I got a lot of stick from all concerned. I could understand t
he pressures and frustration grounding all those aircraft caused, but the consequences of failing to do so do not bear thinking about. I pointed out that the Station Senior Engineering Officer could authorise flights with U/S ESCs, but of course he would not do so.
When the new ESCs finally arrived, my workload was, to say the least, hectic. As I completed my final checks on the first plane on the line (it was before vital and independent checks were introduced) and left the cockpit, the F700 was thrust at me to sign clearing the red line, the Line Chief signed the fit to fly entry, the pilot signed accepting the aircraft, and before I reached the next “kite” on the line, the engines had been started and it was taxiing out. And so it continued until all the aircraft were finally airborne. Whew! Certainly a day to remember.
Obviously, guns had to be serviced, release slips had to be checked etc, so when I asked to have access to an aircraft to carry out some routine servicing the cry went up “that bloody Corporal is at it again.” Ha ha.
- Norman (Big Norm) Haffenden
NCO i/c 208 Squadron Armoury (Ret’d)
