If only his inter-personal skills were as good as his superb flying.

Airmanship is another matter though isn't it! The rear wheels were sinking in on the second landing and I wonder if the guy driving the buggy knew how close he was to getting a short, sharp, terminal headache!

As for possible damage to the rotor head, nose-wheel mounting frame, cockpit structure, oleo, hydraulics etc...........

It might get a mention at the DASC post season displays symposium at Coningsby on Tuesday/Wednesday 1/2 November. We shall see.
Cheers,
Trapper 69
:ok:

OOOhhh oooohhh...50 degrees nose down and some wingovers - bring back the Wessex, it would have done a better display.

Bring back the Wessex.
 

Couldn't agree more!:ok:

Just out of interest sake (and a possible defence of the display pilots actions) is there any chance that the extent of the nosewheel digging in may not have been readily apparent and that it may have been perceived as a heavy oleo compression and it wasn't till after the departure, undercarriage retraction and return to the paddock that the visual evidence may have been a little more alarming and warranted further concern.

It would have made sense then perhaps to undergo inspection but as everything had functioned normally after there first departure it was decided to press get home and then get it sorted.

Just a thought....:rolleyes:

He might equally have pulled up, hover-taxied backwards a few metres and taken a look at the ground.

Or, a quick glance at the landing site on his next fly-by, just to see if the Earth really had just opened up and nearly swallowed him

Crab and XWalter
Agreed unless perhaps you were down wind:D :D

Thud and Blunder, I'm sure that Charlie Zimmerman's Bo105 display in 1977 was exciting, but most of them (including this one) are not, especially from the crowd line. As helo pilots, we all appreciate the superb flying techniques and skills that go into these displays, but Joe Public usually doesn't. Anyway, in the meantime does this mean we have to wait another 28 years for the next interesting helo display?

I noticed this topic on Arrse the other day and was surprised by how many 'holier than thou' attitudes our Army brethren had about this issue. Good to see they are of a similar level on here too.

Having worked on many boggy FARP's during my 6 years with the UK's premier (Stafford based) tactical fuels element I have personally seen many helicopters 'sink in' on exercises and ops yet fly away without any under carriage checks.

The only time I can remember an a/c shutting down to check its under carriage after landing on boggy ground it was a Chinook in that most boggy of locations, Wet Freugh.

Yes I'm aware that these days 'pushonitis' is supposed to be stamped out but even a highly trained pilot is still just human at the end of the day and it happens. Luckily in this case it seems he got away with it, no doubt returned to Wallingford Aerodrome for a chat without biscuits from someone importantish and is now a little wiser.

Of course I realise being a humble stacker places my overall knowledge on this subject (when compared to the many old and bold frequenting this site) at a premium but I have a few spare tuppence's and felt generous today.

"Thud and Blunder, I'm sure that Charlie Zimmerman's Bo105 display in 1977 was exciting, but most of them (including this one) are not, especially from the crowd line. As helo pilots, we all appreciate the superb flying techniques and skills that go into these displays, but Joe Public usually doesn't. Anyway, in the meantime does this mean we have to wait another 28 years for the next interesting helo display?"

Got to disagree there, with ever increasing distance from crowd line and min altitudes for fixed wing displays, the sight and sound of a big chopper in yer face (ooh er missus) is a definite plus for the screaming hordes, especially at a smaller venue. Merlin is good but wokka is better and the Army Lynx looping and sumersaulting!!? - Its good entertainment.

Charlie Z also won in '83 & '85, a superb display but I'm sure it was lost to the many thousands at IAT with its 10000' crowd line and the tiny size of the '105.

After watching the vid , I now realise what that probe is for - to stop it nosing over- so much for AAR!;)

Crab - like the wingovers at Bishop's court?

Stacker,

Do you mean this site?

http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/...c/t=24924.html

Always worth getting the brown opinion with their long tradition of aviation.

Oldbeefer,

Wingovers at Bishops Court = Promotion :O

Always glad to help out with the inter-service communication.

You wouldn't want the other interested parties to miss out, would you?

:ok:

Twinact - true. Never bent an aircraft - never got promoted. Hey Ho !

I bet the incident report made an interesting read.....but then(allegedly) there wasn't one.

Was the 'display' an auth'd one? Who was in the left seat? Answers will probably see this one 'swept' under the carpet, or will the driver fall on his sword to take the heat off someone else?

It is a rumour network after all..........

Surely the site recce would have looked at the condition of the landing area? (being grass an'all...)

There was a site recce, wasn't there?

:E :E

I too thought helo displays a bit dull until I saw Dennis Kenyon at North Weald. OMG!

AllTrimDoubt

Really no need for a site recce.

ATD

I believe the commentator mentions that this was the 15th full size aircraft to visit the site. Granted, they might have all been Cessna's and the like but maybe the crew had checked and were aware of this. The might have assumed that the surface was OK. Not defending them, just an observation. How much does a Merlin weigh? (and a Cessna, for that matter?).

Tigs2: yes, it could be quite entertaining in a downwind posture! Hopefully, the wind was always at the forefront of 'the plan' for the display!

Crab and oldbeefer: now, there is a story! Did you hear about the certificate that was awarded a few years down the line to certify that wing-overs were flown safely by a certain party?

As for the ploughing - I would imagine the machine would have been around 12 tons for the display so any soft ground would have been assaulted in style. It if had just sunk, I suspect all would have been well, but the whole aircraft rotated around the nose wheel to the point where the rear gear was well off the ground. The forces on the oleo would have been very high.