Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
Led to a classic goof - relative of the SK crew taken into "VIP" part of the Tristar hangar at (then) MPA to be confronted by a wall of photos of the Herc with half its wing missing. Oh dear
RIP all fallen aviators and today especially that SK crew
RIP all fallen aviators and today especially that SK crew
An apt post Ksimboy, I'm sure all contributors to this thread would support it. I also hope that the crew of the Hercules have come to terms with the event, particularly Bob B, who I enjoyed a six week tour in Bahrain with, post GW1. The only time I, as a GE, was ever allocated to a crew, not a route or aircraft.
Smudge
Smudge
I was rather hoping to hear from a pilot or two, re progression through METS to Squadron, and then to the left hand seat. Must be some yarns in there ksimboy, but they all seem t.o have gone shy on us.
Smudge
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Many more stories out there...
I once accidentally turned a member of the Parliamentary Defence Committee (and minder) upside down over Pendine, took a C&W band flying at El Centro and most memorably replied to a polite enquiry as to my current position by an American Pilot to Metro guy as 'the copilot'.
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An Orville trip to Hong Kong
Now that time has drawn a veil over the South China Sea it can be told. A certain Captain on a flight to Hong Kong with a replacement engine decided against advice to consume a chicken curry in Penang. The following morning, apart from the usual post curry burbling he appeared alright. Some hours later into the flight as we passed our PNR for a return to Butterworth and the crit point for Clark Field, Manila the Captain went below with "tummy pains". Some time later the Loadie proclaimed the aft end of the freight bay a no-go area and could he come up on the flight deck. Shortly afterwards the phone on the para door intercom came alive and the Captain declared that he was not "very well"
Well we had a couple of hours to go so we thought that he would be delivered of the curry ere long. It was suspicious that the chicken had four legs.
Some time afterwards He appeared on the flight deck, naked apart from his flying boots and a huge blue nappy made out of kim wipe. He was a pale ethereal green colour and resembled a close approximation to the incontinent green waterfowl that wished he could fly. Well he couldn't and neither could C*** K*** who suddenly hugged his belly and a fearsome stench pervaded the flight deck. I was on oxygen and it still got through. He fled below and we decided to divert. To the left was Viet Nam. Still not good then. Brunei was too far so we called Clark. There is a sudden tropical storm advancing from the east, they said. It will be over us in one hour and Hong Kong in three. Just on our ETA. Well it looked like we would have to press on. Can you set up the Cheung Chow, Stone Cutters, IGS for a landing on 13 the come up and sit in the Captain's chair to hold the tiller said the Co.
Er No I said, too many switch overs. I can come up at the chequer board.
That's too late he said.
As the wind increased to 40 kts from the east and the cloud rolled in we did the only option remaining.
Put out a Mayday call for priority landing against the traffic onto RWY 31. We came in lowlevel past Tathong Point NDB so we could see the sea and with me doing my first landing in the captain's seat, kept the right wing down till we were over the runway. The Meat Wagon rushed Orville off to hospital with his passport tucked in his nappy - a new one with puzzled expressions.
Lots of San Migs later we felt good enough to phone to ask if he was O.K.
Well we had a couple of hours to go so we thought that he would be delivered of the curry ere long. It was suspicious that the chicken had four legs.
Some time afterwards He appeared on the flight deck, naked apart from his flying boots and a huge blue nappy made out of kim wipe. He was a pale ethereal green colour and resembled a close approximation to the incontinent green waterfowl that wished he could fly. Well he couldn't and neither could C*** K*** who suddenly hugged his belly and a fearsome stench pervaded the flight deck. I was on oxygen and it still got through. He fled below and we decided to divert. To the left was Viet Nam. Still not good then. Brunei was too far so we called Clark. There is a sudden tropical storm advancing from the east, they said. It will be over us in one hour and Hong Kong in three. Just on our ETA. Well it looked like we would have to press on. Can you set up the Cheung Chow, Stone Cutters, IGS for a landing on 13 the come up and sit in the Captain's chair to hold the tiller said the Co.
Er No I said, too many switch overs. I can come up at the chequer board.
That's too late he said.
As the wind increased to 40 kts from the east and the cloud rolled in we did the only option remaining.
Put out a Mayday call for priority landing against the traffic onto RWY 31. We came in lowlevel past Tathong Point NDB so we could see the sea and with me doing my first landing in the captain's seat, kept the right wing down till we were over the runway. The Meat Wagon rushed Orville off to hospital with his passport tucked in his nappy - a new one with puzzled expressions.
Lots of San Migs later we felt good enough to phone to ask if he was O.K.
Hat's Off to Herc Pilots and Crew
"Lets be fair, as someone else once said, you have to fail a lot of flying training to end up as a pilot on hercs...."
Oh that's low, very low.
A pilot with several 1,000 Herc hours is likely to be a very good pilot indeed. Get it done and get it back, no matter what unexpected circumstances arise - and in IMC at O'dark thirty.
Oh that's low, very low.
A pilot with several 1,000 Herc hours is likely to be a very good pilot indeed. Get it done and get it back, no matter what unexpected circumstances arise - and in IMC at O'dark thirty.
downsizer
OK I will be the first to bite!
If you (or the unnamed person you are quoting) are trying to be funny, then you are failing. If you are serious then you are totally out of order!
You do not have to fail anything to finish up on Hercs. Yes, some have had a rocky road through flying training, but others have made the grade all the way through and been selected as more suitable for the multi-engine role. Many are slow starters and some who have been given the benefit of the doubt early on have progressed to become excellent captains.
I, like many others over the years, never failed anything, but was not good enough to go fast-jet - thank goodness! - and am still here to tell the tale.
Edit: the second to bite!
OK I will be the first to bite!
If you (or the unnamed person you are quoting) are trying to be funny, then you are failing. If you are serious then you are totally out of order!
You do not have to fail anything to finish up on Hercs. Yes, some have had a rocky road through flying training, but others have made the grade all the way through and been selected as more suitable for the multi-engine role. Many are slow starters and some who have been given the benefit of the doubt early on have progressed to become excellent captains.
I, like many others over the years, never failed anything, but was not good enough to go fast-jet - thank goodness! - and am still here to tell the tale.
Edit: the second to bite!
Last edited by WIDN62; 1st Jul 2015 at 21:15. Reason: Crossed with other poster!
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Very low downsizer. I only failed the one trip, at the secret NW Wales base, passed every other test in training and since, and a good thing too as I would probably have become a statistic a long time ago. There are some excellent pilots on C130s who could and indeed did go onto fly FJs, not everybody wants to go that way (although I did).
Did you star through training onto single seat?
Did you star through training onto single seat?
Dougie, you star again, and, would that be the flight where they finally decided that there was another meaning to the translation of Hong Kong (Fragrant harbour) ?
GlobalNav and WIDN62, well said both.
Coff, PM inbound.
Smudge
GlobalNav and WIDN62, well said both.
Coff, PM inbound.
Smudge
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Don't bite fellas - downbeater obviously knows not much about the Herc world. Many of us, like me, did fail elsewhere and ended up on Hercs. I, for one, am very happy that I did. There are also many who never failed a trip in their lives. I am 're-union-ing' with a motley bunch this weekend, and will enjoy chuckling with the former QWIs, single-seaters, etc over their failed careers. Perhaps I could ask the 4 DFC winners how they feel about being failures ?
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Must admit I flew with several FJ retired pilots (mainly medical/and or Martin Baker Back) and I thought them mustard.
Flew mostly with guys that didn't make the FJ fleets. We pulled their legs about being 'failures' but both they and I knew, I would fly anywhere with most of them as they rarely made me feel anything but secure.
A fine bunch in general and they taught me collectively a shed load about aviation (if only what NOT to do on occasions . . . ).
So shall we disregard the bollocks above, if it was humour, then have another go - but make it funny?
PS Did I just stick up for jockeys . . . oh the shame . . .
Flew mostly with guys that didn't make the FJ fleets. We pulled their legs about being 'failures' but both they and I knew, I would fly anywhere with most of them as they rarely made me feel anything but secure.
A fine bunch in general and they taught me collectively a shed load about aviation (if only what NOT to do on occasions . . . ).
So shall we disregard the bollocks above, if it was humour, then have another go - but make it funny?
PS Did I just stick up for jockeys . . . oh the shame . . .
Brian, as an AGE I managed 5000 hours plus, "operating my hammock", and never once got on an aircraft with any worries about the competence of any of the operating crew. Where downsizer gets his pathetic opinion from is beyond me, I well remember during GW1 seeing many fast jet operators being grateful for Albert turning up with the mail and the occasional treat. Of course, there's always the crewroom gob****e, who is better than everyone else, knows it all, and is usually a totally incompetent f***wit. His reluctance to justify his stupid comment is indicative of the peurile nature of the post and his comment, and yes, well worthy of ignoring. Yes to your question, you just stood up for "jockeys", I think we all would.
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Wow!
I've seen some downright utter bollocks posted to this Forum over the years. Fortunately, up until now, such ****e has not infected this thread.
Then along comes Downsizer with his stupidity winning first prize in the idiocracy stakes.
You, sir, are a F*****g TIT.
I've seen some downright utter bollocks posted to this Forum over the years. Fortunately, up until now, such ****e has not infected this thread.
Then along comes Downsizer with his stupidity winning first prize in the idiocracy stakes.
You, sir, are a F*****g TIT.
IMHO we should just ignore the ignorant. Now does anyone remember Operation Sheepskin ?