30 NAVY NEWS, JULY 2007
To the ends of the earth
● Lynx at Sunset, Part I... A Mk8 Lynx of 815 NAS approaches Yeovilton under golden skies
Picture: LA(Phot) Paul A’Barrow, RNAS Yeovilton
Another glimpse into the future
marina Continued from page 28
Bulwark has no hangar and
is maritime counter-terrorism
you cannot expose helicopters
work, a mission largely unseen
to a battering from the elements
– and largely unsung.
‘A sensitive little fella’
for more than a quarter of a
815 Lynx are at reduced notice
year.
to move to respond to suspicious
The 815 NAS team’s solution
activities in UK waters.
NAVY News + Lynx normally = trouble. outside, but sitting in the back of the Lynx I their hangars, but they are silver, not soiled
was to procure a blow-up
The Lynx serves as the ‘eye in
The last time I fl ew in one (shamefully, can see the ground at 90˚ to me – the aircraft an oily brown-black à la Sea King.
hangar (think a sort of inverted
the sky’ of the formation, thanks
it’s over fi ve years ago) it was with HMS
is effectively on its side, something my “We take great pride in the cleanliness
bouncy castle), de-fl ated when
to its surveillance radar, with RN
Lancaster in the Gulf in the height of
stomach realises several seconds later and of our hangars,” says Lt Cdr Parry. “Think
the helicopters were fl ying,
Sea Kings and RAF Chinooks
summer. Two hours in the dead man’s seat
isn’t entirely au fait with… of the hangar as an operating theatre. You
infl ated when they were at rest
providing the punch.
in the back of the cab while the pilots threw
Yet most manoeuvres in Lynx are not don’t want dirt around you.”
or needed maintenance.
“It will become a signifi cant
the aircraft around… and while my bottle of
violent. They do not need to be. Lynx is a You don’t. Foreign Object Damage, or
“I think it shows our fl exible
part of the squadron’s role in
water sat forlornly in the wardroom.
sensitive aircraft which FOD, is potentially fatal to any aircraft. The
attitude perfectly,” said Lt Cdr
the future,” says Cdr Jones.
A colleague was rather ill after going FOD plod carry out regular sweeps of hangar
Mark Parry, 815’s Air Engineer
“It’s mentally challenging
looking for penguins in the Falklands (She’ll and standings to ensure nothing strikes the
Offi cer.
so it’s a task for our most
thank you for reminding her – Ed) and a Lynxes.
“It took a lot of work, but it’s
experienced crews.”
predecessor made an emergency landing in Which is where a Navy News reporter
something we’re very proud of.” Belize when an engine failed. who shall remain nameless enters
Supporting Bulwark was a
815 fl ies two distinct variants
Still, nothing ventured… the fray…
glimpse into the future as 815
of the Lynx: Mk3 and Mk8.
Our pilots for today are Lt After a fl ight with 815 he
potentially turns increasingly
The former is the more basic
Cdr ‘Bins’ Brayson and Lt nonchalantly observes that he
green.
version, usually for deploying
‘Oz’ Nelson, taking us on a seems to have mislaid his pen
The wide expanses of the
troops or for working with
leisurely fl ight from Yeovilton (Muppet – Ed).
ocean have typically been
Endurance. The Mk8 is the
to its nearby satellite airfi eld at A FOD alert ensues, the Lynx
the squadron’s domain, but
souped-up version, instantly
Merryfi eld to show what Lynx – now off on another training mission
with the increasing shift of the
recognisable by the wizardry on
can do, from auto rotations – is almost recalled, and the reporter’s face
Senior Service to amphibious
its nose, including infra-red kit.
(landing safely when the engines fail – a turns a subtle shade of crimson… until the
operations over the past
And within these two distinct
surprisingly gentle maneouvre) to dropping FOD plod save his blushes and fi nd the
decade, 815 is fi nding itself
Lynx models, there are nine marines into a ‘hot’ (ie under fi re) landing site offending writing implement on the Yeovilton
operating closer and closer to
different versions with different and skedaddling.
responds
standings. (You’re still a muppet – Ed.)
shore (rather like their cousins in
kit: some are equipped with The Army variant can do a loop-the-loop,
better to the gentle touch… a bit like
Those standings will continue to be home
847 NAS).
night vision goggles, some with should you so wish; the 815 models cannot,
its ginger passenger.
to Lynx into the mid-21st Century.
Which is exciting, exhilarating a defensive aid suite, some with which is fi ne by me. Back on the ground, numerous Lynxes The helicopter is a child of the ’70s. It
in fact – new experiences are new Saturn comms equipment. That, however, does not mean that the are lined up in two of 815’s hangars while is getting on – the airframes have a life
always good. But the Mk3s and Marrying aircrew to helicopter Mk3 and Mk8 are not agile creatures. Far mechanics and technicians carry out expectancy of 8,000 hours and some have
Mk8s are not as well armoured can be a bit of a challenge… from it. checks. crossed the 7,000-hour barrier.
as their military cousins, so they But it’s a challenge the “I’d rather fl y in a Lynx than anything “Mechanically, a helicopter is a helicopter,” Future Lynx is on its way; it fl ies for the
are not ideally suited to combat squadron always rises to. else,” says Lt Cdr Brayson. “It’s an absolute says Lt Cdr Parry, who’s enjoying his Lynx fi rst time in 2009, although it won’t reach
operations over land. “I’m constantly impressed by pleasure. inauguration having worked with Merlins front-line service with the Fleet Air Arm until
“The best thing about the new the calibre and quality of my “Lynx is a very sensitive little fella. It’s got and Sea Kings hitherto. “The difference lies around 2015.
missions is the variety – we’re people,” Cdr Jones stresses. the pitch and roll characteristics of a fast in the kit on board, the missions systems.” “Future Lynx promises to be a great step
always looking for variation “They’re what make this jet.” In his experience, Lynx is easier to forward and something we’re all looking
when it comes to fl ying, and it’s squadron work. To prove it, we do a wing over – a rapid maintain than Merlin, and most defi nitely forward to,” said Cdr Jones.
enjoyable as well,” says Lt Cdr “They have a lot of affection turn to change direction. cleaner to care for than Sea King. “Lynx has been around for a long time and
Brayson. for the Lynx.” I have no idea how it appears from the There are drip pans beneath the helos in there’s more to come from her.”
● Lynx at Sunset, Part II... A Mk8 Lynx on the fl ight deck of HMS Exeter
Picture: CPO(Phot) Colin Burden, DPR(Navy)
0030-032_NN_Jul.indd 330-032_NN_Jul.indd 3 116/6/07 11:25:076/6/07 11:25:07
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