Chinook crew ask for directions after emergency landing
Just saw this from the Daily Mail:-
RAF pilots operating a Chinook helicopter were forced to make an emergency landing in a village playing field - before asking stunned locals for directions. The three relieved airmen had to land the 12-tonne chopper after hitting a bird, military chiefs admitted. Then, to add to their embarrassment, they had to take out a road map to try and figure out where they were. Grandmother Pat Taylor, 70, saw the incident while ironing in her kitchen 50 yards away and thought the helicopter was about to crash into her house in Stoke by Clare, Suffolk. She said today: ‘It was quite terrifying when it came down. I heard this terrific noise and thought “It is going to crash.” It was such a relief when they were able to make a controlled landing. ‘These three gorgeous young men emerged looking quite concerned so I asked if they wanted a cup of tea or to use the toilet. ‘It was very amusing when they went and got a road map and asked where they were.’ The three confused airmen said they had hit a bird, which is quite common when flying below fifty feet, which caused the engine to catch fire. Excitement in the village reached fever pitch when a second Chinook landed nearby to drop off a mechanic, before both helicopters set off back to base at RAF Wattisham. Pupils outside on their lunch break at nearby independent school Stoke College were also thrilled to see the unexpected visitors drop in. Head teacher John Gibson said: ‘They did see it and the younger ones were quite excited because it is something different.’ A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Chinook made a precautionary landing following a bird strike. |
Excellent use of the phrase 'RAF Wattisham'. Personally, I've never discouraged the media when they make this small mistake, if for no other reason than it seems to wind up the current residents!
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Daily Mail, that well respected icon of British journalism and the cornerstone of fact over fiction.
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I am so glad the Mail have not disappointed their readers and stuck to tradition when dealing with a story involving the military and..."never let the truth get in the way of a good story!!" :D Bravo!
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These three gorgeous young men emerged looking quite concerned so I asked if they wanted a cup of tea or to use the toilet. I wonder what the crew thought when they saw her :} |
RAF is a small error; I am more concerned that the media now know the Army is taking over the Chinook fleet, them being based at Wattisham and all - about time sense prevailed. :ok:
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When 275 Sqn had a Sycamore SAR flight at Chivenor in the mid fifties they carried an AA box key in the cockpit !
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I think the Chinook can carry its own AA box, never mind the key!
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I was once sent to find a Belgian Allouette crew who had got lost (in fairness it was a bit foggy). Found them drinking coffee in a local cafe.
They followed our landrover back to Manston so they wouldn't get lost again. |
:yuk: I wonder what the crew thought when they saw her :} |
Wokka over Suffolk last week...
See what happens when you don't carry a directional consultant... :E
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When 275 Sqn had a Sycamore SAR flight at Chivenor in the mid fifties they carried an AA box key in the cockpit ! |
FJJP: And you were never done for going equipped? :}
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Why on earth do the papers have to twist the truth behind the events, is it simply to try and make the crew of the aircraft look like fools?
<Inferred Snigger>The crew of a high-tech military aircraft have to ask for directions <Inferred...."surely they have some whizzo gadget to tell them where they are"> I guess what actually happened was that the in-flight emergency occured and the crew, in looking for somewehre to put the aircraft down safely, lost precise track of where they were. Doesn't look quite so humiliating though I suppose. |
Exscribbler
FJJP: And you were never done for going equipped? :} F1250 sorted it... :bored: |
Here are the facts from the horses mouths:
We hit a bird, We landed on a football pitch to avoid damaging farmers crops, We knew exactly where we were down to a 10 figure grid, We landed in a village so small and insignificant that it was just a nameless blip on the 1/4 mill, so we asked a local the name to give the sqn along with the grid. A passing Chinook herd our radio calls and landed on to see if we were ok, We were, We had no evidence of a bird strike, We continued with our sortie, We were above 100feet, We had no engine fire, We are not based at Wattisham We are gorgeous. |
We hit a bird, We landed on a football pitch to avoid damaging farmers crops, We knew exactly where we were down to a 10 figure grid, We landed in a village so small and insignificant that it was just a nameless blip on the 1/4 mill, so we asked a local the name to give the sqn along with the grid. A passing Chinook herd our radio calls and landed on to see if we were ok, We were, We had no evidence of a bird strike, We continued with our sortie, We were above 100feet, We had no engine fire, We are not based at Wattisham We are gorgeous. |
We are gorgeous. On a serious note though, I am glad all was ok. |
Don't worry the new chinook might have GPS....... it'll cost extra though :)
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"We are gorgeous"
Ah, spoken as only aircrew can. |
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