RN Gazelle XW895
 

I flew my first solo in this aircraft in Feb 1977, and flew it a lot during the RNPC, and later on the IRI course, and later still as a Trapper.

they dont rush do they" it will change one day hopefully

Hey Dakotaman, Me too! First solo, all the way round NT Predannack, although a bit after you.

Ah, the EOLs. It was only on beefers course that I discovered you had to move the sticks - they always seemed to move on their own during training!:=

Passed my FHT on 705 NAS in XW895 in '77 to earn "Wings of Gold" lovingly stitched into dyed-in-the-wool dark blue barathea - a special day

Believe the unit is the post-IHC phase of a tri-Service light helicopter course now.

Once only

Back in the saddle after summer leave 1979.

5/9/79 2 hrs with 'The squeak from Gweek' Revision & Advanced Autos.

FL,

Your nav is not quite as accurate as your legal skills; Leeds Castle it aint....:p

Ooops! :uhoh:
I was working too hard keeping in close formation with the camera ship to ask at the time and have since been told, wrongly it seems, that it's Leeds Castle.

Any ideas? The photoshoot was over East Sussex and into Kent.

:confused:

Hmmm,

Nothing exciting- failed one sortie in XW895 (D16 whatever that was) and low level EOLs, ahhh those zoom climbs, you've got to love them!

Hever Castle :ok:

Oldpinger, D16 was advanced autos (part 2). The best trip I managed in it was the 50th anniversary of Taranto formation at Portland. An excellent formation and a good Taranto night.....I think!!!!!!

We used to teach helicopters step up on formation leader. no??

Might have been alot easier for you to have been the formation leader and let pilot of the other aircraft (who can speak on intercom to cameraman) formate on you for best angle/picture etc.

topilot... or to pprune

D7 (Basic autos) in Dec 95 and D9 (EOLs) in Jan 96!

Strangely enough, they were my only trips in that cab, even though my course didn't finish 'til May 96.

Happy days!!:ok:

Just checked the old parchments and I did my D40 IF Test (didn't do an actual IRT on BFT course) with Mark Osman on 30 Jul 1984...and passed! Only did two other trips in that machine all course...but boy what a happy summer of love that was - happy days:O

I also did D40 in this cab 10 years after fuel2noise and also passed. Lucky aircraft? Great days at 705, as was, and miss the Gaz-slick a lot!

Night solo circuits July 1981. Can't believe I used to fly an aircraft without a bog, galley or a bed.

Spud. Not just a bog and galley. What about a lovely hostie bringing you a coffe with a smile :O That would have been something to distract you in the middle of a 360 auto to the autofield.....

Spud, It didnt have a bog, galley or bed; yet most cabs on 705 managed OK without the mods, including the occasional discerning hostie, one suspects.

Fuel2noise: XW895 Chelsea Barracks & rtn 3.55 DCO....via Chatham House SRZ......

ppfn

peterperfect: I did Chelsea Barracks for my landaway but that was in XW897 6&7 Sep 1984.... got my beefer laid in West Kensington so passed the trip ('Captaincy 1 & 2' if I remember it was billed); now those were the days.

My only trip in this wonderfull piece of engineering was on Jan 22 1980 with that wonder on the accordion Nige North. D16 Advanced PFLs on the menu that day.

...with all this top-grade notsalgia for the Gaz-piece I wonder if 'those who touched the hem of the 705 garment' could reach into our pockets and acquire one to re-kindle those fondest aviation moments? Base it in a cornish field somewhere and then have some fun. As an aside we could even re-create the extra-curricular activities so essential in forming the Fleet Air Arm heros of our generation. Any takers??