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Re: TF956

Posted by MGM on Sun Nov 04, 2001 03:42:17 PM

In reply top Re: TF956 posted by Joe Scheil on Sun Nov 04, 2001 02:52:34 PM

As far as I am aware it was/is Standard Operational Procedure in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm to bail out in that kind of situation, with a Sea Fury at least, so therefore there were no arguments or bouts of head scratching about what the pilot should or should not do.

It was a military aircraft operating under very strict military rules and regs, not a civilian one where the individual pilot can please himself as to whether he kills himself or not, and I'm quite sure that the decisions surrounding that sort of procedure are not taken lightly by the Royal Navy.

We of course do not know what might have happened if he had attempted to land, it could have been fine, but it could very easily have turned out very nasty, and when a person's life is possibly at stake ,then the Royal Navy would not worry about the aircraft.....they would worry about the pilot.....hence the SOP in that situation.

At the end of the day it is not worth risking a human life for an old warplane, and certainly not a Sea Fury (beautiful as it is) given that there are lots of them still around.
I have a feeling that if he had landed it, and it had all turned to s**t for him, whether or not he got killed in the process, lots of people would have said, and still be saying, that the silly bugger should have bailed out instead.........

If I flew a Sea Fury myself, and I found myself in a similar situation, then I might well try to land it, if I was skilled enough, but then it would be my decision about my own life, and only I am entitled to make a decision on my own life and no-one else.......as long as I don't take anyone else with me.......

TTFN
Mick



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