Fighter Pilots - Episode 5 - "Chopped" 1981 BBC documentary Series complete

[@rosielunt9834]

The Chief Flying Instructor was my amazing Dad, became CO at Cranwell later in his career. Best guy I have ever known xx

[@jimmyboyf415]

Was that Robbie Chambers your Dad?

[@pauldg837]

@@jimmyboyf415 No it wasn't. The chief flyjng instructor appears at 25.04 when he tells Trevor that he is being chopped from pilot training.

[@RichardOutdoors]

So who was your Dad?

[@aidanbegovic9584]

@@RichardOutdoors 25:04 I think it was this man

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

I met Mr Lunt at a recruitment caravan when I was a kid. He gave me a couple of posters and a sticker and a little book about RAF aircraft. Nice guy

[@SimonWAtack]

Flt Lt. Martin Withers went on to fly with the Vulcan Force. He made history flying Vulcan XM607 on the longest bombing mission in history. Flying the first Black Buck bombing mission of the Falklands war to bomb the runway of Port Stanley airfield. He now flies as a commercial pilot and also displays the last airworthy Vulcan. A remarkable flying career.

[@jumb0j0ck]

Proud to have him in my logbook.

[@dadmadforgot4050]

Thanks for that. Incredible story.

[@samrodian919]

Anybody notice that Marin Withers was one of the Flying instructors talking about how they review trainee pilots progress when they are struggling? He of course flew the first Black Buck raid on Port Stanley's runway in the Falklands conflict with Argentina

[@bushranger71]

I went through the RAAF Direct Entry aircrew in the early 70s. This documentary reminds me of the slow but steady pressure involved in this training especially the more demanding flying sequences. It surprised me constantly when an outwardly confident and seemingly competent pilot trainee was "scrubbed"-a salutary reminder to us all. The RAAF provided wonderful training and was a very satisfying career.

[@tomparko1]

Martin Withers before his famous Vulcan episode!

[@dfolt]

Didn't realize this before. Well spotted!

[@Biggles2498]

What happened ?

[@phill633vgs]

@@Biggles2498 Operation Black Buck

[@davidlockwood9192]

Just spotted that and thought the name looked familiar. I knew he was a Provost QFI, but wasn’t sure if that was before or after Black Buck....

[@lenkapenka6976]

This was filmed in 1979 I believe and broadcast in 1980/81.

[@PaavoLammikko]

16:43 Put some bloody oil on those hinges!

[@Biggles2498]

When I learned to fly I cheated by using a red chinagraph pencil on the windscreen to give me a reference to get a decent landing every time !

[@flybobbie1449]

I have stuck pieces of paper to windshield for my students. If you can't aim for runway good luck aiming a gun.

[@robslade2571]

What's happened to that guys trousers at 22:40?

[@bushranger71]

One more thing..we had a Course photo that was distributed around the various parts of the Flying School..when someone was scrubbed a not terribly flattering black X was marked in texta over the hapless cadet's face.

[@jlight1965]

The guy at 6.52 must have gone on to a career in adult films?

[@tanyano9]

Dutch porn star deffo....

[@bodieofci5418]

Wow. Mr Withers looks really young here :)

[@GT-sl7wg]

The humour was brutal……..Thinly Disguised Chop Ride / TDCR on the BOCR would appear on the programme board…….usually with an Axe above the name……..

[@Biggles2498]

At 10.19 You might end up being a Navigator ?? He holds the same rank as you !!!

[@PengPengPengPengPengPeng]

Roy C Horton no stick, no vote.

[@SloppyLink]

10.00 Swiss Toni says "flying a jet is very much like making love to a beautiful woman. Start her up, give her plenty of gas, and get her home so she can be ready for another go the next day"

[@londonenglishclasses]

ah...the past...when crap synths were the future...

[@stephenvince9994]

Sounds like two wasps having it off in a plastic bottle

[@Deejaynext]

09:45 - lolz! i wasn't going to comment the first time this guy discussed this but this is just too much! this is when being australian comes in handy: you get the best of both worlds! eg; if you're british, you don't say anything to the person (ie; stiff upper lip), the person is left to his own devices. if you're american, you have an intervention, which is broadcast on national tv. if you're australian, you approach the person in a non-confrontational friendly manner and resolve the issue!!

[@Biggles2498]

If nearly all of the Class are struggling to meet the required standard this is a reflection of the standard of instruction ! QED ! Treat an Aircraft like a woman and she MIGHT forgive you even though she is wrong.

[@archerry6457]

8:48 Elvington RLG for Linton

[@26wordy]

its only bloody martin withers

[@ianmangham4570]

I'm just happy i was around when England was still GREAT , i don't fit in anymore with all these screaming wackjobs 😅🇬🇧🤠🙏 no integrity/honour/respect to be find in today's young.😮

[@johnbutler7188]

Does anyone know what became of the 'chopped' student?

[@richardvernon317]

One left the Air Force and went into IT (this one I think), a couple ended up as navigators (Robby Lowe left as a Wing Commander I think and ended up as a Simulator Instructor at Lossiemouth. My Brother met him at a 6 Squadron Association Function up there and said he was a really nice bloke) and at least one ended up on Hercs.

[@1984glasgowceltic]

Would of thought possibly the phantom but im not 100% sure

[@TheFunkhouser]

400 pounds an hour..! and they say thats expensive you know this is late 70's early 80's haha 😅

[@Seminal_Ideas]

Poor Trevor Lewis. A likable lad. He could take off and fly the old JayPee but couldn't land it. In an earlier incarnation he'd have done well in a kamikaze squadron.

[@SimDeck]

Good grief 😂

[@Hackett1066]

Typical forces humour 😂

[@blueshirt06]

Does anyone know what was the main fighter jet in the early 80"s for the UK?was it just the Harrier?

[@paulmurphy42]

The Tornado

[@HO-bndk]

Phantom FGR.2 and FG.1 until Tornado F.3 came into service in 1987

[@henryvagincourt]

@@HO-bndk + Lightning was also at Binbrook.

[@davidhumphreys7035]

Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, Phantom and if at war, Hawk.

[@petermitchell6348]

Jaguar? Bruggan had four Squadrons of them.

[@timwhiskerd2133]

Put them in an L4 before starting the training, then you will find the flyers.... no need for all the crap before, Then go do the flying school.... Props then Jets.....

[@andyb.1026]

Totally agree, learn the very basics, To, circuits & landings, can be done in a week at minimal cost. It's how ww2 Luftwaffe pilots learned.. Can progress to aeros and cross country nav. So when they move on they Know they can land. 😊

[@Biggles2498]

Secret to perfect landings ......FORCE YOURSELF to check the "LOCUS" of your approach and don't be frightened to tweak power to "GREASE" landing. DON'T land on the nosewheel EVER !

[@yankeealfa2339]

There are three secrets to make a perfect landing..........and nobody knows them!

[@robh4671]

I’ve always argued that the student should do the flying phase first..when he has consolidated his solo flying..THEN do officer training ..THEN do survival..because like this guy who failed to consolidate his solo..all the money spent on officer training and survival training has been wasted..

[@24934637]

Not necessarily wasted training. Just because someone fails to be a pilot doesn't mean that they can't do another officer job in the RAF. That's why the flight training comes second, at least after they've proved that they are capable of being an officer, the RAF knows that they can still be put in a different role if they fail to be pilot material.

[@magna4100]

Or have a more realistic selection procedure at OASC?

[@SuperEdge67]

Lewis probably just hasn’t got the hand, eye, foot coordination to be a pilot.

[@magna4100]

So why wasn't this spotted at OASC?

[@pinopino1086]

Yes, why????​@@magna4100

[@GT-sl7wg]

@@magna4100good question……but it’s not a precise measure I guess

[@lostcreek163]

Had to fly many elimination flights for T-38 student pilots, was difficult, to wash out a young officer, but necessary at times.

[@seprishere]

I think kicking him off was a bit harsh. He might not have made progress before the chop ride but it seems like he WAS making progress ON the chop ride. I might have given him another hour?

[@Horizon344]

Limited time available for training, recruits must show an instinctive aptitude for the job, & there's always some1 in the queue behind for the job who might be better. You can either make the cut or you can't.

[@seprishere]

@@Horizon344 Maybe. I still think it was harsh. Mostly because he *was* making progress on the chop ride itself, even if he hadn't been making progress before. OK he only started to cure one of the faults, not the other, but I still think it was harsh.

[@Horizon344]

@@seprishere From what can be seen in this film he appeared to lack an instinctive feel for flying, despite being given intensive extra tuition by the training staff, that's why they binned him. Best for him & the RAF, it's a fighting armed service not a flying club.

[@richardvernon317]

Chop rate in the RAF in the 1980s was huge and not just in the Aircrew world, but in the Ground Trades as well. 12 guys from my trade joined the RAF in November 1983, 11 made it out of basic recruit training. Only 6 made it out of Technical Trade Training on the first attempt (3 others (including myself) got back coursed for failing phases of the training and passed out 6 weeks later (and I just passed the final exam with a very boarder line pass) while the other two failed the course and were kicked out of the RAF.

[@Biggles2498]

@@seprishere I found Boarding School harsh which is why I learned that "love" is simply a weakness and it's "Survival Of The Fittest" at all times ! Perhaps The Russians did get it right.

[@allybally0021]

Martin Withers.....with hair on top.....ish.

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

I still don't know how someone can get this darcand struggle with the basics. A few hour's in a chippy would have got rid of these.

[@sblack48]

Horrible synth music...ugh

[@callum1131]

1970/80s look so miserable. Glad I wasn't born in that dismal time

[@Trevor_Austin]

callum1131 - Just because this is not in HD it doesn’t mean it was dismal. I remember those times as being rather good, the summers were hot and I was having rather a good time. It was also the time when snowflakes were not tolerated and would be melted by the heat of the real world. It was also the time when we had an active airforce with real aircraft unlike the virtual F35 of today.

[@henryvagincourt]

@@Trevor_Austin + 17 when I went south in 1982 with the navy, without a mobile phone or email, best years of my life.

[@davedenham8697]

callum1131 it was a lot better than now, believe me!

[@timwhiskerd2133]

Was ok for me, no work for most, rusty cars and a lot of fun.. I was mucking about with race cars..

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Callum,I joined in the 1950s when the UK was building all sorts of aircraft even if there was some food rationing. Was Paid 49 Bob a week and when I left I was earning £5 13 shillings a week. Each of us have their own version and vision.