Aeronut
20th Oct 2005, 21:59
EXCLUSIVE: HERO OF THE NIGHT
Civvy pilot Syd risks his life to circle above downed fliers
A FLYING instructor in a tiny plane guided rescuers to an RAF crew who ejected into the sea from their stricken jet. Syd Utting bravely circled his two-seater Cessna above the two men - despite running low on fuel - to guide in the helicopters and lifeboats hunting for them.
Syd's role in the rescue emerged yesterday hours after the men were forced to eject from the £20million Tornado before it ditched into the sea.
The 38-year-old former RAF engineer was on a training flight in the Dundee area on Friday night when he was asked for his help by air traffic control at RAF Leuchars, in Fife, the jet's base.
He agreed to join the rescue effort, despite his plane only having a flying time of three hours. Syd said last night: "We were able to track the approximate location of the plane using radar.
"When we got there, we could see what looked like an oil slick, which was obviously aviation fuel.
"I thought I saw a dinghy and was contacting Leuchars when a red flare shot up into the sky. One of the airmen had fired it off to let me know he had seen us circling above him.
Syd was a Halton appo (LTA to the 147 Entry) and was (still is!) a bloody good bloke
If you read this Syd - nice one.
Civvy pilot Syd risks his life to circle above downed fliers
A FLYING instructor in a tiny plane guided rescuers to an RAF crew who ejected into the sea from their stricken jet. Syd Utting bravely circled his two-seater Cessna above the two men - despite running low on fuel - to guide in the helicopters and lifeboats hunting for them.
Syd's role in the rescue emerged yesterday hours after the men were forced to eject from the £20million Tornado before it ditched into the sea.
The 38-year-old former RAF engineer was on a training flight in the Dundee area on Friday night when he was asked for his help by air traffic control at RAF Leuchars, in Fife, the jet's base.
He agreed to join the rescue effort, despite his plane only having a flying time of three hours. Syd said last night: "We were able to track the approximate location of the plane using radar.
"When we got there, we could see what looked like an oil slick, which was obviously aviation fuel.
"I thought I saw a dinghy and was contacting Leuchars when a red flare shot up into the sky. One of the airmen had fired it off to let me know he had seen us circling above him.
Syd was a Halton appo (LTA to the 147 Entry) and was (still is!) a bloody good bloke
If you read this Syd - nice one.