Weightless
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:28 am
Did any of you lucky guys who work/ed at Brize ever get the chance to go up on air tests post major etc? I was just remembering the fisrt time as a young sprog this happened to me I was rather scared. The aircraft was flat floor except for 12 seats 6 front and 6 aft by the ALM station. I was starpped in down the back on a headset while several 'old sweats' talked me through what was happening. 
The most frighteneing bit was the first time we did stall checks. Watching the nose come up and hearing the Klaxon go from the cockpit over the headset - then watching 10 tons of Conway SHAKING on the stub wings, watching the wing skin RIPPLE before the pusher went and we nosed down!
My favourite moment was when the captain came on the PA and asked 'anyone who wants some fun come to the centre of the cabin - the rest BUCKLE UP' I was unsure of what would happen but one of the old sweats dragged my up and told me to join them. We were out over Wales on the 'western training ground' - (as they used to call it) allegedly nothing of any importance to kill or damage if we crashed
Well the captain took us up to 40 odd thousand then the fun started. we were all sitting on the floor and I felt myself get VERY light and before long we were all floating around the cabin pushing each other around like so many helium balloons!
He was obviously diving steeply (a la NASA's vomit comet) only problem was on the recovery we all suddenly weighed in at about 30 stone as the G hit us.
Oh another thing - those of a weak disposition DONT set up the periscope in the rear loaction and watch the T tail during stalls Your growbag# will turn brown before you KNOW IT!
Well......what can I say, after that I volunteered for every air test I could get on. Saw some amazing things over the years like some guys coffee coming OUT of the cup as we went weightless AWESOME.
Another strange thing - no matter how diligently we checked the aircraft for FOD swarf etc post rebuild - the first time we opened the spoilers on an air test WHOOOSH big cloud of sh......er rubbish, swarf, rivets etc
Now I bet Tonks has done some of these antics - over to you!
#[explanation for those who are NOT ex RAF 'Growbag' - the definition all groundcrew call aircrew as in - green bag full of sh...er manure for growing tomatoes, noun - as describing the green flight suits we all used to wear] (apologies to Tonks!)#
The most frighteneing bit was the first time we did stall checks. Watching the nose come up and hearing the Klaxon go from the cockpit over the headset - then watching 10 tons of Conway SHAKING on the stub wings, watching the wing skin RIPPLE before the pusher went and we nosed down!
My favourite moment was when the captain came on the PA and asked 'anyone who wants some fun come to the centre of the cabin - the rest BUCKLE UP' I was unsure of what would happen but one of the old sweats dragged my up and told me to join them. We were out over Wales on the 'western training ground' - (as they used to call it) allegedly nothing of any importance to kill or damage if we crashed
Well the captain took us up to 40 odd thousand then the fun started. we were all sitting on the floor and I felt myself get VERY light and before long we were all floating around the cabin pushing each other around like so many helium balloons!
He was obviously diving steeply (a la NASA's vomit comet) only problem was on the recovery we all suddenly weighed in at about 30 stone as the G hit us.Oh another thing - those of a weak disposition DONT set up the periscope in the rear loaction and watch the T tail during stalls
Your growbag# will turn brown before you KNOW IT!Well......what can I say, after that I volunteered for every air test I could get on. Saw some amazing things over the years like some guys coffee coming OUT of the cup as we went weightless AWESOME.
Another strange thing - no matter how diligently we checked the aircraft for FOD swarf etc post rebuild - the first time we opened the spoilers on an air test WHOOOSH big cloud of sh......er rubbish, swarf, rivets etc
Now I bet Tonks has done some of these antics - over to you!#[explanation for those who are NOT ex RAF 'Growbag' - the definition all groundcrew call aircrew as in - green bag full of sh...er manure for growing tomatoes, noun - as describing the green flight suits we all used to wear] (apologies to Tonks!)#
