| Ship's Diary |
| During her time at sea, HMS Endurance will be sending back regular diaries to keep us all up to date with what is happening on this deployment. Use the links below to read extracts from the diary. |
| A Busy Summer for 212 Flight |
JUNE 2003‘New broom, sweep clean’, or something to that effect! As the ship pushed herself into Ice-breaking mode for the trip across the pond all were keen to get back to Blighty after our extended deployment for the annual Flight change of personnel. Flight Commander, Lt Cdr Chris Yelland departed for HMS OCEAN as Air Ops to be replaced by Lt Mark ‘Big Vern’ Jameson from 702, with Capt Pete Clarke also leaving for the stimulating prospect of 815 HQ. Whilst the majority of the flight enjoyed their post deployment leave Taz returned from getting married, Spot from buying a new house and along with the new boys and girls took up the mantle of pre 03/04 season preps! The two lynx helicopters 434 and 435 underwent their annual maintenance and emerged fit for the next deployment.On the social front, past and present 212 Flight Aircrew made their annual pilgrimage to the Lynx Community Cocktail Party at Kingston Mauward College, Dorchester for a few quiet drinks and to trip the light fantastic! The end of the month saw the Flight slowly easing itself back into the ways of the squadron after returning from a protracted time away on deployment and preparing for the upcoming mountain flying, Flight Performance Assessment and the delightful prospects of the NFSF(RW) visit later through the next month. JULY 2003The focus for the start of the month was with getting the aircrew current in Mountain Flying and so the Flight, in company with several members of HQ, took two dual aircraft to the Welsh wilderness of RAF Valley. Here Lt Karl “Karlos” Weston joined from HMS CARDIFF as the O2 straight into this intensive weeks training. The weather remained particularly benign enabling all planned sorties to be achieved. Several sorties were flown both to refamiliarise the Flight Commander, P1 and O1 and for the O2 to undergo mountain flying training. After conducting a Cadet familiarisation flight towards the end of the week 212 flight then departed in time honoured ICE formation to transit back to Yeovilton. Whilst back at Yeovilton the emphasis then shifted to preparing for both the Flight Performance Assessment and the visit from the dreaded “Trappers”. The PA went well with a number of training directives completed during the secondary roles sortie, namely the Chief Aircrewmans trap ride and the qualification of the two flight winchmen, PO King and AEM Langlands. Overall a very successful PA resulted in the award of a VSAT assessment. During the last week the aircrew had the delights of Naval Standards Flight to contend with, with both O1 and O2 going for Instructor recommends. A couple of pre trap rides were conducted to practise the scenarios and techniques before ‘Standards’ arrived. All the hard work of the previous weeks finally paid off with all aircrew achieving very satisfactory assessments, and the Observers gaining their QOI recommends. With the month complete the Flight Commander and O2 flew HMS EDINBURGHs aircraft for a passing out display at CTCRM and for EDINBURGH’s, ENDURANCE’s and CARDIFF’s families days. With the final evolution for the month over, the flight went on well deserved Summer leave. AUGUST 2003With personnel suitably refreshed from a very relaxing summer leave, 212 flight were ready to embark during the final week of the month. The Vertical Photography symposium also began just prior to embarkation so that the VP sorties could be completed during Shakedown. With 434 and 435 successfully onboard, the Flight Commander and P1 conducted a flyex for day Deck Landings. The VP sorties were flown in less than ideal conditions but it did mean that the British Antarctic Survey, Zeiss and RAF Cosford personnel managed to operate the camera airborne and see how the RN personnel were using the camera “in anger”. This proved to be an extremely useful evolution as they had no previous experience of the operating procedures of the FAA and they were able to offer advice and suggestions for improving the quality of the shots. Notwithstanding that the two observers were also keen to discover just who had the edge with the best shots and camera angles! To complete the DLP package a day into night sortie was flown which also enabled the VP personnel to be disembarked to Horsea Island. With the flight fully integrated back onboard, the focus shifted to preparing for the delights that OST would bring! |
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