Ta, Mate
Gags and W_ocker
Thanks for your comments. I am glad that these forums can lead to aviators gleaning good information from each other's experiences instead of spiralling into vitriole and catty jealousy. In the words of Kamahl; 'why are people so unkind?'
Gags, yep it was a Chinook... but we have the luxury of duplicated hydraulics and a back up hydraulic system, to boot... so the emergency only raised a yawn and not the heart rate, thank goodness.
I don't envy operators in smaller, less well equipped aircraft being placed in the same situation. Hopefully that sort of emergency will only be experienced in a simulator or on a forum like this from which we can all learn.
Safe flying.