Originally Posted by
Thud_and_Blunder
Having operated into a very large proportion (as in: very nearly all) of the landing areas available in Brunei - not just the UK training-area ones, but across Tutong, Temburong and everywhere else too - I'm aware that a significant proportion are not suitable for aircraft the size or landing-gear-configuration of aircraft like the Puma or even ATUDB/RBrAF's Blackhawk. Sounds like a retrograde step as far as capability for the troops on the ground.. but when was that ever a consideration?
We used to land the Puma in Belize on raised pads designed for the Scout. You certainly needed to know where the wheels were though, especially when overhanging a steep drop, such as Cadenas. If the pilot was sitting over the front of the pad where he could see it, the aircraft was way too far back because the nose wheel lies just about behind a line between the two front seats so the mainwheels were still over fresh air. As far as jungle landing sites were concerned, if one was needed we could just drop in troops to make one. I recall one occasion when we were tasked to fly in Gurkhas to cut a new LS up in the Cockscomb mountains. We hover jumped them over what appeared to be grass about two feet high. When we came back later the same day it was obvious they had actually dropped about twelve feet down into some sort of VERY long grass! But the LS was finished. On other occasions some HE / Det cord was used to cut down large trees.
Wet fit floors for the Puma were available even back in the late 1970/80s; they were routinely fitted to Belize Det aircraft (we had the SAR standby requirement). I think I'm correct in saying we even had a wet fit floor at Odiham for when we did wet winching practice. It was said that in trials held for the purpose the Puma was found to be totally unsuitable for wet winching due to the alleged very heavy downdraught. But we found that it was possible to pin a dinghy down in the centre of it and winch from surprisingly low heights.