Roger, Bloggs. Out.


Actually, from the depths of weird ... some of you may know that the Mirage had/has a system whereby, when calling for landing clearance, there was an additional "beep" that confirmed the gear was down and locked. The OH and I now use a vocal "beep" to ack msgs between rooms ... saves time and effort :)

Ah, I was so bad, at the end of the course, the RSO told ME when to release the bomb.

True.

"Kick the tyres, light the fires and the last one airborne may be rowing for the other team!"

Anyone remember the urination and defecation drills?
1. Tie braces together.
2. Drop trousers.
3. Squat.
4. Ensure trouser top is away from any orifice (otherwise they end up full of sh1t)
5. Dump.
6. Pull on braces to pull up trousers.

If you had forgotten No 1, then you're in trouble!

And any volunteers for the sniff test?

Habit. Very interesting question Bob.

I remember the late Roger Green, one of the best aviation psychologists that ever worked for the IAM, saying “excuse me while I extract my biro from my pencil sharpener”. Basically as I grew up I was not a big fan of fixed checks but I liked to think instead (talking single seat stuff here remember not large aircraft multi crew).

As a result I once overheard a Boscombe tp talking about me and my views on Harrier takeoff checks and he said “Farley? He just screams TAFFIOH and opens the throttle”

(Trims Airbrake Fuel Flaps Instruments Oxygen Hood harness hydraulics – the RAF ‘standard’ idea for TO checks in the early 60s. FRCs had not been invented then. But aeroplanes like Meteors and Hunters were much simpler when it came to systems)

So no Bob, I don’t have such a problem as you mention but I would like to make some (slightly) off topic comments about checks. In my day (50 years ago remember) there were things called Takeoff Vital Actions. In my view they were nothing of the sort because some of the many checks were not actually vital, and I do mean vital, for the success of the takeoff (oxygen for example).

However by the time the Harrier happened systems and associated emergency actions were much more complicated so the central warning system (CWS) panel concept resulted and what a wonderful help that was.

In the case of the early Harriers if there were no lights lit on the CWS panel and HUD support brackets the aircraft was serviceable, including enough fuel for the takeoff. While having the wrong trim or flaps set was not clever it should not cause you to crash on takeoff. However sorting out in your head just what you were going to do with the throttle and nozzle lever that was vital – really vital. So in my view the Harrier vital actions before takeoff were a case of no lights on and think about what you are going to do with your left hand - and that is what I used to tell people.

Landing was just about the wheels. Nothing else was vital.

However I do accept that my comments are not appropriate for you in your 115 today.

Of course FRCs are not without their gotchas. In my time Dunsfold pilots had to do their IRTs at Boscombe in Hunter two seaters. One day my IRE said “Sorry – we have aircraft XYZ which has hybrid instrument displays – part Hunter part OR946 - so I will deal with its specially modified FRC, start it up, taxi and get it ready to line up and your trip starts then”. Nice guy. At the holding point he went backwards and forwards though this FRC with stickers all over it and eventually declared we were ready to go. I pointed up at the open canopy and he blew his top and went into a great rant about the FRC, stuffing it into his pocket and saying “From now on we will conduct this flight based on experience”.

Still use WULF:

Wheel - down
Undercarriage - down
Landing gear - down
**** - check the wheel is down

(And still at my Club our youngsters manage to land the Astir with wheel up with monotonous regularity!).

Take a deep breath...
 

Since some maritime and army checks and drills have crept in, how about:

"Steering gear breakdown, steering gear breakdown, steering gear breakdown. Steering gear breakdown party muster in the Admiral's pantry flat!"

To be used (in HMS Tiger anyway) in the event of a...errr... steering gear breakdown....

Old drills that you just can't forget.
 

JF.
Interesting that you mention TAFFIOH. I can't remember checks from Firefly/Tucano/Hawk T1/T2 well enough to know if the concept is still utilised but it does sound vaguely familiar. In Canada on the Hawk we have HTFSOCE which, I am told, is a fairly standard mnemonic across all fleets. Clearly without having flown other aircraft in Canada I can't say for sure.
It's been a good few months now since I slipped into a Jaguar abort brief so maybe I'm finally cured. Or perhaps I've been flying too many rear seat instructional sorties. Time for some SCT methinks.
BV

Taught on my first encounter with a jet - FUC it. Never forgotten.

Flaps
Undercarriage
Clearance

Not aviation but still safety critical...

Blond
Women
Really
Are
Fun

TAFFIOH
 

By the time it reached the Javelin it was TAFFIGROSH. Gawd knows what the GRS stood for. Anyway you could always ask the talking ballast.


I'm sure I will be corrected.

PATHASATNE for a distress call?

Re survival training in 't military ; was it same as civvie ? ...

Pilots ................... Protection
Love .................... Location
Wet ..................... Water
F+++y.................. Food

rgds condor

Wheels up
Flaps up
Coffee up
Feet up
Light up
Ah--The good old days!!!!

FIRAD - JP Mk3 descent checks

Clear - ease springs - that made me chuckle, if wife is passengering in the car,she looks left and says 'clear,' and I always reply 'ease springs'

"Working parts forward and carry on"

Spectacles testicles wallet and watch - leaving the flight deck last chance checks? now with the addition of iPad and battery pack...

The two I remember from Boy Entrants are;

The top sheet goes on the bottom and the bottom sheet goes in the laundry.

You have been issued with 3 of every thing; 1 on, 1 off and 1 in the wash.

Aaron.