Hi all
My 2d worth.....I never worked directly on the Alouettes, except for a brief flurry when Eng Wing housed them for their 400hrs for a short-lived period, but I did NDT many hundreds of parts in the Engine Shop, so I like to think I had a hand in their continued service....I missed getting to the event as I was unavoidably detained elsewhere, but I think Frank's excellent photos will make up for it....I flew in them for about 20 flights, some duty-related, some not...a favourite flight of mine was the 20-minute airtest of the SAR "machine" on a Saturday morning.It was the one opportunity for Apprentices to get some airtime, so anyone who was confined could go up to Heli and try and scrounge a "flip" from the pilot.Most were obliging and it was a real delight to get the jolly, especially if the pilot was prepared to throw it about a bit...another favourite was autorotation training, as the descent in autorotation was eyewatering.I even had a go at being a winch "dummy", which was exhilarating, to say the least...the nonchalance of Heli crewmen who were prepared to hang out of a less-than-pencil-thin cable never ceased to amaze me, and I bow to no-one in my respect for the SAR men who really risked their all in many daring rescues.I don't think the public(and many Donners) quite understand the level of risk involved.Single-engined over raging seas in hellish winds and thrashing ships' rigging.No thanks!
Someone ought to tot up the total amount of people, if at all possible, that have passed thru the wide doors of the Alouette fleet in the 44 years of duty.It must number in the hundreds of thousands.Truly, they have served above and beyond the call of duty.
So, thanks,Alouettes, you played your part well. Thanks,Heli Flight, so did you.
regards
GttC
