Originally Posted by
Thud_and_Blunder
Re the Chinook - a quick off-thread question: what are the requirements for lashing a heli on-deck prior to offloading pax?
I ask because - after the farce where an inexperienced-on-type Sqn Ldr tried lifting the back end of Invincible when he 'forgot' to do the after-landing checks prior to waving in the lashing party (AFCS - 'OFF') - we would have a non-stop badgering from FLYCO on every arrival about checks. I understand their point, as it was only the quick thinking of the No.1 crewman that saved at least one life. As for the now-potentially-damaged Chinook: where would you choose to divert if you were 12nm or so away from West Freugh? That's right - a farmer's field in N Ireland... couldn't make it up.
Back in the day, fhe basic principle was that nothing happenened the requisite number of nylon lashings had been fitted. Pilot and Marshaller/FDO would signal prior agreement to the lashing numbers moving in, the idea being that the pilot would have the aircraft in a state to be lashed down. Once lashed, Mum is then free to manoeuvre. The the FDO or marshaller might initiate pax off load by requesting in move of a guide or signal agreement to the pilot request for persons to transit under the disc from the a/c. Both pilot approval/ assent and marshaller/FDO approval assent were needed before movement.
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