Flying Soldiers episode 4 - BBC 1997 documentary about trainee army helicopter pilots in the uk

[@pauldg837]

Interesting that no other option was given to the trainee pilot who failed on night time instrument flying. My friend also failed at this point, however he re-trained as an observer/navigator and spent many happy years flying the Lynx next to the pilot as the observer. This was just after the Falklands conflict, which he went to with 2 Para as a corporal, and shortly afterwards transferred to the Army Air Corp. He spent most of his time flying in Hong Kong with the AAC.

[@gho3tsoldier1]

The scan is absolutely crucial in instrument flying..

[@tonyhaynes9080]

The disorientation in the cloud at 18:06, I suffered the same on my first 20-second delay skydiving. I was in the cloud for nearly all and had to rely on my altimeter and on keeping my stable spread position, regardless of what my head was trying to tell me so that I wasn't unstable or turning. Not as dangerous as for this guy, but I can totally understand his problem. We also lost a Jaguar pilot who was disorientated in the cloud when looking for his wingman, was low and flew into a cliff in Scotland.

[@jimbo99ful]

Thanks for this. Definately a series I will keep coming back to watch and pass on the link to friends.

[@PMH71]

Thank you for posting, interesting to see where they have ended up career wise

[@walboyfredo6025]

14:20 Good point raised by the chief instructor about team spirit. One thing that the services don't like are "Prima Donna" who only are concern about their own development. One day they may become instructors themselves and it wouldn't be fair if they only care of individuals who are capable of flying if they get to instructors themselves. Even though there is a mixture of Commo's and NCO in the course, there should not be an "us and them" mentally, such a thing like individuality destroys morale! Another point, the AAC must have very close links with the Australian counterpart is in 17:51 because I recall Prince Harry was seconded to the Australian AAC.

[@reccerat4446]

My course was just in front of this one APC 351 and shared a room with "Mickey" Rooney for a while. Ended up in the same Squadron as Mark Hitch who became a very good mate of mine. We had guys going to Australia on exchange tours, I can think of a couple of lads who went for 1 year tour and flew the Australian Huey. We had a similar exchange with the Americans as well.

[@Retro-Future-Land]

I think he's just a Kiwi or Ozzy guy who joined the British Army etc? A few were in with me back then.

[@ReNewReViews1]

I personally know nick Wharmby, he’s the most passionate person I’ve ever met and his entire energy is unmatched! He’s by far the smartest person I’ve met so far in my life, a great guy

[@AnonAnonAnon]

Cpl Lock, wanted to transfer into the AAC as groundcrew. Lucky for him he wasn't. As a fullscrew he'd have been stuck in an MT or sigs office, or worse still, as NCO blanket stacker in the QMs. Chances of a fullscrew doing groundcrew usually zilch. Ask any bowser mong, when promoted beyond lancejack, would you go back to refuelling, no f**king way would be the reply. 😁

[@Cumbriahandyman]

Cpl Lock did his best, shame he failed. Good luck lock.

[@archerry6457]

12:39 "what the hell am I complaining about?" he's obviously not seen Fighter Pilot from the early 80s; the entire course of RAF trainees seemed to moan like hell about having to learn to fly fast jets 😂

[@alanbstard4]

NCO pilots. how long have they had them?

[@PhilWism]

Army has had them from the start RAF dont

[@bugler75]

NCO pilots started in the days of the original Glider Pilot Regiment in WW2. The Army Air Corps decided to keep NCO pilots after the war as not to drain regiments of young commissioned officers. That’s what I was told by an AAC guy. I also think I remember being told that most AAC Officers are technically only seconded to the corps and that their parent regiment officially still have control of them. I think this is more to do with officer career progression. But I stand by to be corrected, I was never in the AAC !

[@walboyfredo6025]

@@PhilWism during WW2 the RAF had sergeant's and above as Pilots. Most of the Polish 303 Squadron were NCO's.

[@PhilWism]

@@walboyfredo6025 Don't think they have them now though, the funny thing one of the failures is now an Apache instructor

[@donlaight5943]

NCO pilots were flying when I was in in the early eighties

[@angeltransportpjects]

Unfortunately as pressure mounts team spirit does suffer - its a natural human tendency. Courses like this are best handled as a syndicate or group: The team that starts together goes and finishes together ...

[@billbailey1403]

Flyfactors UK- Does that mean they all finish, regardless of standards?

[@shaunmcmillan6791]

bill bailey Sadly not but working together on the non flying stuff gives guys under pressure a bit of slack

[@andyrcampbell]

Still squadies though - not the sharpest knives in the block 😂🤣😂🤣