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Old 22nd Jan 2007, 06:45
  #51 (permalink)  
BEagle
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 26,837
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It's easy to underestimate the power of a good blow......

Some years ago, an unforecast hurricane hit Bermuda where we were positioned for an air show with a VC10K. It was so suddent that we were locked in the hotel and unable to take any additional precautions over the routine ones of asking for extra chocks to be lashed in place.

The wind and driving rain hosed the chocks out from under the aircraft, which then went for a little walk before being stopped by spectator 'bleachers' set up for the air show. Damage was one bent pod impeller and one scratched slat; both were soon repaired. As an extra precaution, the ground crew also carried out the 'after flight through severe turbulence' and 'heavy landing' procedures - nothing untoward found.

We were very lucky, having been parked on the USN side of the base; the USN runs a tight ship and there was no gash or loose rubbish to dmage the aircraft any further. Whereas a Nimrod wasn't so lucky, with substantial damage over at the civil side of the airport.

When Big G / Big A (delete as applic) decides to show who's boss, you can take all the precautions imagineable, but at the end of the day the wind will often win.
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