Helicopter Underwater Escape training.

[spartan]

orite , after watching commando on the front line on tv im slightly worried about the underwater escape drills (not that it would stop me joining). just wondering what everyone else thinks about this part of the course

 

[MTW]

im lookin forward to it, i reck it would be a right laugh, my dad had to do it a few times but hes a diver so he didnt mind it, said it wasnt bad. what eppisode is that on? dosent have anything about underwater heli drills on the commando on front line on youtube.

 

[Matt B]

im lookin forward to it, i reck it would be a right laugh, my dad had to do it a few times but hes a diver so he didnt mind it, said it wasnt bad. what eppisode is that on? dosent have anything about underwater heli drills on the commando on front line on youtube.

The youtube ones are massively edited.

It would be a right laugh.

 

[spartan]

yea the choppa is lowered into the pool and turned upside down underwater so u dont know which ways up then u swim to the door and try go to the surface. MTW the reason its not on youtube is *text deleted* the vids on youtube are of the dvd but the tv series showed things the dvd doesnt have , fcuk knows why :albert:

 

[PB706k]

Mate it is UBER FUN, dont worry about it at all - the drills are simple as, that thing can be hoisted out mega quick and there is always a diver in the cabin ready to give assitance or air if it is really needed, its probably one of the most fun days of training :blink1:

 

[Ty]

Swimming is no issue for me, it's the pressure that has me scared. Always had problems with my ears and infection. If I swim under water, only like 5 feet down, feels like my head is going to explode *text deleted*. Just *text deleted* have to take the pain !.

 

[Touchstone]

I saw the same thing on a different show about the Marines. No doubt I could do it but it still looks a bit daunting. I have problems with pressure too. Though I have since those gigantic big *text deleted**text deleted* off diving tanks, damn they are scary.

 

[TheBaker]

Not a part im particularly looking far, I just don't like deep water(not a fan of the CTC pool *text deleted*) but im sure it will be a piece of piss.

But that's one of the pluses of joining, to man up and stop being a pussy. :smile:

 

[Seedytucker]

doesnt bother me at all, i got an advanced diving license already and love being underwater and there'll be guys there in case you get lost anyway.
should be a good crack. that being said everyone, i'm sure gets a bit nervous about being lowered into water in what is basically a box and turned upside down, but it's for that kind of experience and far more that we've applied eh?

 

[Gazza_7]

yea the choppa is lowered into the pool and turned upside down underwater so u dont know which ways up then u swim to the door and try go to the surface. MTW the reason its not on youtube is *text deleted* the vids on youtube are of the dvd but the tv series showed things the dvd doesnt have , fcuk knows why :albert:

That sounds sh*t hot !

 

[flump1]

man there not that bad, thare actualy quite fun, *text deleted* only under the water for llike 10 seconds when u do them. when we done ours on teh last 1 that is done in teh dark i got told about 2 seconds before we went inder that my exit was blocked, and had 2 use another 1, now that was interesting. hahaha

 

[Phoenix]

Im glad you asked about this Spartan as I must admit this was a fear of mine also. However thanks to the posts Im feeling better about it, Im sure when the time comes it will all be ok.

 

[spartan]

Im glad you asked about this Spartan as I must admit this was a fear of mine also. However thanks to the posts Im feeling better about it, Im sure when the time comes it will all be ok.

sound man , cheers for the replies guys feelin a lot better about it now :blink1:

 

[Ash]

As long as i dont die who cares.. :toung:

That last one sounds a bit iffy though.. dark and exit blocked *text deleted* beautiful,
only thing that could make that worse is,
'o yea there are sharks in ther 2, and a small case of anthrax in the water'

Be fine though.. :O

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Must admit I didn't particularly enjoy the last Dunker Drills I attended at Yeovilton.

I needed to be "in date" for night flying in the role as firefighting instructor on a mobile training team (Flag Officer Sea Training Staff) & that includes completing the helicopter escape drills. The course I was with seemed to comprise mostly of Middle Eastern Air Force helicopter pilots & aircrew, great blokes. No problem there you'd think- they'd all done it before & had been flown to UK to bring themselves up to date. They even had their oppos taking pictures of them as they surfaced.

I didn't understand the significance of the fact they were all wearing red bump-hats, the other two of us, both RN matelots, were wearing blue ones.

The problem? Not one of them could swim! They weren't the slightest bit bothered as they knew when they surfaced an aluminium grab pole with a loop at the end was lowered by the staff in front of them to safely recover them to the side of the tank as they smiled and posed for photos. (In a real helo ditch, they'd inflate their lifejacket AFTER they exited the aircraft, in case you wondered).

First drop, a six foot straight plunge, lights on, everyone exits in reverse order of boarding the "helo" through 4 different windows. No snag.

Second drop, eight foot plunge, lights on but helo spins through 180 degrees upon hitting the surface causing disorientation as you exit the window as briefed. A bit hairy.

Third drop, ten foot plunge, no lights, 180 spin which swings back & forth before settling upside down- any exit. Blind panic- confused helicopter pilots milling about, grasping at any limbs moving outwards & then being dragged backwards and hurled over my shoulders as I clawed my way towards an exit. "Terrible" said the staff, "Round again". So we did- twice more.

Bovvered? Nah, I just drove home looking a bit like Marty Feldman, gripping the steering wheel to stop shaking.

As an afterthought - the aircrew guys don't finish there by the way- they have to complete a couple of additional runs. The aircrew on a military helicopter have small compressed air breathing bottles with a mouthpiece and can stay underwater for longer if needs be. It sounds very simple, but apparently they have to breath in through their mouths & out through their noses as it isn't a diving demand valve that's fitted. It's amusing watching the guys that get flustered & try to breath out through their mouths & in through their noses- they don't half come up fast!

 

[spartan]

rofl sound traumatising

 

[Raz]

I say bring it on!!!:bud:

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Most people actually enjoy it, I certainly did the previous time, however non-swimming people with flailing arms and grasping hands tend to make it a bit more 'interesting'.

It's good training & has repeatedly proven it's worth on controlled ditched aircraft.

 

[Stacka]

That sounds like so much fun........why didnt i do this earlier?

 

[HHHNNN]

i cant decide weather im really looking forward to this or weather im *text deleted**text deleted*ing terrified, im abit like that with the tazan assualt course aswell