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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0871.PDF
FLIGHT, 28 June 1957 877 TRANSPORT COMMAND . . . 18,000 lb, the Beverley's long-range lifting ability works out at about the same as that aircraft on a stage of 1,500 miles e.g., U.K. to Tripoli. The Hastings (four Bristol Hercules engines)will be kept on the strength, at least until Transport Command's 13 Britannia 253s are in full service, because of their versatility:they are equally useful for long-range trooping and freighting, for front line troop-dropping (30 men at a time), and for supplydropping. In the last-named role the Hastings can drop jeeps and trailers slung beneath on carriers. They also carry external con-tainers; and they can uplift 32 internally stowed panniers, each containing 400 lb of stores, which are rolled out of the aircrafton roller conveyors. Any Hastings can be used for any type of work at a moment's notice. Few people outside Transport Com-mand appreciate the full value of these Handley Page machines. Valettas also have done their jobs well, and though no squadronsnow exist in the Command a few will be available as reserves. Scottish Aviation Pioneers are used by the Transport Supportorganization for light communications and close logistics support in and out of small emergency airstrips. Three of these aircraft,with wings and propellers removed, can be stowed in two Beverleys for delivery to the front line. It is not widely known that the R,A,F, is responsible for theinstruction of the Army's paratroops. R.A.F. parachute instruc- tors provide ab initio ground instruction and jumping fromballoons and aircraft, working up to regular continuation training in Beverleys from Abingdon. In suitable weather up to 500troops a day are dropped from Beverleys in routine continuation parachute training *.t Frensham Common, near Aldershot. To be ready for action at a moment's notice the TransportSupport organization must obviously keep itself exercised to a high pitch of efficiency. Take the month of June as an example:development dropping was carried out for the Army Air Trans- port Development Centre at Old Sarum; troop and supply-dropping demonstrations were made to NATO staff officers by Beverleys and Hastings; four weekends were spent convertingTerritorial Army parachute troops to Beverleys; and regular continuation training and small group exercises were carriedout for the Regular Parachute Brigade. Training. Because so much of the Command's operationalwork is in the passenger-carrying role, the standard of aircrew training is necessarily very high. This is reflected in theexceptionally low accident-rate which the Command enjoys. The basis of the training organization is the categorizationscheme which was adopted shortly after the 1939-45 war. Its aim is to ensure that all flying personnel are employed withinthe limits of their skill and experience, and that they not only maintain high standards of efficiency and professional knowledgebut progressively improve during their tour in the Command. Operational crews are graded into four categories: CategoryA, exceptional; Category B, above average; Category C, average; Category D, inexperienced in the transport role.Category A, B and C crews are automatically qualified for passenger-carrying. In addition, A and B crews who have thenecessary personal qualities may be selected for V.I P. duties. Only exceptionally well qualified A crews may carry royalty orhigh-ranking officials of the U.K. or Commonwealth Govern- ments, or foreign dignitaries. Category D is normally awarded to crews who have noprevious transport experience when they graduate from the Transport Command Operational Conversion Unit. Category Drestricts them to freight-carrying only, until they have sufficient knowledge and route-experience to be upgraded.The main instrument for implementation of the scheme is the Transport Command Examining Unit, a centralized bodydrawn from the Category A transport crews throughout the Royal Air Force. This unit is responsible for the testing andstandardization of transport crews in the Command itself and in overseas R.A.F. transport forces (e.g., M.E.A.F. and F.E.A.F.).On many occasions the unit has been called upon to test Commonwealth crews and to advise in their training. A large proportion of the testing of lower-category crews isdelegated to the examining staffs of the Flying Wings of the various Transport Command stations, but these examiners arethemselves categorized by the central Examining Unit and their work is standardized by periodic visits to the stations by the unit. The categorization test for the pilot comprises three rigorousflying tests: general flying, instrument flying and night flying. These tests include no less than 34 exercises, and in additionthere are classroom examinations to test the technical knowledge, airmanship and route experience of the candidate. On theprinciple that a chain is as strong as its weakest link, the final category is awarded on the marks obtained in the weakest itemof the test, and not on the overall average. The lower-category crews are examined every six months.The higher-category crews have a full examination each year, backed up by an instrument-flying test every six months. Navi-gators, signallers and engineers have similar tests, and these are augmented by checking their route-logs of operational flights.To maintain category-test standards in actual operational service crews are route-checked on the "bus-inspector" principleat least once every six months. No man could be expected to face these examinations withequanimity unless he is given plenty of opportunity to study and practice all the exercises entailed. This need is met by the con-tinuation training scheme. All crews carry out a minimum of six hours' flying training per month over and above theiroperational flying, the training exercises being designed with emphasis on emergency procedures, asymmetric landings withone engine feathered, and the various systems of instrument approach and let-down likely to be encountered down the route.It is a rigid requirement that a crew must have completed this continuation training within the month preceding their departureon an operational flight. Ferrying. Transport Command is charged with the responsi-bility for the ferrying of Service aircraft within the United Kingdom and overseas. A typical week's work might includemoving a Javelin from one maintenance unit to another for the fitting of special equipment; the delivery of Venom 4s to theF.E.A.F.; and the replacement of Hunter 4s in 2nd T.A.F. with Hunter 6s. There are about 90 pilots on the strength, distributed equallyamong four ferry squadrons. They are all experienced men, usually with up to 3,000 hr. The "internal-ferry" squadrons—i.e., those based at Hawarden and Aston Down—carry out all operations within the U.K., and the "overseas" squadrons—bothat Benson—conduct all movements from the U.K. to destinations abroad, or between one overseas station and another. During Flight's recent visit to the headquarters of TransportCommand at Upavon in Wiltshire we discussed with the A.O.C-in-C. certain particular aspects of his Command's future.He was, he said, confident that they could look forward to a long period in which they would be operating first-rate equip-ment. The Beverley was settling in well after early teething troubles: it made an ideal forward-support, short-field transport,and had increased the Command's heavy-dropping capabilities by a big margin. But it was not, he said, a fast medium-rangevehicle—and was never intended as such. The Comet 2—of which all ten have been delivered—wasperforming extraordinarily well, and had really put the Command "on the map." He spoke enthusiastically of the Command'sneed to press home the advantages to Britain's military com- munications of long-range, high-speed transports. The Britannia253—13 are being built for the R.A.F. (more are to be ordered) —would provide a very large amount of trunk-route capacity forthe movement of the mobile reserve. But, said the A.O.C-in-C, the Command could not afford to keep on its strength enoughcapacity to exert a maximum effort in a time of emergency, and he was confident in the wisdom of the policy whereby "somesections" of Britain's civil fleets were regarded as the nation's military transport reserve. The routine movement abroad ofServicemen and families by the independent was, he felt, a specialized job which they did admirably, and which was worththe Government's while in that it maintained the private air fleets at a greater strength than might otherwise be possible. • During Flight's visit to Upavon news came through from theAir Ministry that the Command was to fly the Queen in a Comet to Scotland. It was to be her first flight in an aircraft which theCommand has done so much to re-establish, and it seemed a fitting token of R.A.F. Transport Command's big responsibilitiestoday and in the years ahead. Handley Page Hastings seen in two of its ubiquitous roles: (left) freighting (in this in- stance a spare engine), and (right) long-range trooping.
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