Aviation_News_2017-03

GROUND SCHOOL

Fortunately, I lived at Binbrook as a child

when my father had commanded 5 Squadron

in the late 1960s, so the steep hill and

bleakness of the aerodrome was not new

to me. A seasoned aviator (I’d  own 800

hours as a navigator on the Phantom FGR.2

in West Germany), I was still considered

a novice in every respect. As a former

navigator, I was treated with an equal amount

of respect and disdain – ‘semi-skilled’ was

one instructor’s kindly remark. After the

obligatory course photo, it was time to get to

grips with the aircraft systems in the ground

school phase. Light years before PowerPoint

software and computers, blackboard

and overhead projector (state-of-the-art)

presentations lasted ten days prior to the

simulator phase. The aircraft itself was pretty

archaic, and coming from the diminutive but

reliable modern Hawk was a big shock. With

some airframes 25 years old (an elderly

statesmen in the shape of XP707 was lost

during my time on the course), the Lightning

had some unique engineering features

that no other RAF types employed: valves

that powered electric circuits; an air turbine

gearbox with a generator that worked off

engine air bleed to produce electrical power;

and  nally a starting system that used ‘Avpin’,

a highly volatile mono combustible fuel.

Ground school complete, the next phase

was the simulator. Again, state-of-the-art in

1986 meant 1960s technology, housed in an

entire building that looked like the set from

Michael Caine’s classic The Billion Dollar

Brain. The heat generated from rows and

banks of valves, tape reels and circuit boards

was enough for shirt-sleeve order even in the

depths of winter. As a student, simulators

were not new, but the Lightning’s was both

basic and intimidating, set high above the

ground. There was no visual display and the

canopy was painted white from the inside so

there was no ‘looking out’ at any stage so it

was instruments only  ying.

Initial ‘sorties’ allowed the student to

familiarise himself with the cockpit layout

and start-up procedures. The Lightning

possessed a self-contained starting system

that didn’t require an APU or any external

power – it could in theory start on its own

battery, but this was not recommended. The

system was simple but temperamental and

needed a thorough understanding of what to

do if it didn’t work. Multiple attempts to start

normally resulted in severe internal structural

damage and possible destruction.

Working through the syllabus prepared

the student for the ‘how the aircraft  ew’ in

simplistic terms, but didn’t really prepare

anyone for what was come.

44 Aviation News incorporating Jets March 2017

during my time on the course), the Lightning

44

anyone for what was come.

This LTF two-seat Lightning T.5 was the penultimate example

built for the RAF and one of only two in the ‘XV’ serial range.

Below left: Only one Lightning F.6 would be

assigned to the LTF to act as a target aircraft

and students were not allowed to  y this

variant due to its additional weight. After

completing the course a newly quali ed pilot

would undergo a check  ight in a two-seater

with their frontline squadron then spend

time in the F.6 simulator before undertaking

their  rst solo sortie in this heavier single-

seat variant.

Above: The cockpit of a preserved Lightning F.6.

Left: An LTF Lightning with covers on at RAF Binbrook

waits for its next sortie.

42-49_lightning_learningDC.mfDC.indd 44 06/02/2017 10:18