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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0230.PDF
198 FLIGHT FEBRUARY 194 S-51 TO THE RESCUE Pilot's Account of Hoiv Crew of Wolf Rock Lighthouse Were Supplied by Helicopter A S we briefly recorded last week, a Westlaad-Sikorsky l\ S-51 recently flew much needed supplies tu the crew / lof the Wolf Rock Lighthouse, off the Cornish coast, after attempts to send relief by sea had failed owing to gales and heavy seas. This was the first time, in England, that a helicopter had been used for '' serious '' as distinct from demonstration relief. The S-51 was piloted by Mr. Alan Bristow, who had with him Mr. L. Swain as engineer. Following is Mr. Bristow's very raatter-of-fact report of the relief flight. "By Friday midday, February 6th, instructions were re-ceived for us to proceed with the relief of Wolf Rock Lighthouse at first light on Saturday, February 7th. On Friday afternoonCaptain White, the Trinity House Superintendent of the Pen- zance area, delivered three sacks full of food, which f estimatedto weigh about 250 to 300 lb total. A trial flight was made at Culdrose, with the sacks slung in a rope net attached to thehoist, and it was decided that some device was necessary to prevent large oscillations developing in flight. We decided todo away with the rope net and to attach the sacks by means oi a rope strap spliced through the rope sack handles and themetal rung attachment to the hoist, thereby enabling the sacks to be carried level with the cockpit door on the port side. Ashort rope was spliced around the winch cable above the weight bobbin so that Mr. Swain could, if necessary, damp out anyoscillations in the cable that might develop whilst the sacks were being lowered. A 50-ft guide rope was attached to thesack handle loops; this was to be the main guide rope and was to be lowered first to the lighthouse gallery so that the keeperscould control the lateral movements of the sacks. To this rope was attached a iolb weight. '' The Royal Navy very kindly provided a Harvard escortthrough which radio messages could be relayed to base; this was necessary as we planned to fly low and were likely to beout of radio range with base. "On Saturday, 7th instant, the surface wind was 25 to 40knots, west south-west, gusty. The sky was overcast 10/ioth cloud,at about 800 to 1,000ft. At about 8.24 a.m. we wereairborne with the provisions. During the flight to Wolf Rock the port door was open, and it was found necessary for Mr.Swain to hold on to the rope, to which I have previously re- ferred, to prevent the sacks swinging. The route out was over SUSPENDED ANIMATION : The scene as Alan Bristow, helicopter test pilot of Westlands, drops supplies to the marooned keepers of the Wolf Rock Lighthouse. land from Culdrose to the coastguard station at Lands End, andfrom there over eight miles of sea directly to the Wolf Rock Lighthouse. We made the sea crossing at about 100ft andapproached the lighthouse on the north side at about the same height, the weather at this time being: wind 35 to 40 knotsgusting to 45 knots, with very turbulent air in the vicinity of the lighthouse. "The gallery of the lighthouse on the north side was ob-structed by a wireless post, aerials, flag staff and a ventilator. ".During hovering over the lighthouse, which lasted somefour minutes, considerable gusts were encountered in the vicinity of the lantern, and this made the task of accuratepositioning extremely delicate and dangerous, although we hi wire cutters to cut the hoist cable should it become, foulduring the operation." "THE FLYING FORTY-SECOND" UNDER the above title Captain T. Neville-Stack, A.F.C.(late Lt. Cdr. (A) R.N.V.R.), has told in characteristic style the story of No. 742 Royal Naval Air Transport Squadronin Southern India between 1944 and 1946. More than that he has collected and preserved with music—the ballads andditties which must have been chanted on many a sultry even- ing after the Expediters, which superseded Swordfish as ihesquadron's equipment, were tucked away for the night. Those who served with, or made use of, " 742," will doubt-less hasten to secure their copy of this delightful little book —from Airco, Ltd., 109, Jermyu St., London, S.W.i, price7s 9d, post free. A.R.B. PROCEDURE AND SECTIONS '"FHE Air R«gistration Board has issued the following noticesJ- to licensed aircraft engineers and to owners of civil aircraft: Notice No. 6, Issue 6 dated 14th January, 1948, dealswith the British Civil Airworthiness Requirements procedure and gives a list of the various sections which can be obtainedfrom the Publications Dept., Air Registration Board, 37, Gratton Road, Cheltenham, Glos. upon application andpayment of the appropriate fee. Enquiries regarding the technical content of the Requirements should, however, be addressed to The Secretary, Air Registration Board, Bretten-ham House, Strand, W.C.2. Notice No. 7, Issue 8, gives details of Sections and Sub-Sections of the AirworthinessRequirements referred to in Notice No. 0 and includes the numbers, issue numbers, dates of issue and titles of thosesections. "FLIGHT" HANDBOOK A Manual of Aeronautical 7s. 6d. Theory and Practice, 4th edition (By post 7s. IOd.) GAS TURBINE* AND JET PROPULSION FOR AIRCRAFT by G. Geoffrey Smith, M.B.E., 4th edition, 3rd impression 12s. 6d. (By post 13s.) WALL DIAGRAMS: Rolls-Royce Derwent ) De HaviMand Goblin II 4s. each. Metrovick F/3 Gas Turbine J (By post 4s. 4d. each) TURBINES FOR AIRCRAFT (4-page colour leaflet re- printed from ' Flight ") 6d. (By post 7id.) HANDBOOK OF INDUSTRIAL ELECTROPLATING E. A. Ollard, A.R.C.S., F.R.I.C, F.I.M., and E. B. Smith ISs. (By post ISs. 8d.) from all leading bookse/'ers or from IHffe and Sons Ltd., Dorset House. Stamford Street, London, S.E.I.
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