FEATURES
Ever since joining the RAF in 2004, this is a typical conversation I have when I meet new people. Being a Weapons System Operator Crewman (Rotary- Wing) from 2007 to 2013 didn’t make the conversation flow any quicker. At least before, people who had a vague idea of military aviation would know the ‘bloke who sits on a helicopter gunship in all those Vietnam films’. But now, those within the military and even those based at Brize Norton sometimes aren’t aware what a Mission Systems Operator (MSO) is.
“You’re basically cabin crew, who sometimes does a bit of refuelling on the side aren't you?”
• “Don't you just push a trolley up and down all day?”
Both valid and understandable questions. The answers by the way are:
• Nope, other way round. • Nope, we rarely get involved in the cabin service during our Purser role.
behind the hoses and, after taking their fuel, away to the wings again. We are the experts on the new Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS), the back-up or the lead for fuel calculations as they are required and sometimes, when the co-pilot is busy, we will make cups of tea and coffee! There is plenty of radio work, systems monitoring, crew co-operation, some high-level navigation and plenty of flight deck exposure.
What follows is a day in the life of an MSO; it's not all chicken and beef you know!
As with most flying days for an MSO, the day begins in Station Operations. After speaking with tanker plans, we collect the mission’s refuelling plan (Dot sheet), check active danger areas, flight plans, weather and aircraft information pack-up. Heading into the AAR briefing room we distribute the paperwork. It’s the job of the MSO to confirm the ‘trade’ for the day:
MSO view C-130 Hercules AAR.
head off to the north-east where we are scheduled to pick up our first trade. On arrival in the pre-briefed refuelling area, we trail our wing hoses ready for the Typhoons and Tornados. The centre-line hose will be saved for the Hercules later. The MIDS is switched on, providing a picture of everything airborne in the surrounding
An MSO’s role is split into two different parts: purser and MSO. In broad terms, the purser acts as a cabin manager and is responsible for up to 291 passengers and 7 cabin crew; we are also responsible for liaison between the pilots and ground support, outside agencies and many more. The purser is in charge of paying for hotels, food and fuel bills and for making sure the professionalism, morale and work-ethic of the cabin crew never falters so ensuring a safe and smooth flight for the passengers.
The role of an MSO is very different to that of a purser. The MSO is not only the third set of eyes and ears on the flight deck, but we also control the air- to-air refuelling (AAR) console, monitor the receivers as we clear them to move from formating abeam the wings to
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“Between 1000 and 1030, two Typhoons, eight tonnes of fuel, then between 1030 and 1100, four Tornados, 20 tonnes of fuel; be aware two of these are convex (pilots training to do air-to-air refuelling). Then we transit to the south-west off Cornwall to pick-up a Hercules at 1200 for one hour of training. Should be back at Brize for 1430ish”
This is a typical task, but a plan never survives first contact with...well not the enemy, but you get the idea.
Before we leave the building, we confirm with operations that we will be available to refuel Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Typhoons. Then it’s to the aircraft. We
airspace, providing situational awareness that comes into its own on operations.
The refuelling of the Typhoons goes as planned. They arrive on our left wing and I clear them to go behind the wing hoses, monitoring their movement on the three fixed panoramic and the two adjustable inspection cameras. When individually cleared, they move forward and plug in, taking fuel on at approximately 400kg/min.
Envoy Winter 2015 11
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