Donkey’s years ago I was on 33Sqn when it was first formed. In Bedford they were trialing a letdown aid known as Madge. The chap, whom I knew, who was running it was concerned about the Puma using it with the planned 100ft. break-off because he had heard that the Puma required three days notice in writing to stop. No problem, quothe I, so one other and me punched up there with a Puma to have a look at it.
There was a Wessex with the kit fitted and a trials Madge unit in a field some distance away. My mate climbed in, did the necessary and then it was my turn. The civilian fire section was going on strike at 1300hrs so we had to get our Puma airborne before then so my assessment was time limited.
I climbed in, acknowledged the bloke in the left hand seat who read the take-off checklist and off I went. I flew it like a Puma and the odd gasps suggested I wasn’t watching the torque-meter, not that I knew, the Whirlwind and Puma didn’t have one. I flew the system, being ex Valiants I could fly an ILS and I expressed the opinion that there was no cause for concern.
On returning my mate was already burning and turning with our Puma because we had about three minutes before we had to leave. I thanked him, climbed down the side, jumped into our Puma and we pissed off.
About three hours later there was a phone call at Odium for me, it was the chap at Bedford.
“It was a bit rude of you leaving him in a Wessex burning and turning.”
“I left him to shut it down.” I explained.
“But he was a navigator,” a long pause. “You are qualified on the Wessex aren’t you?”
“No.”
That’s how I was captain of a Wessex without doing the OCU.