RAF Airlift Crewman from Canadian Warship

[pmtts]

Has the availability of the Coastguard helicopters had an impact on lifeboat callouts?

I don't think it has in this neck of the woods. There are two Coastguard Helicopter stations within 50nm of each other. The two Lifeboats closest to one of the Helicopters still has it's fair share of call outs.

[ZULU]

No equivalent currency rating available to Civilian crews to land on Warships and even if there were the likliehood of the Navies involved allowing it happen would be non existant ,and no training facilities even if there was. The like hood of such an event is so rare that the cost of setting up a programme and maintaining currency would be cost prohibitive. Irish helicopers had permission to land on light housesa nd Gas rigs which wasn't quite the same thing but clearance to do so and ratings and testing were part of the clearance.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 30, 2009) Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Ryan Ratts, the flight deck safety officer aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67), observes a British civilian helicopter land during flight quarters. Cole is participating in Exercise Joint Warrior 09-2, a United Kingdom-led, multinational and multi-warfare exercise designed to improve interoperability between allied navies as well as to prepare for a role in combined operations during upcoming deployments. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Bookwalter/Released)....

[pmtts]

The chopper is owned by British International who run a scheduled helicopter service from the mainland UK to the Isles of Scilly.

Interesting to see a winch also attached.

[Goldie fish]

If the ship rolls, Heli is in the drink.

[Dogwatch]

Standard SOP in the falklands is to use the civvy helo thats based there. Seen here operating off HMS Clyde (OPVH).




HMS Clyde took part in Exercise Cape Bayonet in the Falkland Islands 07-11 Sep 09. This culminated with landing 82 members of the Royal Irish Regiment ashore in Ajax Bay, San Carlos Water, using the Port Troop Landing Craft and 2 British International (Brintel) helicopters, during the morning of 10 Sep.
This exercise has been the culmination of months of work by Ship’s Company and MPH IPT at MOD Abbey Wood. After deploying to the Falklands Islands it was identified that Clyde should be able to embark a Military Force of up to 110 personnel (the size of the Roulement Infantry Company (RIC)) and be able to move them around the Falkland Islands, inserting them at will.
Once identified as a requirement the process of modifying the ship and ensuring that this can be exercised safely (by conducting a mini sea survival course) was begun with the final material changes (extra life rafts, escape equipment, etc), and the appropriate permissions from Naval Authorities, all complete by the beginning of June.
Now everything had been worked out in theory it was time to put things into practice. A small force of some 30 troops was landed in the beginning of Jun, with a much larger landing taking place a month later when 70 members 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment were landed by air having spent the day at sea.
This exercise taught the ship a lot about how to feed, accommodate, move and control a large body of men (twice the Ship’s Company in what is to them a totally alien environment). All these lesson were taken onboard to be applied in the next exercise where the complexity of units involved and numbers to be embarked was increased.
On 09 Sep 09 the Royal Irish Regiment were embarked for an overnight passage (the first time troops had stayed overnight). The weather was kind and Clyde entered San Carlos water at first light the following morn at actions stations.
The first event was using the landing craft to take the first 25 troops ashore with all their kit. Once the Landing Craft was safely clear, the ship re-rolled for flying operations and took control of the 2 large Brintel Helos, rotating them on and off the ship’s flight deck to disembark the remaining 57 troops, and all there kit, in less than an hour.
Once the troops were ashore Clyde provided direct fire support and was herself attacked by 2 RAF Tornados. The similarity of what the Clyde was undertaking and the events in San Carlos of 1982 were not lost on anyone, especially one member of Ship’s Company who was a young Weapon Engineering Apprentice onboard HMS Antrim during the conflict. Nearly moved to tears as he came to the bridge to watch the proceedings, he described to the younger members of Ship’s Company, and the RIC, the events of that morning, as he witnessed them.
The Captain of HMS Clyde, Lt Cdr Al Wilson, said;
“Today we have demonstrated CLYDE’s ability to quickly embark, move and disembark a significant military force, at will, around the Falklands Islands, and if needed, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. This whole exercise has been a great success.”

For info:
BIHL operate two Sikorsky S-61 helicopters from RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands, where they are used for everyday military transport and land logistic support around the islands, where there are few roads and a 12 mile strip of sea separating the two main islands.

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/surface-fleet/patrol-vessels/fishery-protection-squadron/offshore-patrol-vessel-helicopter/hms-clyde/news/hms-clyde-demonstrates-the-latest-addition-to-her-capability-upgrade

[hptmurphy]

Nice , I wonder what the rating is ?

Now if SAR pilots are to be rated it would make a difference.

Obviously the RN and USN has rated these crews in Decklanding ....

If it works and some is prapared to make it work why not make it available to all.

It didn't exist up to recently but obviously if we can STUFT we can have Civillian Helos impreesed for troop movements which is a little different to SAR work but I'm sure they will egt around to it.

Nice find, thanks for the education.

[Dogwatch]

Civilian SA330 in US MSC


March 24, 2009 An SA-330 Puma helicopter flies from the Military Sealift Command dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1) to deliver mail to the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57). Lake Champlain is deployed as part of the Boxer Amphibious Readiness Group supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.


The Mediterranean Sea (Jun. 7, 2003) -- SA-332 Super Puma helicopters from Military Sealift Command combat stores ship USNS Spica (T-AFS 9) delivers pallets of supplies to USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is on its way home from deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.


GULF OF ADEN (July 16, 2009) A SA-330 Puma helicopter assigned to the combat stores ship USNS San Jose (T-AFS 7) drops a load of stores onto the flight deck of USS Anzio (CG 68) during a vertical replenishment. Anzio is the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, a multinational task force established to conduct counter-piracy operations under a mission-based mandate to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy off the coast of Somalia.

[Goldie fish]

With respect dw, none of those helis are landing. Civvy helis have been carrying loads underslung possibly since before there were military helis.

[RoyalGreenJacket]

Standard SOP in the falklands is to use the civvy helo thats based there. Seen here operating off HMS Clyde (OPVH).

i was that man! except it was Bristows when i was there in '94 and we were thrown out of them into the sea only to be winched up again.

the pilots were all ex-RAF though - just walked straight into new civvie jobs doing what they did in military choppers previously.

great fun!