8 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2008
In at the deep e
ROYAL Navy top brass can
Whilst Kandahar has received Norway, it is the dust of Helmand
often be heard announcing
some incoming fire, the Province that tests the skills of
accommodation is considered both the pilot and aircrewmen.
that it is a very short step
pristine by many of the more “Advanced flying techniques,
from the training unit to experienced members of the like downwind and ‘creep’ [slow
the front line.
squadron. and very low] departures, were
And fledgling flier Lt James
It is, however, the flying that invaluable within the first hour of
Coleman is the proof.
remains the most challenging my initial operational sortie,” said
For within three months of
factor. Lt Coleman.
being presented his wings, Lt
“Apart from the Taliban and “Running and towering [vertical
Coleman found himself flying
foreign fighters, the first issue is climb] take-offs and zero-zero
in one of the most demanding
temperature,” said Lt Coleman. [slowing down and losing height
aviation environments in the
“Fatigue sets in very quickly, at the same time to touch down at
world – Helmand province in
not only for the aircrew, but also zero speed] landings are amongst
Afghanistan.
the aircraft and ground crew. other useful tricks used in the hot
Following an intensive pre-
“The searing heat by mid- and high environment in a heavy
deployment training programme,
afternoon is 42°C, which severely aircraft.”
which included the use of Display
affects aircraft performance, as When training at 848 NAS,
Night Vision Goggles (DNVG),
well as making cockpit conditions Junglies learn to fly a single
mountain flying and weapons
very uncomfortable. pilot standard, aided by their
training, he deployed with A
my playmate.
“Whilst the Sea King HC4+ aircrewmen, operating all radios,
Flight 846 Naval Air Squadron of
“With heavy re-circulating dust,
has been considerably modified defensive aid suites, mission
the Commando Helicopter Force
in strong gusting winds, precision
to increase its performance, you command and navigation.
as part of Joint Helicopter Force
flying and teamwork are essential
only have to load it with one However, due to the increased
(Afghanistan).
if we are to complete tasks quickly
soldier in full kit, who can weigh threat from small arms or rocket-
Thrown in at the deep end,
but safely.”
in excess of 300lbs, not including propelled grenades, the missile
he had a lot to learn, in a very
The risks were highlighted
weapons, then multiply it by ten threat and the danger of hitting an
short timescale, as the challenges
recently when a Sea King was
men, the standard number in obstacle at low level, the standard
of flying over the badlands of
damaged in such a landing.
a troop, then add aircrew and operational crew here is two pilots
Helmand are rather different from
Flying with Apache gunship
fuel and you’ve got an aircraft plus an aircrewman.
those of Dartmoor or Wales.
support, the Sea Kings conduct
operating at the edge of its flight So when flying as the ‘handling’
Both 845 and 846 NAS are
repeated tactical climbs and
envelope.” pilot, the responsibility for
currently deployed in Helmand,
descents for long transits and low-
Flying outside the base has communications and navigation are
and are committed to this
level concealed approaches and
provided the aircrew an enviable assumed by the more senior aircraft
theatre of operations for some departures in order to protect
view of the surrounding awe- commander in the left-hand seat.
considerable time. both crews and passengers from
inspiring landscape. Lt Coleman observed: “Albeit
Using flying techniques honed Taliban attacks.
Whilst the Commando awkward to begin with, I found
over years of front-line operations The squadron’s base in
Helicopter Force train in the snow- it very important to remember
in hostile country, the Sea Kings Afghanistan, Kandahar airfield, is
capped mountains of northern this fact in order to avoid a good
regularly fly into territory where a massive airport which numerous
enemy forces operate. forces from around the world
Lt Coleman explained: “We consider home.
generally fly in a two-aircraft When 845 and 846 NAS
tactical formation, not only for were deployed in Iraq, the
mutual support but also to enable accommodation was extremely
flexibility in tasking. austere and the base was regularly
“I have landed in some very under attack from mortars and
confined areas, extremely close to small arms fire.
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