Another one #2
Late '80's, Lossiemouth.
"EMERGENCYSTATETWO, EMERGENCYSTATETWO, EMERGENCYSTATETWO, JAGUAR AIRCRAFT TWO POB, WITH NOSE UNDERCARRIAGE PROBLEMS"
All sections empty to watch the unfolding drama. Front seater elects to remain on board to assist rear seater (experience had apparently shown that the forward fuselage distorts, possibly affecting ejection of the front seat). Beautiful clear day. Over the hedge and the canopy is jettisoned, landing inside the airfield boundary. The most gentle contact of the mainwheels, and one of the most bizarrely beautiful sights entertain the onlookers - the graceful look of a Jaguar, mains on the floor with nose gear out of sight. It looked just so right.
Back to reality, speed slows and gravity takes over. The nose of the Jag is brought into contact with the Tarmac smoothly, and the aircraft slows and stops on the centreline. Two bods out safely on the grass and fire crews attend. Station personnel applaud, glad of the safe outcome, and impressed with the brilliant job done by these two fine aviators.
Then the recovery of the Jag.
226 send a team to recover the aircraft. MT crane lifts the nose and the tracks are positioned underneath. The tracks are connected to the tractor by a chain, and the SNCO I/C the move walks quickly beside the aircraft while SAC Bloggs is sat on the brakes. All's well until they are moving along the taxyway past the Great Eight...where the taxyway dips. The whole line shift in Eight including JENGO and SENGO are at the window to see how the 226 neighbours are going to "cope-with-the-slope". We are not disappointed.
The tractor (MF 40 IIRC) continues at it's fixed fast walking speed accompanied by its escorting SNCO. The Jag starts accelerating...
Bloggs the brakeman cannot steer away from the tractor because...the steerable nose wheel is in bed. The sound of the dragging chain alerts the SNCO that all may not be well. The wingtip guys, residing in the tractor, alert the tractor driver of the impending pitot tube coming his way.
At the same moment, the brakeman stands on his pedals while the tractor driver accelerates.
The tracks didn't get completely dragged out from under the Jag nose, but it was awfully close.
MT crane called again, nose re-lifted, tracks placed, and loads of 226 personnel escort the unfortunate Jag and it's recovery team home. And the whole station saw it.
We sat down again and had another coffee.
Just another day in a blue suit.
Camlobe