Winter Protector 2022

In March 2022, a team of 20 personnel from RAF Waddington deployed to Hintertux in Austria as part of Winter Protector for the first station Ski Exped since the outbreak of Covid 19.

The ski team comprised of 17 personnel of differing ranks, ages, and ability from all over the station complemented by three RAF ski instructors. The Exped was organised by Sgt Hurst and Sgt Brown from 31 Sqn Protector with the ski instructors led by the station training officer Fg Off Morgan.

The main aim of Ex WINTER PROTECTOR was to deliver a week’s APDT in the form of alpine skiing to RAF Waddington Service personnel. This was achieved through delivery of the Joint Service Ski Foundation 1 (SF1) course.

20 bleary eyed, but excited people met up at Waddington to get MT to Manchester Airport for the flight to Innsbruck. A short coach journey to the accommodation in Hintertux and our fantastic host ‘Kuki’ was waiting to show us to our apartments. A walk to the local hire shop and the pre-arranged ski equipment was waiting for us all which left nothing to do that day other than to go out for a meal and sample the Austrian gastronomy.

Day 1

The first day all the lift passes were purchased for the group, everyone donned their new ski clothing, we were split into ability groups and assigned an instructor. We got the short bus journey to the glacier at Hintertux and headed up the mountain. The beginners headed to the nursery slopes to learn snow ploughs and basic ski drills whilst the other two intermediate groups headed towards the blue and red slopes so the instructors can assess their abilities. The day went without any dramas with everyone coming off the mountain enthused, without injury and excited for the next days skiing. Everyone made use of their issued CILOR that evening and chef’d up their best culinary delights in their individual apartments and sampled some of Austria’s finest beer.

Day 2

With no reported food poisoning cases from the previous night’s Master Chef auditions everyone met up at the Gondola beside our apartment and we went up to the Eggalm ski area to practise what we’d been taught the previous day and introduce new skills vital to either the issue of SF1 or the continued improvement of the intermediate skiers. The weather, whilst absolutely glorious, meant the snow conditions towards the end of the day were extremely challenging with the snow ‘chopping up’ resulting in some ‘survival’ skiing taking place. The group convened at the apartment for the mandatory SF1 briefs on MET analyses then the time was our own again to try and improve on the previous night’s cooking.

Day 3

Day 3 and everyone took the Gondola up the mountain to this time ski the area around Rastkogel and Penken which are located near to the town of Mayerhofen. Unfortunately at this stage one of the beginners had developed blisters across the front of her lower legs resulting from not having her boots and salopettes fitted properly; after consultation with the doctor it was decided skiing was not possible from that point. Two personnel from the intermediate group dropped down into the beginner group to concentrate on their basic skill drills which were not possible at the pace of the intermediate ski group.

At the end of the day very tired but satisfied group met up at the apartment for further SF1 briefs on mountain and avalanche awareness.

Day 4

The beginners group saw some great progress tackling a multitude of different and longer slopes with a marked improvement in skills and drills, with more time spent stood up rather than on their backs sliding down the hills. The more advanced groups headed out to the Rastkogel and Penken areas to enjoy differing slopes placing individuals in stretch whilst progressing in proficiency. The lead Ski group decided to test their skills out and attempt Austria’s steepest black slope the ‘Harakiri’. With mixed results everybody made it down safely with differing degrees of competency, Sgt Haltam & Flt Lt Lambert deciding that their safest option was in a cloud of snow, on their backs with skis or poles all making their way down the slope at differing trajectories!!!! Due to the warm weather an earlier than anticipated exit from the mountain meant that the group participated in some Austrian Après Ski. Schnaps, Jägermeister, and Austrian beer resulted in some questionable dancing with everyone still wearing their extremely ‘comfortable’ ski boots. Sqn Ldr Thompson, the 13 Sqn Australian exchange pilot that was on the Exped with us, revelled in this environment showing everyone how they do it ‘down under’, whilst the Protector XO, Flt Lt McLeod plied the team with Jager bombs in a desperate attempt to try to conceal his own inferior skiing abilities!!!!

Day 5

The usual fine breakfast provided by our host ‘Kuki’ and a brisk walk to the bus blew away any cobwebs generated by the previous night’s escapades and the group headed up to the glacier in Hintertux for the final days skiing. The SF1 qualification was issued to all personnel that had passed and both groups continued to consolidate skills, push themselves into stretch and enjoy the slopes for one last time. After a relatively short day of skiing the groups came off the mountain to return all rented ski equipment, again there were no issues highlighted and the process went smoothly.

We left the apartments on the final day all packed up and took the coach transfer back to Innsbruck airport for our return home. Taking juniors, seniors and commissioned ranks from all over station on an Exped meant that everyone got to meet people they ordinarily may not interact with and the teamwork and camaraderie were clearly evident. The RAF was shown in a fantastic light to both our Austrian hosts and the Australian exchange officer, who thoroughly enjoyed his time and promoted the RAF FD/AT schemes to his area of command back on 13 Sqn. The opportunities to do AT in the RAF are there for everyone and I hope this shows RAF Waddington that with a little bit of work and organisation you can enjoy fantastic Exped’s. Keep your eye on the Waddington PEd flight AT board for next year as there are plans for this Exped to be carried out again in the same place but over three weeks meaning more service personnel may get the chance to participate.

Sgt ‘Hursty’ Hurst 31 Sqn Protector Engineering