You must have had a sheltered upbringing crab, we used to do all that single engine and no floats in Jervis Bay, Sycamore, Huey. ;)

60 envy? When I still fly Lynx, Wessex, Sea King and Gazelle? Don't think so.

Perhaps you have forgotten the feeling of sitting over the water at night above OEI AUM and knowing if a donkey fails you are getting wet (with or without the flot gear).

With all the advances in modern technology, have they invented a helicopter that can't crash yet? Lies, damn lies and statistics never tell the whole story and are relied upon by people who want you do do something risky but feel safer doing it.

Megan - not saying it can't be done and when you had no option it was the only way. But we are in the 21st century now.

Oh dear Crab, you would never have made it in the helicopter ASW role flying Wessex or SeaKings. The ASW Wessex were single engined and I don't ever remember being safe single engine in a SeaKing hover except in a howling gale. We did, however, calculate a SETOW (single engined takeoff weight) for the SeaKing in case ploughing through the water and overpitching to get airborne was a possibility after ditching (something I quickly dismissed when it happened at night to me). I doubt that you would have liked instructing students in wet winching in the piston engined Whirlwind either. Some of us are much older than you and we have all gained experience in different ways, and in more "primitive" types than you have experienced I am sure.

Crab,

So what lies are you believing that allows you to fly those four antiques?

They are certainly not immune from crashing are they?

I am quite clear about the risks of flying and displaying vintage aircraft and I certainly wouldn't be sitting in an over water hover in them. I expect you would jump at the chance to get in a Chinook again.

Well I was a SAR pilot and instructor on both, although on the twin engine version of the Wessex, so I do know a fair bit about ops over water, day and night. I did the excellent Canadian Waterbirds course 20 years ago in which SEWTOs were practised along with single engine water landings.

The SEWTO was something for flat water only in my opinion, the 'jump' take off was not really practicable.

I think you miss my point, doing it single engine was what had to be done in those days - those were the aircraft procured for the tasks - doing it in a twin without a flyaway or realistic ditching option (with floats) for anything other than war-fighting or life saving needs a lot of risk mitigation or crews that don't worry too much what happens to their wives and kids if they don't come home.

I am not risk averse, I have sat in singles and twins, both instructionally and operationally, in places where any sort of failure was likely to be terminal - you do what you have to do to get the job done operationally but for training we used to maintain a flyaway option, especially if live winching.

I am hardly dismissing people older and more experienced than me - they are the people who taught me how to fly and operate.

Crab,

I have hung up my Spurs and moved on to other endeavors.

Helicopters are not involved in any of them.

Brag all you like crab :p, absolutely no envy my dear boy, this octogenarian is more than happy to put his feet up and watch the boys play with their toys.

I'm not bragging, just enjoying being able to stay flying in my 60's, maybe in my 70's I'll think about golf and fishing.........:)

Well we have all hovered over water. But does anyone know what happened?

All we know is that the hero pilot avoided all the primary schools in the area as he plummeted from the sky. At least GT would say so...

Good job he didn't dump it on our Greenpatch BBQ area AC which is on the beach, when it was due date for squadron wet winching and water drill renewal it was traditional to hold a BBQ with family while everyone took turns getting tea bagged etc Absolutely beautiful spot and wonderful days. All spoilt with development these days. :{

I think 'tea-bagging' has different connotations nowadays but I'm sure you mean being winched in and out of the water:ok::)

I’m just curious what the ‘etc’ was? The mind boggles…..

A fairly reliable source advised me that the engine disintegrated, sending shrapnel up into the blades leading to a few bounces on landing.

Good job all round to put it down in one piece in the dark :ok:

Rumour confirmed then John. I was told yesterday that one of the engines ate its own compressor blades. Also they had guys on the ropes at the time of the "landing". Fantastic job by the crew. Hopefully the CoC will support the crew and not finger point/should have etc that is typical of the culture in the Aus Army Air Corps.

The 9 Sqn water hoisting training was at Lake Moogerah, south of Amberley. The CO would bring his ski boat, we would winch out if it and then when training was done, ski behind it and have a BBQ. Luckily there were a few straight-laced teetotallers who would fly the birds home afterwards.

Shades of the NSCA in Townsville, with the only dual cab Unimog in Australia towing a 40ft jetdrive boat to take half the families to Maggie Island, the other half in the 212. Wet winching drills, lunch/BBQ and swaps for who rode home in which vehicle ;)

At the risk of thread drift - The NSCA, what an amazing capability and service it was. It was world leading at the time and still would be if it was still in existence. The capabilities and integration are what we are crying out for in Australia. The pigeon training room still exists in Townsville.

I’m going to have to ask, the what?