STRAPPING IN
The initial ve sorties were own in the
Lightning T.5 two-seater, but the biggest
shock was it bore little resemblance to the
cockpit layout of the single-seat version.
The main cockpit instrumentation of air
speed, altitude and horizon was centrally
placed and the bulk of the engine and fuel
gauges were on the left (student) side,
while other instruments seem to have been
thrown into place like some child’s magnetic
jigsaw. The IFF (Identi cation, Friend or
Foe), for example, was located almost on
the oor as was the TACAN (Tactical Air
Navigation system)/ILS (Instrument Landing
System) selector. Trying to get a ‘ ow’
on early sorties was not easy. The only
way to familiarise yourself was to sit in an
unserviceable aircraft (of which there were
always plenty) and try to memorise where
each instrument was to master the time-
honoured ‘left to right’ checks.
As per the ground school, individual
sortie brie ngs were conducted using the
‘chalk and talk’ principle. Instructors on theLTF fell into two categories: Quali ed Flying
Instructors (QFI), who taught the handling
aspects of the Lightning, and Weapons
Instructors who trained on all aspects of
how to ght the Lightning. Somewhere in
between were Instrument Rating examiners.
QFIs were given the short straw of teaching
night ying.
The rst few ights were, as to be
expected, fraught. An average sortie length
was 30 to 40 minutes and the student would
be expected to reach solo standard in ve
trips or around three to four hours’ ying
time. The learning curve was as steep as
Ben Nevis. The Lightning had a very early
Mk4 ejector seat, festooned with a plethora
of different coloured webbing straps,compared with the Hawk’s Mk10 seat,
which was simplicity itself. The instructor
would invariably sit twiddling his thumbs
waiting for you to nish strapping in – always
intimidating. Once the ‘left to right’ checks
are done, engine start can be accomplished.
Starting number one rst (the lower engine),
the entire process is like something from
a Jules Verne novel. As you press the
starter and open the High-Pressure Cock,
the aircraft gives off a loud hissing noise
like a sinking battleship in its death throes.
With a clattering of metal, the engine starts
spinning into life and for the unwary, a cloud
of invisible gas lls the cockpit – Avpin
fumes. Its taste and smell smack of the
most toxic vapour you can imagine, burning
the back of your throat while your eyes sting
as if washed in CS gas. Trying to overcome
your incapacitation and keeping a careful
eye on the instrument gauges is difficult at
rst. The cadence of RPM rise along with
the increase in JPT (jet pipe temperature) is
a vital sign of how the start-up combustion is
progressing.http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 45STRAPPING IN compared with the Hawk’s Mk10 seat,
This underside view shows off the
Lightning’s shape to good effect.Above: Groundcrew prepare a Lightning T.5
for a sortie.
Above right: Air combat was a vital part of
the LTF syllabus. Having been taught basic
ghter pilot skills on the Hawk, progressing
to the Lightning was a whole new ball game.
Here an instructor runs for cloud cover in an
effort to defeat an infrared missile shot.42-49_lightning_learningDC.mfDC.indd 45 06/02/2017 10:18