by Mike Pennell
The arrival of a helicopter at the Museum brings back some memories of my RNLI days because, totally unknown to me when I joined, helicopter transfers were often part of a lifeboat exercise. For someone who has a strong fear of heights, the thought of dangling from anything up in the air was quite frightening, but I discovered it was not so bad – presumably because one is always “hooked on” to the machine (or the winchman) – and usually only about 30 feet above the water.
My first experience was a little daunting and was a double lift – in a strop with the winch man’s legs wrapped around me – but I did prefer single lifts without being so intimately close to a member of the RAF or the Navy!! A short line dangles beneath the strop so that it can 'earth' the helicopter’s static in the water before the receiving crew get a severe shock. Lifeboatmen also enjoyed the arrival of their Inspector from above, grabbing various parts of my anatomy to ensure I came into the boat rather than be 'dunked'.
A variation is the 'High-line' lift. Used when the casualty is a yacht with high masts and the machine cannot hover immediately above (risking the line being caught in the rigging). A line is passed to the yacht, (usually by the winchman entering the water nearby & swimming alongside) and the subsequent lift undertaken with the machine out to one side. The line is kept hand-taut by the winchman aboard the casualty vessel as the survivor or stretcher is lifted diagonally - (the line must not be attached to the yacht in case it pulls the helicopter out of the sky).
Manoeuvring under a helicopter is quite an art in an Inshore lifeboat, because of the helicopter’s down draft (very strong with a Sea King). The helicopter pilot dictates the course and speed (as with all lifts), and the Helmsman drives in from the helicopter’s starboard side – hopefully arriving under the suspended winchman!! Once the transfer is completed, the boat should 'break away to starboard at speed' because in the event of a catastrophic failure in the helicopter, it will always fall to its port side – a comforting thought!!
On the offshore lifeboats, the coxswain is told what course & speed to make and the helicopter 'forms' above the afterdeck; this allows the pilot to see the bow of the boat, giving him a reference point for the winch operator’s movement instructions; the 'break away' procedure is the same as for Inshore boats.
If a lifeboatman was travelling any distance in the helicopter, the crew would often require him to remove his lifejacket, because the type used in my day had too much inherent buoyancy to allow the wearer to get to the helicopter’s Emergency exit in the event of it being immersed after 'ditching' in the sea.
I also realised 'how the other half live' when I was involved in the planning of our annual Royal Visits by the President. The Duke of Kent would visit five stations in a day, by air, and a reconnaissance flight had to be undertaken first – carrying the RNLI Inspector and Special Branch officers. The Queen’s Flight operated Wessex helicopters then and I was pleased to see a crew member jump out as we landed, bearing a fire extinguisher (in case of any emergency); before take off he would be the last aboard. On the day of the actual visit, with Royalty aboard, I realised just how unimportant I was – the Fire Extinguisher man was supported by an attendant Fire Engine, & an Ambulance was parked at the landing site!!
The inside of the red Royal Flight Wessex was also rather different; comfortable seats and total sound insulation were fitted, and an aircraftman offered tea during the flight!!
