A "Gucci Anvis" story from the same theatre, but a bit later. 31st March 1983 to be precise, having just checked previous logbook. And 'twas in the Queen
Mother of the skies, the mighty Wessex.
Sqn had just got hold of the new kit - to be used (initially) for "nav assist" only. Boss gives kit to two QHIs (there's dangerous) to "trial", primarily to see how we could get around reflections, lighting etc in a (very much) non-NVG cockpit.
After much sitting on a darkened bit of EGAA, lighting and reflection problems addressed. A sheet of blue Fablon over the cockpit white floodlight for lighting and "extensions" to the cockpit coaming to cut down reflections.
[When I say "extensions", I really mean bits of cornflake carton attached with bodge tape!]
Came the night to flight test it, so went to BBK (pretty sh!tty weather, there's a surprise) to fit in around the "night cab's" tasking - which on account of the weather was not a lot. So South Armagh to ourselves to play in. Deep joy. Get to BBK to find the Pleasant Puma there, unbeknown to us, flown by famous aged scottish pilot, both of whose initials were the same!
We decided just to fly gently up and down the railway line, literally to see what we could see, and coordinated with the Puma who would be in the same area.
[When I say "coordinated", I really mean agreeing a knock-it-off code. 'Twas the height of the brevity code days so we agreed on a one-off: "707" - meaning "F
ck this for a game of soldiers, I've just frightened myself f@rtless and I'm going home for a beer!"]
And of course, shortly thereafter we both find ourselves flying along the railway line in opposite directions (and on opposite sides of course) in the aforementioned sh!tty weather. On a chat frequency, passing positions as we progressed...... and then we realised ... from the position reports we had in fact gone past each other, with neither having seen the other cab........
...... went quiet for a long time then I transmitted: "707 Stan??" "Aye laddie, 707!!" .. and so we did.
On reflection, knowing the Puma driver, he could well have been in the depths of Co Monaghan!!
