Flying Soldiers episode 1 - BBC 1997 documentary about trainee army helicopter pilots in the uk

[@tonihitch391]

Mark Hitch is my dad haha, he is now facing his promotion to a Major and was one of the first to fly Apache Helicopters. So proud of you Dad. x

[@crowbar4929]

Your father was a Corporal while he took on the selection to become a pilot. Is his promotion to Major just a general progression in the army or did he go to University which allowed him commission to become an officer?

[@flyboymiles3056]

Crow Bar I

[@tlevans62]

Good for your Dad, that's quite an achievement. I did a similar thing in the Australian Army, went from Private and the applied for a Commission. Finished up as a Major (SSO) after having served my time as a Rotary Wing Pilot. Well done to him! Cheers!

[@tlevans62]

I believe Major Hitch was a WO in Kosovo and was given a substantial amount of responsibility for his Squadron. I't good to see guys like that rise up the ranks. They've earned it.

[@KumaBean]

Please shake your Dads hand for me, and tell him that I was truly rooting for him while watching this, living the dream 🙂👌

[@oliviarooney2829]

David Rooney is my dad! So proud of you x

[@darrenlucas2768]

I had the privilege of meeting your Dad once...at the time his girlfriend was a school friend of mine called Brit King and he was out with her at a club. I recognised him straight away from the program and he was the nicest chap to speak too, not atal up his own arse ...just a real blokes bloke and we chatted alot about his flying of lynx helicopters. I was envious of him. I'm sure you are ,as you say very proud.

[@blueflyer2005]

A lot of my old mates in this series, I qualified on APC 341, proudest moment of my life, by a country mile.

[@banditrider613]

17:14 . Anyone that knows Mark back then would never of "questioned" his motives, he always wanted to fly. A great guy to work with, and as it appears years later, a good flying career, it just goes to show how sometimes "opinions of instructors" can really be off the mark , but given so little time its not surprising they do so.

[@Andrew.Stuart]

From Corporal to Major is a massive achievement (possible more than that). Brilliant...

[@angeltransportpjects]

If I remember correctly the BBC interrupted screening of this series originally. Remember watching it having been told that the Army Air Corps was the best way into civilian flying as post-service employment. In 1997 more pilots were succeeding in joining BA from the AAC than the RAF. Also in the AAC you do not need to be a Commissioned Officer to fly.

[@simonneat7866]

Thank you for uploading this, I read the book in South Africa about 15 ago and then agian about 5 yrs back and have been looking for the documentary ever since. Once again many thanks

[@SS-hw1ou]

What's the name of the book?

[@steviespaind4307]

Ahhhh superb. FOUND IT! I watched this years ago and loved . Now I´m gonna binge for a few hours :)

[@DeltaV3]

Wow. I remember watching this 24 years ago and had completely forgotten about it.

[@ratodoesgato]

Can so relate to Mark Hitch, I was talking myself through my checks in the same giddy fashion when I first went solo - sharp contrast to the serious nature you do it when there is an instructor watching you. It happens because you realise your in charge, and for the first time whatever you say goes! Exciting stuff!

[@deeremeyer1749]

Whatever you say to yourself?

[@KumaBean]

I somehow feel dead-proud of Mark, great job buddy 🙂👌

[@johnjones-ch5sh]

The 'Chippy' is a nice airplane. Although slow, it doesn't seem so. Also, throwing it around is a bit scary at first! I remember going upside down for the first time, and my straps dangling up [down being up when you are upside down] and my staring at the cockpit floor! I think the most challenging thing was to fly with ease.

[@bedfordboy36]

That PTI at the start is a face that I won't forget.

[@DrUmtombo]

Great - thanks for sharing!

[@nh6milhistory]

Excellent, I was hoping someone would upload this series ;

[@K1W1fly]

Have to chuckle at the idea of actually reading the fuel gauges in a Chippie in flight... Air Corps pilots must have exceptional eyesight!

[@Mark-lj1dj]

I keep expecting to see Tim Peake in this. It must have been about the same time he went through. Would have been a nice 'before they were famous' moment

[@CARLIN4737]

damn. my dads not on here?

[@sav47]

Awesome! Thanks for the upload :)

[@Chopper894]

Me too. Last saw this on TV back in the late 90's

[@frgr9]

Thanks great documentary....

[@flybobbie1449]

The lonely walk, sending someone solo....and hoping thank Christ that this ain't the one that crashes!

[@lanehewitt7685]

This came out just as the RAF ditched the Chipmunk and my ATC mates and me missed the bugger so much we forced ourselves to watch a series with green people in it. 😉

[@msmrepo3271]

Food was good when I was there! 😊

[@keithpringle3940]

There was me learning to drive wagons that year while these Rupert's and plastics were jollying about like biggles!! Not even a child holds a fork like hitch did in the cookhouse!!

[@stewartw.9151]

During my flight training for a civvy licence I had an ex-RAF instructor, a real stickler for accuracy in flying. For instance, if you were not at the assigned height in the circuit, say 1000 feet, he would, after a couple of verbal warnings, whack the back of your head with a rolled up newspaper saying "I said 1000 feet, not 1010! - do it!" You learned to fly with precision quite quickly.

[@iphoneupdate]

hate guys like that

[@MajorTom6]

@@iphoneupdate yep....me too. Wankers.

[@deeremeyer1749]

Show me an altimeter that shows "height" in 10-foot increments at 1000+ feet.

[@stewartw.9151]

@@deeremeyer1749 He was using hyperbole!

[@MrWadstw]

Awesome upload many thanks

[@magna4100]

Mark Hitch reminds me of that nutter off "I'm Alan Partridge." The one who has pictures of AP all over his sad little bungalow.

[@Biggles2498]

NEVER use aileron to attempt to recover from a spin use secondary effect of rudder ,nose down and full power !

[@jonathanivelaw-chapman5940]

"no more aileron command for a reason"

[@jonathanivelaw-chapman5940]

"no more aileron command for a reason"

[@luislopeztejeda5558]

awesome documentry... no we have a great sim called DCS: Gazelle, for those interested in this bird

[@TheWatson83]

Love DCs and the Gazelle :p

[@simonnortham390]

My farther become a gizelle pilot and later was posted to Germany to become a Lynx pilot...miss the sounds of the helicopters flying over.

[@PhilWism]

Not Wayne by chance

[@simonnortham390]

@@PhilWism it certainly is.....i take it you know him

[@PhilWism]

@@simonnortham390 Yes served with him in Germany 654 Sqn

[@wrob4435]

I loved doing hammerheads👍

[@88SPIKE]

Good to see the officers are still able to use a knife and fork properly as opposed to the other ranks.

[@carlgriffiths8482]

It's not the use of knives and forks that counts when you're in a scrap wanker

[@Cous1nJack]

Or they could 26 years ago.

[@cooking23]

2.48 great mug...

[@jbradshaw4236]

Lol... I joined the Army, the year this was filmed... wouldent be allowed it anymore lol.. glad someone's else spotted it lol

[@ianhorsburgh9867]

Behave like an officer and a gentlemen ! obviously never attended an officers mess night or summer ball

[@Cheezsoup]

That (summer balls etc) is exactly how an officer and a gentleman behaves (when not in the public eye) I love the story of the invention of ping-pong (wif waf), two cigar boxes, a champagne cork and copious pints of beer.

[@jrivers0005]

Mustache man sure is fancy!

[@Jeffybonbon]

what are they all doing in 2020

[@PhilWism]

M Hitch is a training instructor, the girl used to fly commercial jets, not sure about the others

[@liv5662]

my dad (david) is now a pilot for virgin Atlantic 👍🏻

[@seltaeb9691]

Mark Hitch, I think?, in the OR cookhouse will need to learn how to hold a fork as there it was caveman style. Even the Sgts Mess would object.

[@jgoodfellow3314]

Nothing more fun than flying a helicopter than landing on a ship's helopad in rough seas or picking up wounded whilst being shot at by hostile bearded men with minimal education and personal hygiene.

[@deeremeyer1749]

What video game "flight simulator" is that?

[@davidgreen2801]

Must say, Jenny Firth, is gorgeous... :)

[@benjaminriches9736]

Why do you need to become a fixed wing pilot if you are becoming a helicopter pilot😂

[@PhilWism]

To get the basic flight experience

[@silicononsapphire5102]

Daddy's rich.

[@robh4671]

Hitch was a little whinging crybaby..

[@PhilWism]

He did good in the end