Eric Brown's Checklist?

[sunday driver]

At his talk near here a couple of years ago, the question I should have asked was "What precautions did you use to enhance your chances of survival?"

I hear from the media that his checklist is still used by ETPS at Boscombe.
Sounds useful - if only it were readily available.

Any thoughts?

SD

[strake]

Here is his 'checklist' for preparing to fly a helicopter for the first time:

Squadron Leader Martindale and I were off to Speke in Liverpool to collect two new Sikorsky R-4B helicopters. In charge was a huge American Technical master-sergeant. I said to him, 'Right. When are you going to teach us to fly these things?'
He said, 'Whaddya mean, bud? Here's your instructor,' and handed us a large orange-coloured booklet.
Alarmed, we went back to the mess and read the book.
We managed to get the first machine started and I got in to try and make the horribly unfamiliar thing fly. I fiddled with the controls and within a few seconds, I was charging all over the airfield.
I tried to make it hover but it was all I could do to set the thing down without damaging me or the other aircraft on the field.
Speechless, we both had a stiff drink, then tried again. Eventually, we thought we'd try to make Farnborough.
I don't know how we made it. We were now supposed to test the machines but this was obviously out of the question...until we had learnt how to fly them.

Taken from his book 'Wings on my Sleeve' which is full of similar incredible stories from a man at the leading edge of early flight testing. An incredible pilot.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Originally Posted by sunday driver

At his talk near here a couple of years ago, the question I should have asked was "What precautions did you use to enhance your chances of survival?"

I hear from the media that his checklist is still used by ETPS at Boscombe.
Sounds useful - if only it were readily available.

Any thoughts?

SD

I heard that interview, saying that his checklist was taught at ETPS and used by millions of test pilots around the world.

Well, for a start, there probably aren't millions of pilots around the world, let alone TPs. The Society of Experimental Test Pilots has, globally, about 5,000 members, of whom probably half are in current practice. Offhand, around half the test pilots I've known are SETP members - so 4-5,000 TPs practicing globally, is a reasonable estimate.

Secondly, I was a student at ETPS 20 years ago, and have no recollection of anything being attributed to EMwB. There's also no mention of such a thing in Darrol Stinton's book - DS was an ETPS tutor in the 1980s (possibly 1970s?, before my time anyhow).


Much as I am a huge admirer of Eric Brown, as were most of the world's flight test community - I believe that the chap being interviewed on R4 really didn't know what he was talking about (although, he did, at-least, correct the presenter who said that Captain Brown was an RAF pilot!).


What we did learn at ETPS was a methodology for getting yourself safely into a new cockpit quickly and efficiently. I realised some years later when I found myself having a lot to do with the late, great, Anne Welch, that it was basically a development of the system used in the WW2 ATA Ferry Pilots' notes.


G

[Curlytips]

Possible subject creep?

At a recent GASCO Safety Evening (highly recommended!), one of the giveaways was "the Farley list". We all know Farley as test pilot and OBE, AFC, PhD, but it's interesting to read (and use!), his currency chart. Basically it ensures you keep current on everything from each type of landing (e.g. hard, grass, flapless, x-wind, side-slip, go-around etc.), then stalling, unusual attitudes and forced landings - in all their varieties.

The point is that even a senior pilot feels the need for the basic refreshment of skills to maintain his own safety. Worth attending to get one, but I'm sure if you can't attend, GASCO would send you one if asked. ........

[3wheels]

An unfortunate day to start this thread..

RIP Sir.

[sunday driver]

Not at all!
Started this in full awareness. Also out of respect for his huge contribution to aviation, and for his long, long hard work in sharing his experience with aviators and non-aviators, almost to the very last.

SD