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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0443.PDF
FLJGHT, 1 April 1960 443 ETS AB Jet Provost T3s in RAF Primary Basic Training By HUMPHREY WYNN IT says much for RAF faith inthe forgiving and amenablequalities of their Hunting Jet Provost T. Mk3s as primary/basictrainers that last week even a middle- aged journalist was allowed to tryhis hand, and brought an accom- panying instructor safely back toearth. The occasion was a visit arrangedby Air Ministry to Syerston, where No 2 Flying Training School hassince October had the first course to be taught to fly on Jet Provost 3s; and the writer's experience is perhaps worth relating in detail asa test of the claims which have been made for these aircraft. In fairness it should be made clear that I am not a non-flyer,and so could not quite put myself into the position of the young pilot officers who come to Syerston with no previous acquaintancewith aircraft. But my RAF flying, nearly 15 years ago now, was remote both in time and character from the jet world of today;nor could post-war RAFVR aviation, or piloting the Gemini which conveys Flight on such assignments as the Syerston invita-tion, really count as significant experience. Certainly as far as jets are concerned I was as much a new boy as members of an incomingcourse arriving at the school with their primped trilbies and pet mandolins plus youth's bright confidence in itself. What might be called a small cross-country, from ChurchFenton southwards to Syerston, provided my opportunity for Jet Provost 3 familiarization. I had been taken up to the Yorkshirestation to see the AOC No 23 Group, AVM Colin Scragg, whose headquarters is responsible under Flying Training Command fornearly all the centres where RAF pilots are taught the rudiments of their trade. This visit was arranged through Syerston's stationcommander, Gp Capt G. Warner; and so that I could at the same time take in some Jet Provost 3 experience a taxi aircraft waskindly put at my disposal with Fit Lt L. A. Stapleton, of the head- quarters squadron, as pilot-in-charge. Only brief reference need be made to our northward journey,which I experienced entirely as a passenger; though two features are worthy of remark. One was the comforting stream of naviga-tional information the modern pilot receives by radio. Fit Lt Stapleton turned on to "a northerly heading" (as he told control)after take-off, then we climbed through cloud from 1,000ft to 3,000ft. Thereafter, flying above eight-eighths, we received coursesto steer every few minutes, directing us to Dishforth, where we had planned to do an instrument let-down. The second feature was that a little old-fashioned pilot-naviga-tion is a useful weapon in the contemporary Service pilot's armoury. As the cloud thinned out, Fit Lt Stapleton decided tomake a visual let-down before reaching Dishforth; and as it happened we found ourselves near Linton-on-Ouse, so followedthat useful river to York and thence the railway line south-west- wards to Church Fentqn, at about 1,000ft. When we left at midday to return to Syerston I sat in theleft-hand seat and had control, under expert guidance, from start to shut-down. As this was the first jet aircraft I had flown, Icompared the routine and performance at each step mentally with that of piston-engine types, and tried to align myself with theyoung officer who rides in a Jet Provost for his initial air experience. With the introduction of these aircraft as basic trainers, the newpiiot is indoctrinated from the start with certain aids and amenities unknown to his predecessors at a similar elementary stage. Hesits initially on an ejection seat (Martin-Baker Mk 4P); he has UHF radio, Rebecca and DME in front of him; with a nosewheelundercarriage he is in flying attitude as soon as he enters the air- craft; and the absence of a propeller provides unrestricted visibility.Side-by-side seating is, of course, not new; presumably it has been found preferable to separate cockpits. I found in the Jet Provost 3that there was ample elbow room for stick movements with two normal-sized people. Once upon a time, all the pupil needed to do when he got into Acting Pit Oft D. J. Parker gets acquainted with the Jet Provost 3 cockpit layout in the emergencies trainer at No 2 FTS. In the heading picture: three of the school's aircraft being flown by instructors
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