655 Sqn NI Gazelle Swansong announced
Nigerian In Law
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The following 4 users liked this post by Nigerian Expat Outlaw:
Please tell me he didn't really say '"You can hear the APU starting".........on the Barton video.
He did...!
Mention of 'apu' reminded me of the day, long ago, when in BAOR during a 'bug out', I ran over to my cab where my crewman was already waiting in the LHS. I already had my helmet on (for some reason I hadn't left it in the cab) . I leapt in and while strapping in with my right hand, reached up to do the 'full and free' on the throttle.
What I hadn't spotted or heard was that the crewman without my knowledge had already started the engine and it was sitting at ground idle.......................
The engine made an 'interesting' noise as I attempted to 'full and free' it to max chat (against the rotor brake ) in about 2 seconds.
What I hadn't spotted or heard was that the crewman without my knowledge had already started the engine and it was sitting at ground idle.......................
The engine made an 'interesting' noise as I attempted to 'full and free' it to max chat (against the rotor brake ) in about 2 seconds.
The following 3 users liked this post by onehunglow:
Perhaps he wasn't so far from the truth - didn't the Astazou start life as the APU for Concorde?
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Originally Posted by [email protected]
Please tell me he didn't really say '"You can hear the APU starting".........on the Barton video.
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Mention of 'apu' reminded me of the day, long ago, when in BAOR during a 'bug out', I ran over to my cab where my crewman was already waiting in the LHS. I already had my helmet on (for some reason I hadn't left it in the cab) . I leapt in and while strapping in with my right hand, reached up to do the 'full and free' on the throttle.
What I hadn't spotted or heard was that the crewman without my knowledge had already started the engine and it was sitting at ground idle.......................
The engine made an 'interesting' noise as I attempted to 'full and free' it to max chat (against the rotor brake ) in about 2 seconds.
What I hadn't spotted or heard was that the crewman without my knowledge had already started the engine and it was sitting at ground idle.......................
The engine made an 'interesting' noise as I attempted to 'full and free' it to max chat (against the rotor brake ) in about 2 seconds.
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Had that with an RN stude,doing his `Downwind checks`..AT NIGHT...
Mention of 'apu' reminded me of the day, long ago, when in BAOR during a 'bug out', I ran over to my cab where my crewman was already waiting in the LHS. I already had my helmet on (for some reason I hadn't left it in the cab) . I leapt in and while strapping in with my right hand, reached up to do the 'full and free' on the throttle.
What I hadn't spotted or heard was that the crewman without my knowledge had already started the engine and it was sitting at ground idle.......................
The engine made an 'interesting' noise as I attempted to 'full and free' it to max chat (against the rotor brake ) in about 2 seconds.
What I hadn't spotted or heard was that the crewman without my knowledge had already started the engine and it was sitting at ground idle.......................
The engine made an 'interesting' noise as I attempted to 'full and free' it to max chat (against the rotor brake ) in about 2 seconds.
However this lead to one of the cleverest modifications I ever saw.
A simple bent piece of rod that bolted into the rotorbrake handle. Brake on, the rod prevented the throttle from moving forward. Brake off, the rod moved clear and the throttle was free to be advanced.
Dead cheap, pure genius.
The following 2 users liked this post by ericferret:
Military modification so probably a few weeks.,
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No, it was a turboprop for light FW. Actually, trivia quote, the Concorde didn't have an APU - ground Air Start only!
Can I tell another Gaz story..........
1983, over Belfast. We would hover for ages at 2000ft with the 'Muppet' (Int and Security) in the LHS doing his stuff. When it was time to refuel the City 2 cab would lift off from Palace and pop up along side. Cue the City 1 cab to drop off back to Palace. Months of this repetitious constant hovering ended up with 'a little game' at handover. The departing cab would do a nose down from the hover. Over the weeks the nose down record slowly crept up; 70 degrees, 80, 90, 100, 110.........
On this particular day the City 1 cab went straight on task over Belfast having transited from Aldergove with a Muppet from Book. So the days rations were secured on the back seat; strong cardboard box, the top flaps taped down, secured in the seat belts. Unbeknown to the City 1 cab driver just under the top flaps of the rations box was a tray of 24 eggs.
At cab changeover the nose down challenge was getting heated. 110 degrees was now the standard. So 120 degrees it had to be.
As the cab was nosed smartly down from the 2k hover, at 120 degrees on the AI ,the front canopy gave the resemblance of smashing as 24 raw eggs flashed by the pilots helmet from the back seat and deposited themselves across the perspex.
A messy descent into Palace barracks was immediately followed up by the most intense and gooey 1 hour clean up operation, to get the cab ready to be airborne again, before any inquisitive engineering type came over to see what the pilot was doing. Several large rolls of blue paper were called into service. The cab then headed back up on stand by, none the worse for the idiot pilots omelette action.
That cab did have an odd smell for a few weeks after though.
1983, over Belfast. We would hover for ages at 2000ft with the 'Muppet' (Int and Security) in the LHS doing his stuff. When it was time to refuel the City 2 cab would lift off from Palace and pop up along side. Cue the City 1 cab to drop off back to Palace. Months of this repetitious constant hovering ended up with 'a little game' at handover. The departing cab would do a nose down from the hover. Over the weeks the nose down record slowly crept up; 70 degrees, 80, 90, 100, 110.........
On this particular day the City 1 cab went straight on task over Belfast having transited from Aldergove with a Muppet from Book. So the days rations were secured on the back seat; strong cardboard box, the top flaps taped down, secured in the seat belts. Unbeknown to the City 1 cab driver just under the top flaps of the rations box was a tray of 24 eggs.
At cab changeover the nose down challenge was getting heated. 110 degrees was now the standard. So 120 degrees it had to be.
As the cab was nosed smartly down from the 2k hover, at 120 degrees on the AI ,the front canopy gave the resemblance of smashing as 24 raw eggs flashed by the pilots helmet from the back seat and deposited themselves across the perspex.
A messy descent into Palace barracks was immediately followed up by the most intense and gooey 1 hour clean up operation, to get the cab ready to be airborne again, before any inquisitive engineering type came over to see what the pilot was doing. Several large rolls of blue paper were called into service. The cab then headed back up on stand by, none the worse for the idiot pilots omelette action.
That cab did have an odd smell for a few weeks after though.
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Can I tell another Gaz story..........
1983, over Belfast. We would hover for ages at 2000ft with the 'Muppet' (Int and Security) in the LHS doing his stuff. When it was time to refuel the City 2 cab would lift off from Palace and pop up along side. Cue the City 1 cab to drop off back to Palace. Months of this repetitious constant hovering ended up with 'a little game' at handover. The departing cab would do a nose down from the hover. Over the weeks the nose down record slowly crept up; 70 degrees, 80, 90, 100, 110.........
On this particular day the City 1 cab went straight on task over Belfast having transited from Aldergove with a Muppet from Book. So the days rations were secured on the back seat; strong cardboard box, the top flaps taped down, secured in the seat belts. Unbeknown to the City 1 cab driver just under the top flaps of the rations box was a tray of 24 eggs.
At cab changeover the nose down challenge was getting heated. 110 degrees was now the standard. So 120 degrees it had to be.
As the cab was nosed smartly down from the 2k hover, at 120 degrees on the AI ,the front canopy gave the resemblance of smashing as 24 raw eggs flashed by the pilots helmet from the back seat and deposited themselves across the perspex.
A messy descent into Palace barracks was immediately followed up by the most intense and gooey 1 hour clean up operation, to get the cab ready to be airborne again, before any inquisitive engineering type came over to see what the pilot was doing. Several large rolls of blue paper were called into service. The cab then headed back up on stand by, none the worse for the idiot pilots omelette action.
That cab did have an odd smell for a few weeks after though.
1983, over Belfast. We would hover for ages at 2000ft with the 'Muppet' (Int and Security) in the LHS doing his stuff. When it was time to refuel the City 2 cab would lift off from Palace and pop up along side. Cue the City 1 cab to drop off back to Palace. Months of this repetitious constant hovering ended up with 'a little game' at handover. The departing cab would do a nose down from the hover. Over the weeks the nose down record slowly crept up; 70 degrees, 80, 90, 100, 110.........
On this particular day the City 1 cab went straight on task over Belfast having transited from Aldergove with a Muppet from Book. So the days rations were secured on the back seat; strong cardboard box, the top flaps taped down, secured in the seat belts. Unbeknown to the City 1 cab driver just under the top flaps of the rations box was a tray of 24 eggs.
At cab changeover the nose down challenge was getting heated. 110 degrees was now the standard. So 120 degrees it had to be.
As the cab was nosed smartly down from the 2k hover, at 120 degrees on the AI ,the front canopy gave the resemblance of smashing as 24 raw eggs flashed by the pilots helmet from the back seat and deposited themselves across the perspex.
A messy descent into Palace barracks was immediately followed up by the most intense and gooey 1 hour clean up operation, to get the cab ready to be airborne again, before any inquisitive engineering type came over to see what the pilot was doing. Several large rolls of blue paper were called into service. The cab then headed back up on stand by, none the worse for the idiot pilots omelette action.
That cab did have an odd smell for a few weeks after though.
On hot summer at Soest an aircraft came into land and we were advised that it would land on the wash down and would we attend.
The pilot a paratroop colour sergeant no longer with us climbed out and stripped to his underpants.
We hosed him down to remove the stomach contents of a backseater who had thrown up all over him and the aircraft.
Then the aircraft, not pleasant.
Not many men can still look "wary" dressed only in their underpants and carrying a pair of flying boots.
Thats the Para's for you.
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Can I tell another Gaz story..........
1983, over Belfast. We would hover for ages at 2000ft with the 'Muppet' (Int and Security) in the LHS doing his stuff. When it was time to refuel the City 2 cab would lift off from Palace and pop up along side. Cue the City 1 cab to drop off back to Palace. Months of this repetitious constant hovering ended up with 'a little game' at handover. The departing cab would do a nose down from the hover. Over the weeks the nose down record slowly crept up; 70 degrees, 80, 90, 100, 110.........
On this particular day the City 1 cab went straight on task over Belfast having transited from Aldergove with a Muppet from Book. So the days rations were secured on the back seat; strong cardboard box, the top flaps taped down, secured in the seat belts. Unbeknown to the City 1 cab driver just under the top flaps of the rations box was a tray of 24 eggs.
At cab changeover the nose down challenge was getting heated. 110 degrees was now the standard. So 120 degrees it had to be.
As the cab was nosed smartly down from the 2k hover, at 120 degrees on the AI ,the front canopy gave the resemblance of smashing as 24 raw eggs flashed by the pilots helmet from the back seat and deposited themselves across the perspex.
A messy descent into Palace barracks was immediately followed up by the most intense and gooey 1 hour clean up operation, to get the cab ready to be airborne again, before any inquisitive engineering type came over to see what the pilot was doing. Several large rolls of blue paper were called into service. The cab then headed back up on stand by, none the worse for the idiot pilots omelette action.
That cab did have an odd smell for a few weeks after though.
1983, over Belfast. We would hover for ages at 2000ft with the 'Muppet' (Int and Security) in the LHS doing his stuff. When it was time to refuel the City 2 cab would lift off from Palace and pop up along side. Cue the City 1 cab to drop off back to Palace. Months of this repetitious constant hovering ended up with 'a little game' at handover. The departing cab would do a nose down from the hover. Over the weeks the nose down record slowly crept up; 70 degrees, 80, 90, 100, 110.........
On this particular day the City 1 cab went straight on task over Belfast having transited from Aldergove with a Muppet from Book. So the days rations were secured on the back seat; strong cardboard box, the top flaps taped down, secured in the seat belts. Unbeknown to the City 1 cab driver just under the top flaps of the rations box was a tray of 24 eggs.
At cab changeover the nose down challenge was getting heated. 110 degrees was now the standard. So 120 degrees it had to be.
As the cab was nosed smartly down from the 2k hover, at 120 degrees on the AI ,the front canopy gave the resemblance of smashing as 24 raw eggs flashed by the pilots helmet from the back seat and deposited themselves across the perspex.
A messy descent into Palace barracks was immediately followed up by the most intense and gooey 1 hour clean up operation, to get the cab ready to be airborne again, before any inquisitive engineering type came over to see what the pilot was doing. Several large rolls of blue paper were called into service. The cab then headed back up on stand by, none the worse for the idiot pilots omelette action.
That cab did have an odd smell for a few weeks after though.
The following 5 users liked this post by ShyTorque:
I attended No 7 Gazelle Conversion Course, 11 November 1974 - 13 December 1974 and David Ryall was my instructor. I next saw him some years later in British International when he was, I believe, flying the Chinook.
On February 4th, 1975, I had to do a Gazelle Currency check, having gone back to the Sioux straight after the Gazelle conversion, before collecting the first Royal Marine Gazelle, XX 381, from Wroughton and taking it to Plymouth.
I have heard from one of my sons that XX 381 is now a Gate Guardian somewhere in UK.
I only flew 235 hours on the Gazelle before resigning my Non-Commision in May 1976 and joining the Omani Air Force for 3 years, but what a lovely machine, thoroughly enjoyed flying it after 1000 hours or so on the mighty Sioux. It wasn’t too much fun, though, doing night deck landings on a black night, without stabilisation, while crossing the Atlantic for an exercise in the good old US of A.
Hey Ho, Happy Days!! 😉😉👍👍
On February 4th, 1975, I had to do a Gazelle Currency check, having gone back to the Sioux straight after the Gazelle conversion, before collecting the first Royal Marine Gazelle, XX 381, from Wroughton and taking it to Plymouth.
I have heard from one of my sons that XX 381 is now a Gate Guardian somewhere in UK.
I only flew 235 hours on the Gazelle before resigning my Non-Commision in May 1976 and joining the Omani Air Force for 3 years, but what a lovely machine, thoroughly enjoyed flying it after 1000 hours or so on the mighty Sioux. It wasn’t too much fun, though, doing night deck landings on a black night, without stabilisation, while crossing the Atlantic for an exercise in the good old US of A.
Hey Ho, Happy Days!! 😉😉👍👍
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Another Gazelle story. During a “mutual” sortie with my RN stick buddy on the CFSH course, with me as the yet to be qualified instructor, I gave control to my”student” to practice something or other (I can’t remember what it was). Neither of us had previously flown the Gazelle. He’d previously earned a bit of a reputation for “spirited” flying so it was nothing unusual to see the nose go very high.
However, when the nose high suddenly when to almost 90 degrees and still increasing (!) I looked across to see what the heck he was doing and to tell him to behave. As I did so, I realised he was looking across at me, with a similar quizzical expression. Both of us saw that neither of us actually had our hands on the controls! We both grabbed them at the same time and both thankfully decided on the same recovery, which was essentially an untidy roll off the top!
We both learned about handing over and taking over control from that…. 🙃
However, when the nose high suddenly when to almost 90 degrees and still increasing (!) I looked across to see what the heck he was doing and to tell him to behave. As I did so, I realised he was looking across at me, with a similar quizzical expression. Both of us saw that neither of us actually had our hands on the controls! We both grabbed them at the same time and both thankfully decided on the same recovery, which was essentially an untidy roll off the top!
We both learned about handing over and taking over control from that…. 🙃
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Tightgit
before collecting the first Royal Marine Gazelle, XX 381, from Wroughton and taking it to Plymouth.
Can’t do 381, but here’s it’s very slightly younger brother.
o
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