Puma landings south London

[bakerpictures]

Can anyone tell me - a resident of Ruskin Park in Herne Hill, London - why RAF Pumas enjoy landing in the middle of our park from time to time, holding for a few minutes and then departing?

Over the past year I have seen two previous aircraft, one with a Gurkha Kukri logo on the tail and my guess is that they're practicing emergency ditching site familiarisation. We're right opposite Kings College Hospital, Camberwell and have Air Ambulances here all the time and even Navy Sea Kings lighting up the night, all dropping of critically-injured patients for A+E.

I have a picture and the tail reads XW213 but can't see a tool for uploading but thought I'd better not leave this in Military Aircrew and risk being shot at!

Thanks.

[VSB via OL]

I believe that the reason for this is to 'clear' landing sites at or near hospitals every now and then in the event of major incident / catastrophe where military helicopters may be employed in casevac operations. The puma's are obviously much bigger than civil HEMS operated aircraft and therefore require a slightly bigger LZ, so a physical confirmation is the best method of ensuring the sites' suitability.

These exercises occur all over the country I believe.

[bakerpictures]

That makes sense. There must be a huge number of open spaces like this up and down the country. Our park is 36 acres and only 5 miles south of the Thames and where the Puma put down is a few hundred yards from A+E's front door. I was rather disappointed that the Brigade of Gurkhas didn't disembark in full battle-dress last year! :rolleyes:

[ShyTorque]

Having flown Pumas for ten years (and instructed for much of that time) I'm not sure what an "emergency ditching site" in a park is (ditching involves a water landing), but pilots do sometimes need to land at HLSs to become familiar with them.

XW213 - A 33 Sqn aircraft, at least it was during my time.

[bakerpictures]

Ditching on land .. quite right and my apologies for the wrong terminology. Thank you for the info.

[chevvron]

Kings College Hospital HLS: referred to as 'Ruskin Park' by ambulance control; 300mx200m with 3 deg slope down from SE to NW; suitable ALL types; best approach heading 030/110. PPR from London Ambulance Service.
All above from the Hospital HLS directory published by AIDU.

[bakerpictures]

What this profile doesn't mention is the boggy terrain on the lower part of the slope. Rotaries obviously cope but the lumbering ambulances have to venture over the grass to meet and greet. They've often become stranded requiring a council tractor to haul them out which would be amusing were it not for the usual urgency.

Those who fly into parks like Ruskin have a task keeping away the kids on summer afternoons when it's time to spool up. The Navy Sea Kings make a dramatic arrival too coming in low over our roof - and usually late too, positioning over the ground then swinging round with nose lights illuminating bedrooms. But the Pumas arrive during weekdays. Maybe that's our way out of trouble if an evac is ordered!

[Leezyjet]

Now what about the 2 apaches that regularly fly low and slow up the river ?. Where are they from/going ?.

Saw them loads of times over the summer, usually on weekdays between 12.00-13.00 passing over Tower Bridge heading east.

:confused: