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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0269.PDF
FLIGHT, 28 February 1958 283 RiialpurKASHMIR "Peshawar Kohat ARABIAN SEA PAKISTAN AIR FORCE . . . to visualize the difficulties involved when I flew with the squadronto Gilgit and over one of the dropping zones. Gilgit takes its name from the river which makes a junctionwith the Indus to the north of Nanga Parbat, the magnificent 26,660ft-high "naked peak." There is an air strip at Gilgit (whichPakistan International Airlines also use with their DC-3s) and in addition to landing there the Freighters carry out supply drops—either free or by parachute—at a D.Z. about 50 miles south-south- east of Gilgit on the Astor River (another tributary of the Indus),and at Skardu, which is east of Astor. To reach Giigit the Freighters follow the Indus valley, which is both winding and inparts very narrow and is enclosed by mountains rising to heights of 17,000 or 20,000ft. Apart from the terrain, weather is a yerysevere hazard; mountains have their own atmospheric conditions and these may degenerate suddenly. Yet in some six years ofoperations—during which for one year (1952) they flew the route by night after I.A.F. Tempests had attacked one of their E>C-3s—No. 6 Sqn. has lost only one Freighter. On this flight to Gilgit the Wayfarer was captained by S/L.Z. Butt, who has about 4,000 hr on Bristol Freighters. We flew north-eastwards from Peshawar to the Indus and then followedits winding course, with the mountains rising ever more steeply on either side until their snow-covered heads were far above ourflying altitude of 11,000ft. There was only sporadic cloud that morning, which made the experience a beautiful one for a firstflying visit to Kashmir, but of small value as a practical experience of the conditions No. 6 Sqn. have to contend with when themountains are covered and aircraft have to work their way through the valley, with the ever-present danger of reaching adead end with no room to manoeuvre. Another hazard is the effect of katabatic winds in the ravines, and local pressure variationswhich affect altimeter readings. However, meteorological conditions cannot be pre-ordained;and with their prevailing uncertainty we were fortunate even to get to Gilgit during a brief visit to Pakistan. (The Chiefs of Staffof the Baghdad Pact countries' air forces, visiting the P.A.F. at the same time, were not so lucky and could not make the flight toGilgit.) It was both comfortable and exciting to sit back in the Wayfarer and enjoy this vast and awe-inspiring spectacle ofmountains, the least of them twice as high as anything in Europe. The climax was a splendid close-up view of Nanga Parbat, the"naked peak," which that morning was cloudless. One marvelled at the fortitude and endurance of Hermann Buhl, the Austrianmountainer who a few years ago conquered it for the first time— alone and without oxygen. After rounding Nanga Parbat we flew to the Astor D.Z. and dida simulated dropping run. The zone itself is 7,500ft a.sJ. and parachute drops are done from 500ft above it, free drops from300ft. Conditions in the summer months can be dangerously bumpy and because such strong winds develop in the Astor valleyin the afternoons the deadline for these operations is 1030. After our simulated run we turned back along the river to itsjunction with the Indus and thence flew to Gilgit. On the steep hillsides rising to the snow level could be seen narrow tracks withoccasional figures of men and donkeys moving along them, hardy people indeed in this mountainous area but blessed by fertilevalleys rich with fruit. (Kashmir apples are among the most delicious in the world.) Below us eagles flew, poised menacingly This map shows the location of principal P.A.F. stations and airfields in West Pakistan and Kashmir, and how the two wings of Pakistan are separated by approximately 1,100 miles of Indian territory. as their keen eyes searched for some prey beneath them.Gilgit (4,770ft) is a sharp contrast of sandy, stony surface and mountains with snow-covered peaks; the air is blindingly clearand pilots have found that when flying with the blinds drawn back over their cockpits the sunshine can be dangerously strong. Thereis no room for error at the short landing strip with the river running by it and mountains rising at each end. Thus Kashmir, with its great mountains and narrow valleys, itshazardous weather and the present military necessity of main- taining airborne supply routes, provides an invaluable operationaltesting-ground for the P.A.F., whose aircrews have responded courageously and efficiently to its challenge, building up a repu-tation for successfully taking calculated risks to keep supplies flowing. What sort of pilots and crews these are, and how highare the standards of selection, can be seen by looking at the method of entry to the flying branches of the P.A.F. and the typeof education it gives to future officers of No. 6 Sqn. and the fighter squadrons (whose training and work will be discussed later). In the formative days of the P.A.F., when A.V-M. Atcherleywas C-in-C, a wise decision was taken to establish two schools on English public school lines. A.V-M. Atcherley was very keen to get more men for theP.A.F. and considered that these schools would develop boys of the right calibre, the idea being first mooted in 1950 and theschools started in March 1953, one at Sargodha in the Punjab and the other at Lower Topa in the Muree Hills (the latter formerlya P.A.F. school of administration but now a pre-cadets school). Air Service Training, Ltd., is still responsible for the schoolsuntil the end of this year (as it was once responsible for the Apprentices' School at Korangi Creek), so their principals have atpresent a dual responsibility to the company and to the Pakistan Ministry of Defence. At Sargodha, where boys spend six years, their parents payeither no fees at all or varied amounts according to a graduated income scale; and at the end of three years they are asked todeclare whether their sons will join the P.A.F. on completing their education. At Lower Topa the boys spend only three yearsand their parents pay no fees. Sargodha is very much like a modern English public boardingschool (though severe and plain in its architectural pattern), situated well out in the country and surrounded by ample acresof playing-fields. Having tea in the bungalow of one of the assist- ant English masters, it was hard not to imagine oneself at an Englishpublic school. The principal, Mr. H. Catchpole, his deputy, Mr. G. Stott, and several of the staff of 20 are English, the restPakistani; in course of time the staff will be all-Pakistani. Certainly the masters take the same interest in boys who have passedthrough their hands and gone to Risalpur as masters in U.K. do in their proteges' progress at Cranwell or a university. Entry to Sargodha is by written examination in English, Calcu-lations and General Knowledge, followed by an interview. At the school, the subjects taught are English (a third of the boys come A Bristol Freighter of No. 6 Sqn., just visible against the dark hillside, dropping supplies at the Astor D.Z. in the northern area of Kashmir.
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