(From Retd Vice Admiral Dilip Deshpande) OUT ON A LIMB AND FLAT ON DECK The best time for an AEO (Air Engineering Officer) is when he has completed sufficient time in the first appointment as squadron AEO (in my case it was a year after joining the Squadron after training). He thinks he knows all that there is to know. As years go by he begins to realise how little he actually knows and how many things can go wrong because of his ignorance. This story is about one such AEO of a squadron where the main job was to train pilots to fly helicopters. Quite often, however, the squadron was pressed into SAR duties and occasionally also involved in what nowadays is termed as shop window. This shop window was to take place in the back waters off Alleppey (near Cochi) during the annual Jawaharlal Nehru Boat Race. A diver was to jump from a Gemini into the water in front of the public and was to be winched up by the helicopter and subsequently again dropped back into water and picked up by Gemini craft. “Could anything be simpler?”, you may ask. The Sqn Commander had an invitation to watch the boat race from VIP stands and had taken the overland route to Alleppey. The Senior Pilot, relatively new in the squadron, and a staff pilot were charged for the task. Helo was TRId (after having done training sorties), fuelled and manned and started with the AEO waiting to see it off before heading home for lunch. A call from the line asking for AEO was the first indication of trouble. The rescue winch was stuck. Quick examination with the engines running showed that the winch would operate if the initial lowering was done using the hand push buttons at the top of the winch. Attempts to explain the process to the ACD (Air Crew Diver) were not fruitful. And as time was running out, the AEO was persuaded to hop in and Do-It-Himself. The flight to Alleppey was utilised in training the ACD through mime to hold on to the AEO while he did his thing. Finally, close to Alleppey, the job was attempted behind a cover of tall palm trees with the ACD holding on to the 8As trouser belt while AEO tried to reach the Hoist buttons. It was one thing to do it with the helo on terra firma, and standing on the rescue hatch step and completely a different experience doing it in the air dangling out on a limb with ACD hanging on to the uniform belt. However, the guardian angels had decided to help and so in a short while the ACD smiled and gave thumbs up - with the other hand of course. After that the SAR display was carried out without a hitch and the rescued diver was dumped back into the water. And that should have been the happy ending to this foolhardiness. But it was only the end of Scene one. Even before the applause faded and the curtain came down started the next part of shop window – HELOBATICS. The first dive and pull up were rather exhilarating. But at the top, with the negative G and kicking of the rudder, the rear seat on which the triumphant AEO sat, folded up and at the next positive G our AEO found himself spread-eagled on the deck with his legs directed towards port and starboard (left and right) door openings, hands flailing and finally one of them wrapping itself around a very shocked copilots throat. The process repeated itself with every pass in front of the Grand Stand. I am not sure if all the clapping from the crowds below was for this newly developed Kathakali being performed by the AEO. Scene two ended with the two pilots happy, the ACD studiously staring out to avoid looking at the AEO who was nursing a slightly hurt posterior and a totally battered ego. And finally scene three the next day in AEOs office where the CO occasionally dropped in whilst the trainee pilots went through the A-700 in the aircraft maintenance control office. In mock seriousness the CO asked “Hey! AEO!! I thought I saw you in the helo yesterday at Alleppey. What were you doing there?” “ Thought I would watch the Boat Race from the air, sir.” was all the AEO could lamely offer.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 06:28:06 +0000