Unit Life
1 AAC REME Wildcat Recovery
Scribe: Capt Tallis REME
O
n Fri 30 Jul 21, Ex AQUILAS STRIKE had just finished and three Wildcat helicopters were flying back from MOD Woodbridge. 10 minutes into the flight the lead Helicopter received a warning indicating that engine one was on fire. The Pilots immediately shut down the engine and discharged one of the two fire suppression bottles. The caption remained so the second fire
Protective covers secured to the Wildcat
14 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk
suppression bottle was discharged. Now with the aircraft flying on one engine and no means of fighting a fire the pilots had to make an emergency landing. Rapidly approaching the Orwell river, the Pilots identified a Farmer’s field as a landing site and carried out an emergency run on landing before evacuating the aircraft. Once the aircraft had been safely evacuated the other two Wildcat helicopters notified ATF (Aviation Task Force) operations team and they deployed elements of 661 Sqn. The situation was initially very confused due to the ‘end Ex’ situation and the fact that nearly all elements of the exercise had been collapsed and the road moves back to the Main Operating Base were underway. REME Technicians were quickly deployed to the site and an initial assessment was made by the Sqn and ATF that due to the restricted difficult access to the site, the aircraft being in the middle of a ploughed field, and both fire bottles being discharged, it would be necessary to request the assistance of the Joint Aircraft Recovery Team (JARTS). It was clear from the initial assessment of the aircraft that a major fire had
Capt Tallis overseeing the removal of the propeller blades
