Originally Posted by
Mogwi
The answer to your question is that it was a) unique and b) barely legal!
The quailed pilot was certainly there all the time but I was handling the aircraft - in fact I think he had a pretty good kip during the flight. He had been flying non-stop since the loss of Conveyor and was completely knackered. I was pretty tired but at least I had had a good night’s sleep (in the captains cabin!). If the captain had known about either my flying the Wessex or sleeping in his cabin, he would have had an epileptic fit. (Other seizures are available).
I had not flown a Wessex full time for 9 years but I had a couple of trips in 1978, so I could remember how to open the cockpit door. The briefing went something like “You sit in the right seat and if you manage to get it airborne OK, I’ll go to sleep”. I had to keep,my smoked visor down though, so that Wings and the captain couldn’t ID me.
Mog
Fabulous, and thanks for clarifying.