Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II
Adam
Possibly your father's skills were improving because according to Wiki:
Possibly your father's skills were improving because according to Wiki:
62 Air School Tempe (Bloemfontein) Flying Instructor Training - 11 Nov 1940 (ex CFS) 19/24 Feb 1945
Warmtoast,
Thanks.
My father never flew again after the crash. However, he was retrained as a Link Training Instructor, hence the connection to 62 AS.
Regards
Adam
Thanks.
My father never flew again after the crash. However, he was retrained as a Link Training Instructor, hence the connection to 62 AS.
Regards
Adam
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Danny and the Multiple Alarm Clock (Part II)
Before we start, I have to say that I've never actually seen inside this mechanism, for obviously there must have been some way of opening it up, as the lower clock would need access for winding. Nor have I seen any kind of Schematic Diagram, so this is how I think it must have worked.
All I know from overhearing references to the beast is that there were two clocks involved, also "knitting needles", and that it was plugged into the mains. From that I have conjectured this design which I'm now about to present to you.
If there be anybody within earshot who can remember anything about it, please come forward and tell us. It would undoubtedly have had a name, probably that of the F/Sgt who'd designed it, but if tnat were so I've forgotten it.
You may think I sound remarkably incurious about this new toy, but all I was concerned with was how our Assistants worked it. It was simple enough. When a solo JP took off, the Asst. took out two pins with the callsign, one for Local's desk display, the other went into the perspex top of the Alarm, in the segment indicated by the pointer of the clock minute hand.
It might be that several aircraft took-off during that same minute, in which case they were added to those already there. I think there were eight holes along each degree segment, and even if they were all full, you could put any extras into the next one - the chap would get his call only a minute late.
Now comes the crafty bit. Below the first clock was a second one. And, immediately below the top perspex, stretching down the mid-point of every one minute sector, was fixed a pair of (colloquially known as) "knitting needles". These were pairs of small brass or copper rods of some 1-2mm section, normally set parallel, very closely (0.5mm ?) apart, but not actually touching. A Mapping pin could pass through the hole above, and make good electrical contact between them.
The rest was easy. you took the glass off No.2 Clock (set 40 mins after No.1), rigged a tiny metal contact to brush lightly over the tip of the minute hand and went to work with thin flex and soldering iron to set up a low voltage DC circuit between minute hand, spring contact, rod to pin to rod, on to the buzzer/squeaker/bulb, and back.
Then do it all again 59 times, each time wiring to the next minute's rod (obviously at the base, for there you'd have about 30mm (the width of your segment) to work in, whereas, at the top end (eight inches up) there would only be 10mm. Add a transformer/rectifier, plug-in and off you go.
A difficult point might be the fixing of the pairs of rods so that they were held the exact distance apart but still leaving sufficient air gap to ensure the necessary insulation. A tiny block of perspex, drilled with two holes (even in the worst case of, say, 2mm rods), could fit in 4.5mm overall for holes and still give room of 2.75mm at each side for fixing at the top of the segment. Should be a doddle for any instrument mechanic !
And all this is mere supposition - just my guess as to how it might have been be done (there must have been other ways - probably better !)
40 mins on, the No.2 clock hand would have worked round to the segment of the original pins; these bridged the rods gap, the circuit was closed, and the Alarm did whatever it was set up to do. For the rest of the minute it would buzz (or whatever) until the last Bloggs in the segment had been warned and his pin removed. IIRC, there was no follow up, clearly any Bloggs who ran out of fuel after such a timely reminder should clearly have been "chopped".
As for the Alarm Box I remember, the varnished woodwork was of high quality, it was bulky and very heavy, much too big to put on a control desk. So it had to go on a separate table, and as Local's Assistant sat by him at the desk, I suppose we had to be established for another Asst. to sit at this table and operate the device.
And that's really all that needs to be said about the Multiple Alarm Clock.
Anyone with anything to add ?
Good evening once again, chaps,
Danny42C.
Ingenious, these Chinese !
All I know from overhearing references to the beast is that there were two clocks involved, also "knitting needles", and that it was plugged into the mains. From that I have conjectured this design which I'm now about to present to you.
If there be anybody within earshot who can remember anything about it, please come forward and tell us. It would undoubtedly have had a name, probably that of the F/Sgt who'd designed it, but if tnat were so I've forgotten it.
You may think I sound remarkably incurious about this new toy, but all I was concerned with was how our Assistants worked it. It was simple enough. When a solo JP took off, the Asst. took out two pins with the callsign, one for Local's desk display, the other went into the perspex top of the Alarm, in the segment indicated by the pointer of the clock minute hand.
It might be that several aircraft took-off during that same minute, in which case they were added to those already there. I think there were eight holes along each degree segment, and even if they were all full, you could put any extras into the next one - the chap would get his call only a minute late.
Now comes the crafty bit. Below the first clock was a second one. And, immediately below the top perspex, stretching down the mid-point of every one minute sector, was fixed a pair of (colloquially known as) "knitting needles". These were pairs of small brass or copper rods of some 1-2mm section, normally set parallel, very closely (0.5mm ?) apart, but not actually touching. A Mapping pin could pass through the hole above, and make good electrical contact between them.
The rest was easy. you took the glass off No.2 Clock (set 40 mins after No.1), rigged a tiny metal contact to brush lightly over the tip of the minute hand and went to work with thin flex and soldering iron to set up a low voltage DC circuit between minute hand, spring contact, rod to pin to rod, on to the buzzer/squeaker/bulb, and back.
Then do it all again 59 times, each time wiring to the next minute's rod (obviously at the base, for there you'd have about 30mm (the width of your segment) to work in, whereas, at the top end (eight inches up) there would only be 10mm. Add a transformer/rectifier, plug-in and off you go.
A difficult point might be the fixing of the pairs of rods so that they were held the exact distance apart but still leaving sufficient air gap to ensure the necessary insulation. A tiny block of perspex, drilled with two holes (even in the worst case of, say, 2mm rods), could fit in 4.5mm overall for holes and still give room of 2.75mm at each side for fixing at the top of the segment. Should be a doddle for any instrument mechanic !
And all this is mere supposition - just my guess as to how it might have been be done (there must have been other ways - probably better !)
40 mins on, the No.2 clock hand would have worked round to the segment of the original pins; these bridged the rods gap, the circuit was closed, and the Alarm did whatever it was set up to do. For the rest of the minute it would buzz (or whatever) until the last Bloggs in the segment had been warned and his pin removed. IIRC, there was no follow up, clearly any Bloggs who ran out of fuel after such a timely reminder should clearly have been "chopped".
As for the Alarm Box I remember, the varnished woodwork was of high quality, it was bulky and very heavy, much too big to put on a control desk. So it had to go on a separate table, and as Local's Assistant sat by him at the desk, I suppose we had to be established for another Asst. to sit at this table and operate the device.
And that's really all that needs to be said about the Multiple Alarm Clock.
Anyone with anything to add ?
Good evening once again, chaps,
Danny42C.
Ingenious, these Chinese !
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An interesting dissertation, Danny42C. I knew those 'Jet Clocks' existed, and recall seeing one in the occasional photograph, but as I never worked on an FTS I had no practical experience.
We did come up with some weird and wonderful equipment in ATC.
We did come up with some weird and wonderful equipment in ATC.
Excellent feat of reverse engineering, Danny, it will be interesting if someone with knowledge of the insides of this state of the art analogue device can tell us how they conformed or varied with your specs. At least Tupolev had possession of a B-29 in order to replicate it in the form of the Tu-4, you had only sight of the MAC (I wonder what the official Ref and title was) but it has obviously nagged away at you since those days of the more immediate demands pressing upon an AFS SATCO.
Not quite the same process I know, but in taking a Victorian railway carriage body to pieces, repairing/replacing those pieces, producing missing parts removed while in domestic grounded body mode, and then rebuilding same for running in a preserved train, you are forever asking yourself why, what, how? Why did they do it that way, or what way did they do it? What order did they do it in? How did they do it?
A time machine would be a great advantage of course. You couldn't see your way to drafting out the mechanics of one by any chance...?
Not quite the same process I know, but in taking a Victorian railway carriage body to pieces, repairing/replacing those pieces, producing missing parts removed while in domestic grounded body mode, and then rebuilding same for running in a preserved train, you are forever asking yourself why, what, how? Why did they do it that way, or what way did they do it? What order did they do it in? How did they do it?
A time machine would be a great advantage of course. You couldn't see your way to drafting out the mechanics of one by any chance...?
We did come up with some weird and wonderful equipment in ATC
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gaining an raf pilots brevet in ww2
Well Danny thanks to taxidual we now have the story of the belated "wings" presentation to Wilson Taylor 69 years after his "wings test"
I couldnt make sense of either the Northern Echo or BBC video, s explanation of why he wasnt given his brevet way back in 45---lack of operational experience, provisional "wings"??.
The story brought back memories on the cessation of overseas aircrew training as the war ended and the influx of I suppose thousands of u/t aircrew to Bircham Newton and Docking in late 45.We were given the option of gentlemanly agreeing to eventually sign on if we continued training and obtained our brevet.
The experiences of two friends who opted for this were strange---one got his pilots brevet and commission. However when he was unable to get a satisfactory answer on his career path he refused to sign on and was transferred to ATC until his normal demob number came up.
The other guy graduated as a navigator and did sign on but he said that some on his course refused to sign on and were denied their brevet.
Back to WilsonTaylor---I note from the picture of his logbook in the BBC video that he
took his wings exam on August 21 45 at 18 SFTS RCAF Gimli---on the internet it states that 18 SFTS Gimli closed in May 45 but it seems more likely that this was when WT, s course began.
I had always thought that after EFTS at Yorkton in Sept 45 we would have gone on to what I erroneously thought was the only SFTS still operating at Calgary and then to the Liberator.
OTU in BC.
I recognise that this is outside your experience Danny but I think it might be of interest if other u/t, s could shed futher light on this era---it is too late to ask Richard Burton who was at one of the three ANS, s still operating---Summerside PEI and I think Portage and Rivers in Manitoba
Best Wishes,
D
I couldnt make sense of either the Northern Echo or BBC video, s explanation of why he wasnt given his brevet way back in 45---lack of operational experience, provisional "wings"??.
The story brought back memories on the cessation of overseas aircrew training as the war ended and the influx of I suppose thousands of u/t aircrew to Bircham Newton and Docking in late 45.We were given the option of gentlemanly agreeing to eventually sign on if we continued training and obtained our brevet.
The experiences of two friends who opted for this were strange---one got his pilots brevet and commission. However when he was unable to get a satisfactory answer on his career path he refused to sign on and was transferred to ATC until his normal demob number came up.
The other guy graduated as a navigator and did sign on but he said that some on his course refused to sign on and were denied their brevet.
Back to WilsonTaylor---I note from the picture of his logbook in the BBC video that he
took his wings exam on August 21 45 at 18 SFTS RCAF Gimli---on the internet it states that 18 SFTS Gimli closed in May 45 but it seems more likely that this was when WT, s course began.
I had always thought that after EFTS at Yorkton in Sept 45 we would have gone on to what I erroneously thought was the only SFTS still operating at Calgary and then to the Liberator.
OTU in BC.
I recognise that this is outside your experience Danny but I think it might be of interest if other u/t, s could shed futher light on this era---it is too late to ask Richard Burton who was at one of the three ANS, s still operating---Summerside PEI and I think Portage and Rivers in Manitoba
Best Wishes,
D
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Chugalug, (ref your #6125)
More a case of an overactive imagination than a feat of reverse engineering, I must confess !
As I've said many Posts ago, the real solution was to select for pilot training only those candidates who could demonstrate the ability to tell the time and read a fuel gauge. As these are fairly normal accomplishments in everyday life, this should not be too restrictive, I would have thought.
Did anyone "nanny" us in this way in our time ? No !! And it is no answer to say: "It was all right for you, you had four, eight, twenty-four hours, or whatever, fuel aboard when you took off. But poor Bloggs in his Meteor had only 40 minutes (if lucky) when he got the fires going, and perhaps 35 when he had wheels-up".
But, as we all know, it doesn't matter how much you started with, the day will come when only 30 minutes are left, and you're starting to sweat a bit.
Doesn't self-preservation click-in ?
Did the USAF worry about this in (say) the T-33 ?.....D.
Fantom Zorbin,
But it worked ! Low first cost (unless BaE was the contractor). Nil maintenance and 100% servicability. What more could you want ?....D.
DFCP,
Post-Hiroshima/Nagasaki, it was total confusion everywhere. We couldn't make sense of it even at the time. No one will ever unravel it now.....D.
Cheers to you all, Danny.
More a case of an overactive imagination than a feat of reverse engineering, I must confess !
As I've said many Posts ago, the real solution was to select for pilot training only those candidates who could demonstrate the ability to tell the time and read a fuel gauge. As these are fairly normal accomplishments in everyday life, this should not be too restrictive, I would have thought.
Did anyone "nanny" us in this way in our time ? No !! And it is no answer to say: "It was all right for you, you had four, eight, twenty-four hours, or whatever, fuel aboard when you took off. But poor Bloggs in his Meteor had only 40 minutes (if lucky) when he got the fires going, and perhaps 35 when he had wheels-up".
But, as we all know, it doesn't matter how much you started with, the day will come when only 30 minutes are left, and you're starting to sweat a bit.
Doesn't self-preservation click-in ? Did the USAF worry about this in (say) the T-33 ?.....D.
Fantom Zorbin,
But it worked ! Low first cost (unless BaE was the contractor). Nil maintenance and 100% servicability. What more could you want ?....D.
DFCP,
Post-Hiroshima/Nagasaki, it was total confusion everywhere. We couldn't make sense of it even at the time. No one will ever unravel it now.....D.
Cheers to you all, Danny.
An other - somewhat unkind? - Lightning chestnut was:
Q. What is the turning circle of a Lightning on full reheat?
A. Forget it, you have fuel exhaustion before you manage a 360 that way!
Q. What is the turning circle of a Lightning on full reheat?
A. Forget it, you have fuel exhaustion before you manage a 360 that way!
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ISTR that 20's Hunter F9s going from Tengah to Seletar for majors were stripped of everything (including Sabrinas) ... and there was a roster for doing the delivery flights. They didn't last 30 minutes.
Any members of F-Troop here?
Any members of F-Troop here?
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Danny and the "Skid-o-Meter" ?
Another Bright Idea made its appearance in ATC about this time and is worthy of a mention. From the beginning of aviation time (or rather since runways were invented), aviators had been ever more sensitive to "Braking Distances", and the malign effect on runways of rain and (above all, ice).
But all judgment was subjective. The only way to determine whether a runway was flyable was to send a chap out to see. Sometimes there were differences of opinion: I recall a morning somewhere; it'd been a sharp night. Local came back from the morning airfield inspection. "What's it like, Chief ?"....."Not too bad on the runway, mostly dry, but some big ice patches still".
Off I went to Briefing, my turn came to get on the rostrum and say my piece, including the above, verbatim. "Nonsense !" snapped CFI, "I've just come down from my Quarter, all the roads are perfectly firm and dry ! After Briefing, I'll try the Runway myself".
Crestfallen, I was in no position to argue. Briefing over, CFI went back to his office, then fired up his Ensign pick-up and sallied forth. I went straight up to top Tower (they'd just cleared him onto the airfield), told what had happened, we got out the binoculars and watched carefully. At first it looked as if "he'd had the right of it". The Ensign seemed under perfect control, and stopped in a straight line. Out he got, took two firm, confident paces. On the third, he did what in the States they call a "Snap Vertical Reverse" (ie half a "Snap" - "Flick" to us) Roll, his feet flew up in the air and we could feel the inpact as he landed on his derričre.
It must have been painful. He scrambled somehow back on his feet - then arms and legs were flying all over the place as he gave us an encore. (Note ##) This time he was more careful, and managed to limp/shuffle back to his Ensign. (By now, his unfeeling, disloyal subordinates in Top Tower were positively rolling about with schadenfreude).
He vanished back into FWHQ. A few moments later SATCO looked in:"CFI's just been on - they're holding take offs for an hour to let this stuff burn off". Clearly, the RAF needed a Better Idea, and (as sometimes happens) one was forthcoming. (Now what follows is wholly from memory). Imagine something about the size of a trolley-acc, towed by our L/Rover. On the back there was a sort of outrigger, in which was mounted a bike wheel in a castor. Of course, this wheel did not carry any of the trailer weight, but I think was kept in contact with the ground by a spring.
Now this bike wheel in its castor (left alone) would obviously run "true". But it wasn't left alone. The castor had a sort of tiller, attached to the trailer by a coil spring, At rest, this would pull the wheel some 20-30 degrees out of "true". Running on a firm, dry surface, however, tyre grip would obviously pull the wheel back to "true" against the tension of the (fairly weak) spring.
But on sheet ice (say), it would be diffferent story. Now the tyre had lost its grip on the surface, the spring would be able to pull wheel and castor out of "true": the slippier the surface, the more the deflection.
Fine so far, but where does this get us ? Now for the clever bit. Connected to the end of the "tiller" was a sticky-inked stylus. Add a narrow roll of graph paper with a clockwork motor to drive it around slowly (thermograph style), and "voilą !"
Now Controller could go out onto one end of a freezing runway, set device going, then drive carefully at a prescribed speed (20 mph ?) up and down the length of the runway, first a quarter of the width across, then turn and back mid-width, then turn and back three quarters across. Stop and switch off. Drive back round t/way to Tower. Put kettle on. Send minion out to bring in graph roll. Read the Runes. Record in Local Log. Simple.
It was win-win all round. Instead of haphazard pedestrian estimates (with attendant risks to life and limb) you got a comprehensive, objective record with which none could argue. Apart from getting out to switch on and off, Controller stayed in the "warmth" (?) of the L/Rover throughout. Couldn't be better. What did we call it ? - no idea.
Once again, I appeal to anyone who can Assist us with our Enquiries, to come forward on Thread.
Cheers, Danny42C.
The Appliance of Science
Note ##:
(This triggered a curious "flash-back", I recall an incident in my youth. I bounded onto the ice with the guards still on my skates. The result was spectacular, much like a "Zurakowski" or "Niezrechi" (Busta). The landing (on ice) is as painful as on tarrmac !)
(Every skater does this once, nobody ever does it twice).
But all judgment was subjective. The only way to determine whether a runway was flyable was to send a chap out to see. Sometimes there were differences of opinion: I recall a morning somewhere; it'd been a sharp night. Local came back from the morning airfield inspection. "What's it like, Chief ?"....."Not too bad on the runway, mostly dry, but some big ice patches still".
Off I went to Briefing, my turn came to get on the rostrum and say my piece, including the above, verbatim. "Nonsense !" snapped CFI, "I've just come down from my Quarter, all the roads are perfectly firm and dry ! After Briefing, I'll try the Runway myself".
Crestfallen, I was in no position to argue. Briefing over, CFI went back to his office, then fired up his Ensign pick-up and sallied forth. I went straight up to top Tower (they'd just cleared him onto the airfield), told what had happened, we got out the binoculars and watched carefully. At first it looked as if "he'd had the right of it". The Ensign seemed under perfect control, and stopped in a straight line. Out he got, took two firm, confident paces. On the third, he did what in the States they call a "Snap Vertical Reverse" (ie half a "Snap" - "Flick" to us) Roll, his feet flew up in the air and we could feel the inpact as he landed on his derričre.
It must have been painful. He scrambled somehow back on his feet - then arms and legs were flying all over the place as he gave us an encore. (Note ##) This time he was more careful, and managed to limp/shuffle back to his Ensign. (By now, his unfeeling, disloyal subordinates in Top Tower were positively rolling about with schadenfreude).
He vanished back into FWHQ. A few moments later SATCO looked in:"CFI's just been on - they're holding take offs for an hour to let this stuff burn off". Clearly, the RAF needed a Better Idea, and (as sometimes happens) one was forthcoming. (Now what follows is wholly from memory). Imagine something about the size of a trolley-acc, towed by our L/Rover. On the back there was a sort of outrigger, in which was mounted a bike wheel in a castor. Of course, this wheel did not carry any of the trailer weight, but I think was kept in contact with the ground by a spring.
Now this bike wheel in its castor (left alone) would obviously run "true". But it wasn't left alone. The castor had a sort of tiller, attached to the trailer by a coil spring, At rest, this would pull the wheel some 20-30 degrees out of "true". Running on a firm, dry surface, however, tyre grip would obviously pull the wheel back to "true" against the tension of the (fairly weak) spring.
But on sheet ice (say), it would be diffferent story. Now the tyre had lost its grip on the surface, the spring would be able to pull wheel and castor out of "true": the slippier the surface, the more the deflection.
Fine so far, but where does this get us ? Now for the clever bit. Connected to the end of the "tiller" was a sticky-inked stylus. Add a narrow roll of graph paper with a clockwork motor to drive it around slowly (thermograph style), and "voilą !"
Now Controller could go out onto one end of a freezing runway, set device going, then drive carefully at a prescribed speed (20 mph ?) up and down the length of the runway, first a quarter of the width across, then turn and back mid-width, then turn and back three quarters across. Stop and switch off. Drive back round t/way to Tower. Put kettle on. Send minion out to bring in graph roll. Read the Runes. Record in Local Log. Simple.
It was win-win all round. Instead of haphazard pedestrian estimates (with attendant risks to life and limb) you got a comprehensive, objective record with which none could argue. Apart from getting out to switch on and off, Controller stayed in the "warmth" (?) of the L/Rover throughout. Couldn't be better. What did we call it ? - no idea.
Once again, I appeal to anyone who can Assist us with our Enquiries, to come forward on Thread.
Cheers, Danny42C.
The Appliance of Science
Note ##:
(This triggered a curious "flash-back", I recall an incident in my youth. I bounded onto the ice with the guards still on my skates. The result was spectacular, much like a "Zurakowski" or "Niezrechi" (Busta). The landing (on ice) is as painful as on tarrmac !)
(Every skater does this once, nobody ever does it twice).
Last edited by Danny42C; 3rd Sep 2014 at 22:46. Reason: Redundant Apostrophe.
Danny.
The equipment you describe sounds very like a device called a mu-meter, which is actually still in use but in a very modified form. I must admit. I remember using it's predecessor, the Tapley meter. I still have the lumps on my forehead to prove it.
Spiney.
The equipment you describe sounds very like a device called a mu-meter, which is actually still in use but in a very modified form. I must admit. I remember using it's predecessor, the Tapley meter. I still have the lumps on my forehead to prove it.
Spiney.
Last edited by Spiney Norman; 3rd Sep 2014 at 21:47. Reason: My poor typing skills!
Danny, Spiney Norman,
Surely the device you describe is the forerunner of the Runway Friction Meter ? I'm sure someone currently serving will confirm its continued existence. It appears this is the latest form of the device:
I'm sure it's better than seeing a Senior Officer going @rse over tit
Smudge
Surely the device you describe is the forerunner of the Runway Friction Meter ? I'm sure someone currently serving will confirm its continued existence. It appears this is the latest form of the device:
I'm sure it's better than seeing a Senior Officer going @rse over tit
Smudge
Hi Smuj.
That's the fellah! If I remember correctly the device was driven at 40 MPH along paths 10 metres either side of the runway centreline in either direction. In the early days the operator, (a fireman at the first airfield I encountered it), would read off the recorded figures in thirds of each run. We would then convert these to co-efficient of friction figures that would be passed to aircraft as a verbal report, i.e. Good-Good-Medium Good to describe the braking action to pilots who needed the info. Later on, the machine was operated by airfield operations guys who would do all the converting for us which was just as well as I seem to remember that in the early days the 'conversion device' was an enormous metal circular slide rule like a ping-pong bat!
Spiney.
That's the fellah! If I remember correctly the device was driven at 40 MPH along paths 10 metres either side of the runway centreline in either direction. In the early days the operator, (a fireman at the first airfield I encountered it), would read off the recorded figures in thirds of each run. We would then convert these to co-efficient of friction figures that would be passed to aircraft as a verbal report, i.e. Good-Good-Medium Good to describe the braking action to pilots who needed the info. Later on, the machine was operated by airfield operations guys who would do all the converting for us which was just as well as I seem to remember that in the early days the 'conversion device' was an enormous metal circular slide rule like a ping-pong bat!
Spiney.
Danny:-
If it is of any consolation, Danny, he wasn't the only CFI with a Canute like attitude to icy runways. Ours at Oakington, where the ice had built up over the Christmas grant by snowing, thawing, freezing, and repeating as above, certainly displayed the same sangfroid as displayed by yours. All we students were sent out into the icy wilderness to hack at the stuff with shovels and picks until we had at last cleared half the length and half the width of the runway.
Our job wasn't made easier by the failure of the previous good idea which was to park and chock the 5FTS Vampires in echelon at the runway end, start them up, and run the engines up to melt the snow and ice. The resultant slush had nowhere to go, as the drains were frozen up as well, and soon reverted to an even more formidable icy covering than was there before.
Finally our labours were declared sufficient and we retired to the warmth and shelter of our crewrooms from where we watched the next part of the saga. CFI starts up Vampire, taxies onto our mini runway, gets airborne, does a circuit, and makes his approach. Touchdown was at the very start of the cleared surface, but that was quickly consumed. Now he was careering along the remaining uncleared half until finally being brought to a halt by the barrier.
Plan B was now brought into play, our aircraft (Varsities for we ME types) were to be flown off but positioned to nearby Wyton, which had been blacktop all along thanks to that other great RAF secret weapon, the trailer mounted Goblins. We students were then bused back and forth until Nature finally relented and handed us back our own runway again...
"Nonsense !" snapped CFI, "I've just come down from my Quarter, all the roads are perfectly firm and dry ! After Briefing, I'll try the Runway myself".
Our job wasn't made easier by the failure of the previous good idea which was to park and chock the 5FTS Vampires in echelon at the runway end, start them up, and run the engines up to melt the snow and ice. The resultant slush had nowhere to go, as the drains were frozen up as well, and soon reverted to an even more formidable icy covering than was there before.
Finally our labours were declared sufficient and we retired to the warmth and shelter of our crewrooms from where we watched the next part of the saga. CFI starts up Vampire, taxies onto our mini runway, gets airborne, does a circuit, and makes his approach. Touchdown was at the very start of the cleared surface, but that was quickly consumed. Now he was careering along the remaining uncleared half until finally being brought to a halt by the barrier.
Plan B was now brought into play, our aircraft (Varsities for we ME types) were to be flown off but positioned to nearby Wyton, which had been blacktop all along thanks to that other great RAF secret weapon, the trailer mounted Goblins. We students were then bused back and forth until Nature finally relented and handed us back our own runway again...
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Winter Sports.
Chugalug,
Ah, the delights of our mild and equable climate ! (or that's what our Geography books used to tell us). Your foolhardy CFI was lucky to have a runway at all to try, in my experience the scenario goes like this: By dint of the Herculean labours of the Student Body (under the Whips and Scorpions of their Instructors), and ATC (same from SATCO), a semblance of a runway reappears (10/10 blue dawn to dusk, of course, while these operations are in progress).
Meanwhile Clerk of the Weather watches and waits with malicious glee. When you have bust half the runway lights and final victory is at last announced, you get a 8-inch dump of snow and have to start all over again (this is built into the Training System and called "Character Building" - the plebs have other names for it).
Yet this is Not the Spirit that made the Empire Great. Once more faithful (?) Bloggs is called to shovel and brush duty until he collapses from sheer exhaustion. You have bust the rest of your runway lights, but once again some sort of a surface is to be seen.
Then comes the weekend, it rains heavily, by Monday morning it is all gone; you didn't need to have done anything at all in the first place - the result would have been the same (except that you now have the bills for a new set of lights, umpteen hours overtime for the civilian plough drivers, and n tons of Urea for de-icing - say £800 per de-ice per runway).
There speaks the Voice of Experience (and so the most valuable attribute a SATCO can possess is an ability to persuade his OC(F) to Leave It Alone, this is not Siberia (or Berlin), just pretend it's Not There and it will (most times) go away by itself.
Admittedly, this means that all P***n has to do is to wait for the next snowfall and strike, but any weekend would do, come to that.
Cheers, Danny.
Ah, the delights of our mild and equable climate ! (or that's what our Geography books used to tell us). Your foolhardy CFI was lucky to have a runway at all to try, in my experience the scenario goes like this: By dint of the Herculean labours of the Student Body (under the Whips and Scorpions of their Instructors), and ATC (same from SATCO), a semblance of a runway reappears (10/10 blue dawn to dusk, of course, while these operations are in progress).
Meanwhile Clerk of the Weather watches and waits with malicious glee. When you have bust half the runway lights and final victory is at last announced, you get a 8-inch dump of snow and have to start all over again (this is built into the Training System and called "Character Building" - the plebs have other names for it).
Yet this is Not the Spirit that made the Empire Great. Once more faithful (?) Bloggs is called to shovel and brush duty until he collapses from sheer exhaustion. You have bust the rest of your runway lights, but once again some sort of a surface is to be seen.
Then comes the weekend, it rains heavily, by Monday morning it is all gone; you didn't need to have done anything at all in the first place - the result would have been the same (except that you now have the bills for a new set of lights, umpteen hours overtime for the civilian plough drivers, and n tons of Urea for de-icing - say £800 per de-ice per runway).
There speaks the Voice of Experience (and so the most valuable attribute a SATCO can possess is an ability to persuade his OC(F) to Leave It Alone, this is not Siberia (or Berlin), just pretend it's Not There and it will (most times) go away by itself.
Admittedly, this means that all P***n has to do is to wait for the next snowfall and strike, but any weekend would do, come to that.
Cheers, Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 7th Oct 2014 at 17:48. Reason: One * too many
A strong argument Danny, but, as an ex Erk myself, if the two winged master race weren't up there being hero's, it generally meant that as Aircraft fitters we were sent out to do, de icing, guard duties, anti terrorist foot patrols, with pick axe handles. Oh the variety of "keeping the Erks busy" that could be invented when the airfield became snowbound. Curiously, I never saw a pilot out shovelling snow, we even had to clear the squadron buildings for them, poor chaps to get to their coffee machines.
Smudge
Smudge
Aah! The magic Urea!
When we received the first issue we were warned about its over enthusiastic use ... apparently a certain airfield had used its entire annual allocation in a couple of weeks of icy weather. The airfield had maintained its 'Black Top' status throughout the 'snow event' (current parlance, eugh!). All was well, the CO had gained plenty of 'Brownie Points' in keeping his airfield operational and the training graph climbing.
However, come the BoB Cocktail Party, when the great and the good including the Regional Health Officer (RHO) came for a sherbert or two, it became apparent where all the run-off of the now diluted Urea had gone to, the local watercourses. The RHO was much enlightened to realise why the local townspeople had had a spate of tummy ailments ... a run of bad luck one might say!!
When we received the first issue we were warned about its over enthusiastic use ... apparently a certain airfield had used its entire annual allocation in a couple of weeks of icy weather. The airfield had maintained its 'Black Top' status throughout the 'snow event' (current parlance, eugh!). All was well, the CO had gained plenty of 'Brownie Points' in keeping his airfield operational and the training graph climbing.
However, come the BoB Cocktail Party, when the great and the good including the Regional Health Officer (RHO) came for a sherbert or two, it became apparent where all the run-off of the now diluted Urea had gone to, the local watercourses. The RHO was much enlightened to realise why the local townspeople had had a spate of tummy ailments ... a run of bad luck one might say!!