep learning
and individuals are also taught temperatures reaching 50˚C and curve.
how to operate in the field and airborne sand challenging both Half-way across the continent
from the deck of a ship. aircrew and engineers alike. they descended and continued
848 NAS is also committed In the knowledge that these visually under low cloud before
to numerous UK maritime challenges await anyone potentially refuelling at Nörvenich in west
operations and airborne joining a Jungly squadron, 848 Germany.
support for the continues training personnel to The transit continued at
Royal Marines. operate at sea and far inland. medium level into Belgium, where
To ensure Course 03/08, with four pilots the aircraft refuelled and picked
aircrew and two aircrewmen, is a typical up a weather update at the search
are example, involving a two-week and rescue base of Koksijde, east
detachment of two aircraft and of Dunkirk.
associated engineering support to The weather was overcast at
the German air base at Landsberg, 300ft, but good enough to launch
just north of the German Alps. the two Sea Kings, which crossed
The objective was to provide the Channel and skirted the South
trainee aircrews a taste of operating Coast at 50ft before entering a
the aircraft high in the mountains bank of cloud near Hastings.
without the comfortable power A textbook formation break in
margins available at Yeovilton. cloud and a rapid climb to safety
It also obliged students to altitude ended with the aircraft
plan and conduct a continental landing as planned at Yeovilton,
navigational exercise, exposing having achieved all their aims.
them to the bureaucracy of the Other highlights included
necessary diplomatic clearances. watching the Belgians fit a new tail
For some of the engineers under wheel – in 30 minutes flat – to an
training, this would be the first aircraft that did not belong to them,
time they have had to keep the and a weekend trip to Munich.
aircraft aloft away from the well- Thanks go to the German Air
equipped hangars back home. Force, specifically LTG 61 SAR
The deployment to Germany Sqn, for hosting the detachment,
was relatively uneventful, though and to Flannagan’s Irish Bar in
there was an unplanned weather Munich for generously hosting the
diversion to a distinctly-surprised aircrew for the weekend.
German Tornado base en route. Lt K Muari RAN said: “The
Sorties in the mountains detachment to Germany was very
concentrated minds on the vital valuable, as it was the first time I
techniques of valley flying and have operated the Sea King to its
approaches to pinnacles and ridges, performance limits.
with the simulated end result of “The high altitude pinnacle
dropping troops or stores. approaches highlighted the
This resulted in some epic flying importance of correct power, good
for the students, with the seasoned crew co-ordination and accurate
instructor in the left-hand seat flying to get the maximum
pointing out potential pitfalls, performance out of the aircraft,
including violent downdrafts of which will be essential in an
air to wires strung across entire operational environment.”
● Mk 4 Sea Kings of 848
Naval Air Squadron deploy to
the German Alps for air crew
and engineer training
Pictures: LA (Phot) Billy Bunting
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011_NN_aug.indd 1 21/7/09 13:40:45
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