Chinook pilots train to dice with dust 09.12.11
11Forces News has been given special access to RAF Chinook pilots as they train in Afghanistan for one of the most dangerous flying challenges of the region -- landing in a dust cloud.
The fine dust thrown up during descent completely engulfs the aircraft, rendering the cockpit windows visually useless in what is known as a "brown out."
Pilots say the last few feet in these conditions are the most dangerous. The risk is a heavy landing that can rip the undercarriage away causing the whole aircraft to tip over.
The handover has recently been underway from the Chinook crews of the RAF's Twenty-Seven Squadron to their replacements from Number Eighteen, with the outgoing crews helping to qualify the new arrivals.
Flt Lt Tim Andrews, just starting his third tour explained: "There doesn't seem to be anything quite like Afghanistan dust. There's something very fine and it's difficult to recreate. We do try other areas and we do get some sort of simulation, but never quite the same."
Outgoing Pilot, Flt Lt Luke Huntley told BFBS Forces' News: "It is quite scary, yeah. The first time when you're about 15-feet off the ground and the dust surrounds you and you can't see anything. It's quite a shock."
Andrews added: "You're so close to the ground, you're just concentrating as hard as you can. I think it's one of the most stressful parts of flight 'cause you've got to get it right."