41 RA Y, S

TUCKER,
UNITED
DIRECTOR OF ARMY AVIATION, ODCSOPS
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Brig Gen Delk M. Oden
COMMANDANT, U. S. ARMY AVIATION SCHOOL
Brig Gen Robert R. Williams
ASST COMDT, U. S. ARMY AVIATION SCHOOL
Col Warren R. Williams
EDITORIAL STAFF
Capt Richard Anglin
Fred M. Montgomery
Richard K. Tierney
William H. Smith
M / Sgt Thomas M. Lang
Diana G. Williams
USABAAR EDUCATION AND LITERATURE DIV
Pierce L. Wiggin
William E. Carter
James E. Coleman
ARMY AVIATION
'1GESJ
MARCH 1963 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 3
CONTENTS
LETTERS .......................................................... 1
ARMY AIRMOBILITY .......... .. ......... . ...... ... ................ 3
BUT I THOUGHT, Capt Russell J. Johnson ... . ......................... 6
CUMULUS VERBIAGE .............................................. 8
OUR PROBLEM, SFC John M. Gilfillan ................................ 10
COCKPIT LIGHTING, Capt Walter T. Parkerson ........................ 14
LETTER FROM AN AA, Lt Col Melvin C. Monroe ....... . .............. 16
EXAM-O-GRAM .................................................... 18
THIS COULD BE YOUR LIFE ............. . .................... .. .. 19
MY SON'S BIRTHDAy ................. .. .................... .. ..... 22
TOUCH AND GO ... . ................... . . . ............... . .. . ...... 25
ASE ... HELP OR HINDRANCE? CWO James H. McCullough and
William C. McKinney .............................................. 26
AERIAL DELIVERY OF A FIRE BOMB, Maj Leyburn Brockwell, Jr .... .. . 28
PANIC POINT! William H. Smith ..................................... 32
TWX .......... . ... . ............... .......... . .... ... ... . . ..... . ... 34
RESCUE OPERATION IN IRAN, Lt Col Jerome B. Feldt .. " . " ......... 36
RUSSIAN USE OF AIR OP ... .. .. ...... ..... ... ..... ... ... . ......... 42
CRASH SENSE ..................................................... 44
The mission of the U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST is to provide information of an
operational or functionf!.l nature concerning safety and aircraft accident prevention, training,
maintenance, operations, research and development, aviation medicine, and other related data.
The DIGEST is an official Department of the Army periodical published monthly under
the supervision of the Commandant, U. S. Army Aviation School. Views expressed herein
are not necessarily those of Department of the Army or the U. S. Army Aviation School.
Photos are U. S. Army unless otherwise specified. Material may be reprinted giving credit
to the DIGEST and to the author, unless otherwise indicated.
Articles, photos, and items of interest on Army Aviation are invited. Direct communica-
tion is authorized to: Editor-in-Chiej, U. S. Army Aviation Digest, Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Use of funds for printing of this publication has been approved by Headquarters,
Department of the Army, 27 November 1961.
To be distributed in accordance with requirements stated in DA Form 12.
Sir:
I read with interest two arti-
cles on lying safety in the N 0-
vember '62 issue, namely "Judg-
ment & Ducks," which is being
brought to the attention of all
squadron pilots, and "The Cat
and Duck Method of Flight."
The latter brings to mind a
long forgotten method of in-
strument approaches used in
Alaska and other northern re-
gions known as the Labrador
Duck Approach. The "unen-
lightened" in range ADF and
ILS procedures would capture a
duck during the summer months
and keep the bird caged and in
the cockpit until transferred
South. When encountering the
usual fogs of all seasons in the
North (day or night) 00 etc.,
the duck would come into play.
When on final approach, the
duck was placed up in front of
the windshield facing forward
and watched closely by the pilot
and copilot. Upon nearing the
ground, the duck would rare
back and start backlashing his
wings. At this time power was
reduced and a safe landing as-
sured.
I cannot personally vouch for
this method, as my success at
capturing a duck has been nil,
and it is difficult to get affidavits
from those who use this method..
WILLIAM S. ELMORE
Lt Col, Alaska ANG
.....
Sir:
Reference is made to the arti-
cle appearing in "Crash Sense,"
September 1962 issue of the
ARMY AVIATION DIGEST,
"A Matter of Life or Death." I
would like to take issue with
you on the WHY of this acci-
dent. The article says SLIP-
SHOD MAINTENANCE. My
opinion is that this accident was
caused by SLIPSHOD TECH-
NICAL AND COMMAND
SUPERVISION.
It is stated that the crew chief
of this machine had only two
months OJT with rotary wing
aircraft. If this is the case WHY
was this man assigned as crew-
chief with a 670 MOS? WHY
was he allowed to remove con-
trols from the machine without
"technical supervision"? WHY
hadn't the "maintenance officer
and/or line chief" made certain
that this man had made the
proper entries on the -2?
Knowing that this particular
individual had only two months
OJT on rotary wing aircraft,
WHY wasn't all of his work
supervised, to include the en-
tries that were made or should
have been made in the -2? It is
inconceivable that such a rela-
tively inexperienced individual
would be given the immense
responsibility of crewing a ma-
chine that could 'carry a human
to his death.
E=
There are more WHYs to this
saga, and there will continue to
be WHYs as long as there is
indiscriminate awarding of avi-
ation MOSs to people who are
either ill trained or not capable
of holding the MOS. Unfortu-
nately there are people in the
aviation field who do not belong
in it, but are in it for the thrill
of lying and the extra money.
Until all of our maintenance
people are required to attend a
formal course of instruction
to be awarded a maintenance
MOS, there will be indiscrimi-
nate awarding of the MOS and
there will continue to be WHYs.
No, sir, I believe that SLIP-
SHOD MAINTENANCE is a
direct result of SLIPSHOD
COMMAND AND TECHNI-
CAL SUPERVISION.
FREDERICK W. PERKINS
MSgt
To ensure that the highest
possible standard of mainte-
nance is obtained, all 670 me-
chanics should be school trained
instead of OJT trained. Ideally,
even a school trained 670 me-
chanic should never have to
crew an aircraft. Furthermore,
the Department of Maintenance,
USAAVNS, feels that extenuat-
ing circumstances must indeed
exist before a 670 OJT me-
chanic, with little or no experi-
1
MARCH 1963
ence, is given the grave respon-
sibility of crewing an aircraft.
Once the 670 mechanic has
been appointed as a crewchief,
it is imperative that he be given
continuous and personal super-
vision by the line chief. Also,
the technical inspector should
be extremely critical while in-
specting all maintenance per-
formed by this new crewchief,
This increased supervision is
absolutely essential due to the
lack of training and experience
on the part of the 670 mechanic.
The Department of Mainte-
nance feels that MSgt Perkins
was absolutely correct when
he said, "SLIPSHOD MAIN-
TENANCE is a direct result of
SLIPSHOD COMMAND AND
TECHNICAL SUPERVISION."
Only through proper training,
effective use of personnel, and
command emphasis on proper
maintenance techniques and
procedures can we preclude
such occurrences in the future.
Sir:
In your article "Your Airway
Host," June issue, the first ex-
ample presented by Lieutenant
Dillon is an understatement; I
have rarely had a reception as
good as he describes at an Army
airfield. He s h 0 u I d not pull
his punch in such an obvious
fashion.
However, this alone is not
sufficient justification for writ-
ing to you, but a quotation from
the Flight Safety Foundation
Bulletin ["Meals, Not Snacks,"
DIGEST, June 1962, page 31]
pointing out the folly of skipping
dinner then flying is justification.
I wish I had a dollar for each
meal skipped by transient Army
Aviators at Army posts because:
2
1) "No transportation."
2) "That uniform is not al-
lowed in the mess."
3) "The mess closed ten min-
utes ago."
4) "The snack bar is not open
-inventory, you know."
5) "Sorry, I don't k now
where you can eat at this
hour-I eat at home."
6) "Have you tried carrying
your lunch with you on a
flight?"
7) "Sorry, the Coke machine
has been empty for a
week."
8) "The coffee machine is
broken, too."
These are answers that I have
received in response to the
question, "Where can I get a
bite to eat?"
Almost every flight safety
bulletin that I have received
during the past year has stressed
the danger of flying on an
empty stomach-something that
I am sure all AAs know about
now. However, they are not the
ones who can provide the facili-
ties.
There is a crying need for
a campaign that will educate
senior Army commanders on
the proper care and feeding of
Army Aviators.
Item: At 1130, one of my
aviators departed in an 0-1 to
take a colonel to a forward CP,
about 30 minutes' flying time
from the post. They landed on
a road near the CP, and the
colonel told the aviator to wait
for him. About one hour later
the colonel returned to the
plane, rubbing his stomach and
expressing satisfaction with the
fine dinner that he had eaten at
the CP! (The aviator had to
wait until 1430 when he was
able to eat at a PX.)
Now, I know the colonel well
-well enough to know that
there is nothing mean or little
about his character. If he had
been driven to the CP in a jeep,
he would have made sure that
his driver was fed. The simple
truth is that it just did not occur
to the colonel that his aviator
had a need for food, too!
There is little prospect of
beneficen t effect in addressing
bulletins re the proper care
and feeding of Army Aviators
to aviators. They should be
addressed to (and be required
reading by) the senior com-
manders who have the funds
and authority to establish prop-
er and adequate facilities at
Army airfields and to ensure
that, once established, they are
available 24 hours per day.
The very thought of a pilot
from one of the other services
landing at an Army post gives
me a feeling of acute embarrass-
ment.
Hungry A viator
Sir:
. On page 14 of July 62
[issue] is a photo of two uniden-
tified mechanics working on an
L-4 on floats. I think the me-
chanic with his back to the cam-
era could be me .... If the photo
was taken in the summer of 1946
it is me .... I worked for Lt
Sullivan. . . . I met Lt Sullivan
in 1952 when I went through
fixed wing flying school at Fort
Sill. He was a major then ....
I am a member of the 39th
Aviation Co, Louisiana National
Guard.
CAPT HENRY E CHENET, JR.
8824 27th St
Metairie, La.
P.S.
I would also like to mention
that the thing I enjoyed most
that summer of 1946 was the
crash boat. At that time I think
it was the fastest boat on Lake
Lawtonka. One of my jobs was
to keep the brass polished.
With the retirement of General
Powell, the Active Army lost
one of its staunchest advocates
of increased air transportation
-airmobility-for today's mod-
ern Army. Many times, both
publicly and officially, he has
stressed the importance of air-
mobility as opposed to strict
surface mobility in any tactical
movement of troops from the
United States to a battle ar.ea.
Some of his views on this sub-
ject are presented below.
General Herbert B. Pow,ell, USA Ret
ARMY AIRMOBILITY
C
lTING MILITARY opera-
tions as recorded by his-
tory in all eras, General Powell
Gen Herbert B. Powell, who
retired from active duty 31 Jan-
uary after more than 43 years
service, is the Army's first and
only four-star general to wear
the Army rated aviator badge.
General Powell's last duty as-
signment was CG, USCONARC.
contends that mobility and fire-
power were the two most in-
fluential military factors bear-
ing on either success or failure.
"Whenever one outstripped the
other," he says, "the imbalance
became very restrictive. The
commander who lacked either
one could not fully exploit the
power of the other."
General Powell believes that
the dominating factor of W orId
War I was firepower-in the
form of machinegun and artil-
lery fire. Mobility was achieved
only near the end of the conflict
through the introduction of
tanks in small quantities and
through "the sheer numerical
weight of resources applied by
the Allied powers."
Just the opposite was true at
the outbreak of World War II.
By the end of the war, however,
firepower had again overtaken
mobility.
3
MARCH 1963
Since WW II the Army has
again advanced in mdbility-
primarily through increased em-
phasis on the aircraft as a prime
mover of men and material.
During the Korean conflict the
helicopter assumed and has re-
tained an important role, in the
airmobility concept.
As an outspoken proponent of
the Army's need for aviation
buildup, General Powell be-
lieves the once deficient quality
of Army airmo bili ty is being
overcome. He has proposed that
the airmobility program be
given its proper place in today's
Army and that an effective sys-
tem be set up with authority to
direct the achievement of its
goal.
In stressing the importance of
expanded airmobility for Army
ground forces, General Powell
has emphasized the need for
increased quantity as well as
quality in this direction-quan-
tity of both air materiel (planes
as well as supporting logistical
materiel) and aviator and avia-
tion maintenance manpower.
To accomplish this, the
General believes that the De-
partment of the Army Office of
Personnel Operations should
include an Aviation Personnel
Division. At the same time, he
advocates an aviation officer
career designed to attract the
needed high quali ty personnel
and a far greater use of warrant
officers as pilots. [The United
States Army Aviation School
has started the initial fixed wing
qualification course for warrant
officer candidates.]
Such an expanded aviation
program in the Army would
make the Army's ground forces
overwhelmingly more effective
through greater mobility.
In an address before the
Peninsula Chapter, Association
of the U. S. Army, at Fort Eus-
tis, Va., on October 19, 1962,
4
Gen Powell, qualified in both fixed and rotary wing aircraft is
shown in an UH-1A as Maj Gen W. F. Train hands him his helmet.
General Powell said:
"Today the margin of
firepower over mobility is
undoubtedly the greatest
ever attained. Strategic and
tactical nuclear weapons-
coupled with long - range
delivery systems-lead the
list ... An enemy equipped
with atomic weapons and a
reliable delivery s y s tern
poses a tremendous threat
to any ground transported
force, no matter where.
The more these ground-
transported units and their
equipment are massed, the
more likely and lucrative a
target they become.
". . . I do emphasize that
our own mobility m us t
approximate our firepower.
. . . The national power
which first succeeds in fully
achieving this balance be-
tween firepower and mobil-
ity will have a great advan-
tage over its adversary."
The General emphasized that
what is needed to achieve such
a balance is mobility on a se-
lective basis. This, he told the
group, requires improvement in
the mo bili ty of both reconnais-
sance and striking forces.
In qualifying this, General
Powell said that while an added
supply of aircraft organic to the
Army units "will improve their
ability to perform general mis-
sions, a new approach is re-
quired to develop fighting units
whose method of tactical em""
ployment will use aircraft as
part and parcel of their opera-
tons . . . . These air vehicles
must be equipped with rapid-
fire machineguns and powerful
rockets as well as with the most
modern means of providing re-
liable target acquisition."
In his role as Commanding
G e n era 1, U. S. Continental
Army Com man d, last year
General Powell, upon order of
the Department of Defense, set
up the Army Tactical Mobility
Requirements Board, under Lt
Gen Hamilton H. Howze, which
conducted a thorough and com-
prehensive examination of the
Army's needs in the field of avi-
ation. The final detailed, classi-
fied report of this board was
submitted to the Pentagon for
study and consideration.
Already, machinery has been
put in motion for the imple-
mentation of a number of this
board's recommendations, many
of which the four-star aviator
has long expounded in his en-
deavors to constantly improve
the quality of training and the
ready combat effectiveness of
the U. S. Army.
In the President's budget mes-
sage to the Congress this year is
a request for funds to provide
15,000 additional training spaces
in Army strength and additional
Army aircraft for testing the
airmo bili ty concept.
While General Powell has
ARMY AffiMOBILITY
made no attempt to prophesy
what will come about in the
future, he has emphasized re-
peatedly that the Army's mo-
bility must approximate its fire-
power. Otherwise, the Army's
firepower cannot be properly
exploited against an enemy; nor
can redress be taken to mini-
mize the effect of the enemy's
firepower against our forces.
"A modern Army," General
Powell says, "must have a high
degree of elusiveness to avoid
becoming an atomic target while
at the same time possessing the
flexibility necessary to exploit
its own weapons, regardless of
the type war being fought.
"The only effective way of
achieving this elusiveness and
flexibility-in balance with fire-
power-is through concentrated
effort toward an adequate air-
mobility capability." .....
\\ k b II d
New Entry Sets Kentuc y Der y Recor
A Kentucky National Guard
helicopter pilot and mechanic
recently completed a 3,500-mile
helicopter flight which broke
previous Army distance records
for flying from one point to
another. On a section of their
flight from Stockton, Calif., to
Frankfort, Ky., Lt Col John I.
Faulkenberry and SP-5 William
H. Canon traveled a total of
2,700 miles in 9% days. Previous
Army r e cor d s covered only
2,200 miles.
Preparations began for this
long flight when the Army or-
dered the Kentucky National
Guard to turn over to Active
Army units two OH-13E heli-
copters in exchange for two
OH-23B helicopters.
One copter exchange was
simple: an Army A viator from
Fort Hood, Texas delivered a
new Hiller model to Frankfort
and then flew the Bell model
back. Exchanging the second
copter was the problem. The
OH-13E had to be delivered to
Fort Hood, and its replacement
had to be picked up at Sharp
General Depot at Stockton,
Calif.
Gasoline was the biggest prob-
lem on the return trip. A full
tank of gas would last only 1
hour and 20 minutes. Specialist
Canon brought along a 5-gallon
gas can, which in several in-
stances enabled them to make it
from one airport to another.
Even with the 5 extra gallons,
on two' occasions they didn't
have enough gas to make it to
t ~ next airport. Both times
they were able to land next to
a service station on the highway
and buy an extra 5 gallons of
gas. The copter will run on
premium gasoline, but not as
well as on the high octane air-
plane gas, so highway gas stops
were made only in an emer-
gency.
Most of the problems on the
trip proved to be minor.
Effective and full-time main-
tenance was very important.
Mechanically, the only serious
difficulty on the trip was with
the generator, which became
defective and let the battery go
dead.
Although they b r 0 k e the
Army distance records, the final
summation of the trip by the
pilot and mechanic was a happy
but tired, "fatiguing."
5
These stories have a lesson for all Army
Aviators-guard against complacency and a
nonprofessional attitude while flying.
But I Thought

Captain Russell J. Johnson
M
ANY YEARS AGO while visiting the local
airport, I watched an old open cockpit
biplane doing aerobatics high overhead. It put on
quite a show, and then it started slowly down in
a very gentle spiral. The plane continued its spiral
all the way to the ground, not to a beautiful land-
ing, but to a crash that demolished it.
At the hospital, the two pilots who were flying
the plane when it crashed were asked the usual
question: What happened? The pilot who was
flying from the front seat said, "I don't know.
Ask the guy who was in the back seat; he was
flying."
Everybody went over to hear what the other
pilot had to say. You guessed it. He said, "I don't
know. I wasn't flying. The guy up front was;
ask him."
When the two were brought together, they
looked at each other and said, "But I thought you
were flying." It sounded funny at the time and
everybody had a big laugh over it, except the
owner of the plane.
Over the past years I have heard of the same
thing happening over and over again to other
pilots. It's no longer a subject to laugh about.
Those two pilots did just what so many pilots do
today, sit back and take things for granted.
In the open cockpit days, it was a common
practice for whoever was flying to shake the con-
trol stick from side to side and hold up his hands
when he wanted the other pilot to take over. The
story you have just read shows that the signals
were not received, so each "thought" the other
was flying.
It is now some 20 years later, and have things
changed any? Well, perhaps, but let's see. Here
6
are some recent examples of "but I thought."
The instructor tells his student to start the
engine and he'll be with him in a minute. When
the instructor does get into the back seat, the air-
craft starts down the strip while he is still
strapping himself in. (The instructor without
knowing it had opened the throttle about halfway
with the sleeve of his field jacket.) The instructor
thinks the student a bit eager this morning, as
they go bouncing along down the strip. With the
trees getting closer he exclaims to his eager boy,
"You had better open the throttle and get this
thing off the ground before we hit the trees."
And what does he hear? "But I thought you had
it, sir."
Then there's the one about the two pilots flying
an OH-13G. After flying from the Div C.P. to a
field strip, the pilot of our helicopter lands to
drop off his passenger. The pilot is new to the
aviation company and hasn't had a chance to meet
all the pilots. When he is asked by one of the
older pilots for a ride back to the home field, he
was happy to oblige.
Off they go, flying at about 500 feet over the
treetops, headed toward the home field. The
chopper pilot looks over at his passenger's senior
pilot wings and tells him to go ahead and fly it.
The other pilot looks at him a little strange and
replies, "OK, if you really want me to." The
chopper continued along for awhile before losing
altitude; then the rpm started to go down past
the red line. Just before the chopper would have
Captain Johnson, a student at the University of
Southern California Safety Course when this arti-
cle was written, has more than 4500 flight kours.
hit the trees, our chopper pilot took over the con-
trols and saved the day. The older pilot, a little
pale now, tells our new chopper lad, "That was
the first time I have flown a helicopter. I was
waiting for you to take over." The white faced
dapper pilot then responded, "But I thought you
were chopper rated."
The next one is for all instrument pilots: The
plane taxied out to runup position for runway
5 right. This was to be an instrument checkride.
Weather 300 feet overcast, 1% miles, rain and
fog with destination 2,000 broken and 10 miles.
No sweat? Well maybe. Just before takeoff the
pilot asked the IP for the charts to check his
routing. He had received his clearance from the
tower. The check pilot replied that he didn't have
any and asked where the pilot's charts were. His
reply, "But I thought they were on board."
After sending back to operations, by way of
the tower, for his charts and letdowns, they took
off into the overcast. Some five minutes had gone
by after takeoff when the check pilot found the
omni still set up for ILS, although they were
supposed to be on a victor airway. Asking the
left seat pilot why it wasn't set up before takeoff,
the reply he received, "But I thought I had set
it up."
They were now off course and a call to center
was in order. They continued on to their destina-
BUT I THOUGHT . .
tion, which was VFR, and had to make a cross-
wind landing. The plane landed on the left main
gear, bounced up again and came down on the
nose gear, then back on the main gear. The land-
ing was nearer a crash than a landing. The check
pilot was later heard saying to the pilot, "I
thought you were current in the aircraft."
These stories are true, and there are more I
could put down, such as, "But I thought you .. .
checked the gas and oil ... brought the maps .. .
checked the form ... closed the flight plan ... put
the gear down .... "
Maybe times haven't changed any, just the type
aircraft, but it's about time something was done.
Today a pilot has got to be on his toes all the
time. What with flying IFR, and jumping from
fixed to rotary winged aircraft, pilots must stop
taking things for granted. One of the best ways
to do this is check and doublecheck everything
before you fly, while you're flying and after
flying.
If you are flying copilot, don't just sit back
and take for granted the pilot has checked every-
thing, but go ahead and help him out by checking
as if you were making the flight by yourself.
The aircraft checklist should always be used,
but don't stop there. Check and double check
every part of the flight and you'll never be the
one saying, " ... but I thought."
Taking off for a p.erfect flight? Or will you have to say, "But I thought. . "
7
"l"X TlND WHISTLED through
V V cracks in the wall and
rattled the windows of a dis-
persal hut at an isolated airfield.
It ruflled the pages of a man-
ual in the hands of Lieutenant
Bovine, who sat slouched in a
chair with his feet on the table.
Suddenly, he swung his feet
to the floor and slammed the
manual on the table. "Holy cow!
Who wrote this mishmash?"
"What's it say?"
"You tell me!" He tossed the
manual across the table to a
gray haired warrant officer, who
sat propped against a row of
wall lockers with a flying hel-
met in his lap.
The warrant officer laid his
helmet on the open bag beside
him, picked up the manual and
began reading where the lieu-
tenant pointed. "The aircraft
incorporates provisions for si-
8
multaneous hydraulic and me-
chanical activation of a mechani-
cally linked eccentric arm to
con t r 0 I vertical movements
from a horizontal plane .... "
He read the passage again,
did a double take, then waded
through it a third time. "Broth-
er!" He shook his head. "Sorry.
I'm no engineer. Better ask
Stan."
Bovine picked up the manual,
rose, and walked to the desk at
the far side of the room. Cap-
tain Brockman, seated behind
the desk, was reading a maga-
zine.
"Captain, what's this mean?"
"What's your problem?" asked
the captain, looking up and
reaching for the manual.
"The guy who wrote this
mess can't speak English! I can't
make heads or tails of it."
"Let's see if I can." The cap-
tain read the passage through
twice, then carefully s t u i e ~
the accompanying illustration.
"Near as I can make out, it
means the lift will move up if
you press the toggle switch up,
and down if you press it down."
"Well, why in thunder doesn't
it say so?"
"Beats me." He laid the man-
ual aside and picked up the
magazine he had been reading.
"Give a listen to this: 'We need
a systematic and objective ap-
praisal of all operational and
maintenance functions to be
performed to or with aircraft
involving humans and the me-
thodical effort to adapt machines
to the natural and developing
characteristics of humans.' "
"Holy cow! What's that sup-
posed to mean?"
"Means aircraft should be de:
signed for the people who'll
operate them."
"Somebody should make peo-
ple write so we can understand
what they're trying to say!"
"Who?"
"I don't know. Whoever puts
these things out."
"Why don't you start the
action ?"
"Holy cow! Me? What could
I do?"
"Write a letter." The captain
glanced outside. "Doesn't look
like we'll be doing any flying
this morning. You could do it
now."
Prepared by the United States
Army Aviation Board for Avia-
tion Accident Research.
"What good would a letter
from me do?"
"Never know until you try. It
just might get to someone high
enough to take some action."
"Who would I write it to?"
"Write it to me. I'll indorse
it on up the ladder."
"You wouldn't be kidding me,
would you?"
"Not a bit. If you really want
to do something about this gob-
bledegook, I'm all for it."
"By George, I'll do it." Bovine
swung around and walked back
to the table. He opened his J ep-
pesen case, took out a pad of
notepaper and sat down to
write.
Captain Brockman watched
with amusement. He shook his
head, leaned down to open the
bottom drawer of his desk and
brought out a well-thumbed
copy of Playboy. The wind con-
tinued to whistle as he slowly
turned the pages. He stopped at
the "Ribald Classic" and began
to read.
"Here it is, Captain."
The captain jerked erect and
quickly dropped his magazine
into the open drawer. "Finished?
Let's see what you've written."
He reached for the letter and
read:
1 March 1963
TO: CO
13th Aviation Company
Camp FarofJ
SUBJECT: Aviation Reading
Material
1. I find it increasingly dif-
ficult to comprehend the mean-
ing intended to be conveyed by
the preponderanc.e of aviation
reading material distributed
through channels.
2. Recommend appropriate ac-
tion to insure increased ability
of aviation personnel to compre-
hend subject material.
CARL BOVINE
liLt Arty
Captain Brockman finished
the letter and looked up. "I'm
afraid you're guilty of the same
crime. Reads like you swallowed
a dictionary. "
"I know. Seems the harder J
tried, the worse it got."
"What were you trying to say
in this first paragraph?"
"I was saying it's hard to un-
derstand the writing in military
publications. "
"Okay, let's write what you
just said." The captain crossed
out the paragraph and wrote
in Bovine's words. "Now, how
about your recommendation?"
"I recommend they be written
in simple, clear language."
"Good. That's just what we'll
say."
"But that doesn't sound like
anything."
"Says what you want to say,
doesn't it?"
"Well, yes, but ... "
"It's in simple, clear language,
isn't it?"
"Yes, but ... "
"But it doesn't sound impres-
sive. Is that what you mean?"
"That's it. If we send that
letter, people won't think I
know what I'm talking about."
"Why not?"
"It doesn't ... Well, it doesn't
sound military."
"What were you taught about
making radio calls?"
"Speak clearly and keep trans-
missions short and to the point."
"What's the difference be-
tween making a position report
and writing a letter?"
"Well, everyone-that is, most
everyone, makes radio calls
short and clear."
"Then what's wrong with
using the same technique for
writing?"
CUMULUS VERBIAGE
"You really think I should
send this letter?"
"If you don't, I will!"
* * *
We'd like to be able to say
that Lieutenant Bovine's letter
went forward and accomplished
its purpose. It went forward, it's
rumored, bouncing from office
to office and gathering indorse-
ments until it reached an eche-
lon in which the same officer
was filling two slots of equal
rank. Unable to decide which
position should forward the let-
ter, he began indorsing it back
and forth from one desk to the
other. The letter was lost in
orbit.
Lieutenant Bovine faced a
common enigma. Some quirk of
human nature seems to freeze
people into a rigid pose when
someone aims a camera at them.
The same reaction takes place
when they attempt to express
their thoughts in writing. And
"posed" writing is every bit as
stiff and unnatural as posed
photographs. Neither gives a
clear picture of a person or his
thoughts.
Robert Gunning, in his book
The Technique of Clear Writing,
lists these ten principles:
Keep sentences short.
Prefer the simple to the com-
plex.
Use the familiar word.
Avoid unnecessary words.
Put action in your verbs.
Write as you talk.
Use picturable terms.
Tie in with reader's experi-
ence.
Make full use of variety.
Write to express, not to im-
press.
DA Pamphlet 1-10, Improve
y our Writing, can help YOU to
overcome the common tendency
toward clouded writing. Promo-
tions are faster for those who
can express their thoughts sim-
ply and clearly.
9
R
ECENTLY, a flight of twen-
ty CH -34 helicopters land-
ed at an airfield in Germany.
One of them moved into park-
ing position just a wee bit too
close to another. As the aviator
reduced pitch, the rotor blades
touched.
A minor accident, you say. I
guess so, if you compare it to
one of those that takes the lives
of many people. But look again.
It cost $75,756.00 to repair the
two helicopters. Is this a minor
accident? And don't forget, if
this had happened in combat,
two valuable helicopters would
have been out of commission
for some time. This could easily
be the difference between a suc-
cessful mission or a battle lost.
The Army realizes how costly
and how dangerous ground han-
dling accidents can be and is
making every effort to reduce
them. The list of airport im-
provements important to ground
handling safety is voluminous;
yet, we continue to have ground
handling accidents. Why?
To answer this question we
must look into the reason for
10
OUR
PROBLEM
SFC John M. Gilfillan
Eliminate the cause 01 ground han-
dling accidents and we solve one
01 our biggest and most expensive
problems.
accidents. There is, for instance,
the attitude of the personnel in-
volved. Many persons, through
their ignorance or misunder-
standing, believe that accidents
are the inevitable results of
unchangeable circumstances of
fate.
The exact opposite is the
truth. Accidents are caused;
they don't just happen. The
basic law of cause and effect is
involved. The identification, iso-
lation, and control of these
causes are the underlying prin-
ciples of all accident prevention
techniques. In other words, if
there is no cause, . or the cause
can be eliminated, there will be
no accident.
A simple example of this oc-
curred recently at Fort Rucker,
Ala. A line crew from the Signal
Section was working on some
overhead lines in front of the
WAC barracks. To get to these
lines it was necessary to place a
ladder across the sidewalk. It
was also necessary to have sev-
eral ropes that hung down in
Just a wee bit too close and the bill came to $75,756
the center of the sidewalk. The
work started on a Wednesday
and the ladder was still there
by late Friday afternoon.
Now the signal men saw noth-
ing wrong in this. But at night
it was not possible to clearly see
the ladder or the ropes. Since no
blockades were placed across
the sidewalk, anyone unfamiliar
with the situation could easily
hurt himself by walking into
the ladder or ropes.
An alert passerby saw the
hazard and reported it to the
safety officer. The safety officer
reasoned that sheer luck had
kept an accident from happen-
ing so far. But Friday night was
pass night for the WACs and
many suitors would be using
the area. He had visions of these
men, walking almost backward
for a last glimpse of a pretty
WAC and running ... Well! No
accident happened. The safety
officer had the cause removed,
posthaste.
Accident causes can be broken
down into two different types.
One is like the cause mentioned
above; it can be eliminated. But
others ,cannot be eliminated.
An example of this type is the
very airplane we fly. Its primary
function is to fly. It was not
designed as a surface vehicle
and is, therefore, accident prone
while on the ground. Weare, of
course, not in the position to
~ h n g e the design of the air-
craft, even if possible. Combine
this accident prone vehicle with
a cause, even the smallest one,
and we have an accident.
When you consider this, you
can see that there is no place
for hot rod ding in an aircraft,
especially if it is on the ground.
Nor is there any place for over-
confidence and complacency.
This overconfidence and com-
placency seems to be a disease
of aviators. Many aviators get
so used to their aircraft that
OUR PROBLEM
The cause? Daydreaming. The result? Total loss of one APU.
they think of it as a part of their
body. When they taxi in, they
feel they could not possibly
scrape the wings anymore than
they could scrape their shoulders
when walking by a telephone
pole. The number of taxi acci-
dents of this kind shows how
wrong they are.
Some aviators become so com-
placent 'about taxiing that they
fail to keep their minds on the
business at hand. They day-
dream about the pretty blonde
or they idly watch another air-
craft take off. Some aviators
even start doing their post-trip
paperwork.
Complacency-and one taxi light down the drain
11
MARCH 1963
Perhaps I am not being quite
fair here. It might be that after
the trials of lifting an aircraft
into thr air, flying halfway
across the country, and then
setting it down again, an aviator
has a sort of letdown. The big
danger is over, taxiing in is
commonplace, and a bit boring,
etc. But taxiing is dangerous
and the aviator's job is not over
until the aircraft is safely in bed
and the log closed.
Among ground crews, taxiing
troubles seem to center around
the lack of skill, experience, and
judgment. Few of them realize
what is involved when an air-
craft is moved on the ground.
Take the little matter of taxi
speed. It is a major contributor
to accidents, so much so that in
TM 1-250, ten rules are listed
for the prevention of taxiing ac-
cidents. Of these, three are de-
voted to speeding. Normal taxi
speed is about that of a brisk
walk, or a little more than 5
mph. But to an aviator used to
flying at speeds of 100 miles or
more or to a crewman who is
used to driving his automobile at
around 60 miles per, this seems
excessively slow.
In addition to the many acci-
dent causes found in taxiing
aircraft, aircraft movement by
auxiliary power is also danger-
ous to personnel and equipment.
Each type of aircraft requires
special instruction for towing.
Some, like the 0-1, are light
enough in calm weather that
they can be moved by hand.
Others like the Caribou are
quite heavy and need trac-
tors. Unfortunately, fundamen-
tal procedures which apply to
all airplanes often are neglected
and result in personal injury
and/or damage to equipment.
Civilian airlines have studied
this problem and have come up
with a set of basic rules well
worth considering.
In open areas, two people are
required: one person on the
tractor and one in the cockpit.
In congested areas, three addi-
tional people are required: one
watching wingtip clearances for
each wing, and one watching
nose and tail clearances.
When practicable, move all
objects from the path of the
aircraft.
On tricycle geared aircraft
like the Caribou, disconnect
nose wheel torque links. On
other aircraft, unlock tail wheel.
Check landing gear handle
in down position.
Check to see that all land-
ing gear locks are in place. If
power is available on the air-
craft, check for a gear down
and locked indication.
Check hydraulic pressure
available for brakes. If hydrau-
lic pressure is not available,
then it will be necessary to sta-
tion a man beside each main
gear with chocks in the event
trouble occurs.
Retract flaps. If flaps cannot
be retracted, an additional man
is required to relay signals from
the person watching the tail or
nose clearances to the person
driving the tractor .
Check for doors, plates, etc.,
that may fall from the aircraft
during towing.
If towing aircraft at night,
turn navigation light on.
Tow aircraft very slowly;
even 5 mph can be too fast at
times. Do not attempt to make
a turn that might cause towbar
and tractor to jackknife. Use
extra care when towing aircraft
in adverse weather.
Operate the tractor smooth-
ly. Do not jerk the tractor or
Sandpiles are fun for a child, but an airplane isn't a child
12
put excessive strain on the air-
craft.
Whenever practical, pull the
aircraft instead of pushing.
Do not use aircraft brakes
for steering during towing. If it
is necessary to use the aircraft
brakes for emergency, use them
equally to avoid swerving.
All commands bet wee n
tractor and cockpit should be
oral. No hand signals permitted.
Wing and tail clearances to the
tractor operator should be trans-
mi tted by hand signals.
Whenever possible, keep
the inside wheel or wheels turn-
ing slightly on sharp turns to
reduce stress on the gear and
tires.
Chock wheels before dis-
connecting the tractor from the
aircraft.
Turn navigation lights off if
used.
Use good sense during all
towing operations.
NOTE: Never use a cable or
rope when towing an aircraft
with a tractor or tug, even
though brakes on the aircraft
can be used. There are no
bumpers on an aircraft like on
an automobile.
But supposing the man in
the cockpit is a good aviator or
mechanic? He follows all the
rules. He moves his aircraft at a
slow speed, makes S turns when
necessary to afford maximum
visibility and asks for wing
walkers in windy weather. But
one night while taxiing, his left
wheel hit a chuck hole on the
edge of the runway. A slight
wind was coming from his right.
The combination of the two
caused the upwind wing to lift
and the downwind wing to
touch the ground. Minor damage
was incurred by the airplane.
Who is to blame in this case?
Not the aviator, because he was
following all the rules. The wind
was not enough to require wing
walkers; the speed on the open
taxiways was not excessive. If
he had been moving faster than
the prescribed speed, of course,
the damage would have been
extensive.
Perhaps the airfield personnel
are to blame. It is their respon-
sibility to see that the airfield is
maintained in a safe condition.
Unmarked or poorly maintained
shoulders on runways and taxi-
ways; poorly planned parking
areas with not enough space be-
tween aircraft and inadequately
lighted; obstructions improperly
marked; buildings, telephone
poles, fireplugs, and signs too
close to taxiways all contribute
to the accidents sustained on
the ground. All these conditions
are the responsibility of airfield
personnel.
To get these accident causes
corrected, regular procedures
must be followed, especially
where the work done requires
large sums of money. But often
these procedures are not
brought to the attention of the
proper authority or are not initi-
ated promptly when they are.
Daily inspections of airfield fa-
cilities and prompt maintenance
when a hazardous condition is
revealed are necessary. After
any construction or maintenance
work the area must be inspected
to remove contractor's equip-
ment, level dirt mounds, fill in
ditches, etc. The area must be
inspected after storms or periods
of heavy rains. Special atten-
tion should be paid to the over-
run areas and natural drainage
areas to check for soil erosion.
Runway areas under construc-
tion must be checked continu-
ally to eliminate dangerous ob-
structions.
The airfield commander, the
operations officer, the flying
safety officer, and the installa-
tion engineer are the key men
in this inspection program. But
OUR PROBLEM
Dangerous little objects in the
path of an aircraft
all personnel assigned to the
field should consider themselves
a team to eliminate hazards to
aircraft using the field.
Commanders are, of course,
all interested in reducing the
number of ground accidents.
They have tried many ways.
One method is a continuing
training program for personnel
involved in ground handling of
aircraft. This is good.
But no training program on
this subject can be effective un-
less the commander is able to
get across to each man a feeling
of safety mindfulness. His talk,
his actions, his thoughts should
always be oriented toward safe-
ty. When a man under his com-
mand discovers and corrects a
hazard he should be congratu-
lated and praised. Conversely,
when a safety rule is violated,
even if no damage was done, the
offender should be criticized.
The number of ground acci-
dents is the problem of all of us.
Higher headquarters is making
a major contribution to the re-
duction of these accidents. The
rest is up to us.
13
Cockpit Lighting
R
ED OR WHITE? Cockpit
lighting systems are a con-
troversial subject among the
services. One group, primarily
Navy, advocates continued use
of red lights. The other, pri-
marily Air Force, recommends
a switch to white lighting. Both
have sound reasons for their
views.
Continually developing new
and improved aircraft systems
and striving for the best avail-
able, the Army finds itself in the
middle awaiting a final solution.
Cockpit lighting is important
because it determines to a large
extent how well instruments,
charts, etc., are seen inside the
aircraft and how well objects
are seen outside the aircraft. For
reading instruments and charts,
aviators are primarily depend-
ent on light adaptation by the
central retina, while outside
visibility is primarily dependent
on dark adaptation by the pe-
ripheral retina. These two proc-
esses are antagonistic. Generally
speaking, raising the level of
one lowers the level of the other
and vice versa.
Dark adaptation, essential for
good night visual acuity, allows
the pilot to see dimly illumi-
nated objects outside his cockpit.
This process, requiring 1-2 hours
to reach its maximum, begins
very rapidly after exposure to
darkness. About 60 percent of
maximum night visual acuity is
attained in the first five min-
14
Captain Walter T. Parkerson
utes. Thereafter, improvement
of night vision (or the change
to a higher level of dark adapta-
tion) is gradual.
Whatever the level of dark
adaptation, exposure to light of
higher intensity than that mini-
mally seen can cause a reversal
or shift to a lower level of adap-
tation. The entire process can
be completely reversed by ex-
posure for about two minutes to
bright light. Aviators should be
aware of the consequences of
gazing at flares and city lights
and using flashligh ts wi thou t
red covers while flying at night.
The color of illumination also
has a direct influence on the
state of dark adaptation. The
shorter the wave length of the
color, the lower is the level of
dark adaptation. This means we
do not see as well in the dark
when exposed to increasing light
intensities of colors such as
violet and blue, and to white
light which has short wave
length colors in it. Conversely,
we can see progressively dim-
mer 0 bj ects after exposure to
light of decreasing intensity and
of a color such as red.
How important are colors of
cockpit lights? When intensi-
ties are kept at identical levels
and only the colors varied, dif-
ferences in the state of dark
adaptation are small. However,
time required to reach these
levels of adaptation is of sig-
nificantly longer duration with
white light and lights of short
wave length than with red light.
Regardless of color, ~ t r u
ment panel lighting makes it
almost impossible to become
completely dark adapted. Often
moonlight and starlight also play
a deterrent role.
Minimum, normal, and maxi-
mum red light intensity values
for proper instrument panel
illumination and instrument in-
terpretation have been deter-
mined for indirect red and flood
red lighting, as have the levels
of dark adaptation to red light
for these intensity values. Sta-
tistically, there was no differ-
ence between dark adaptation
level caused by indirect red
or flood red systems. However,
these change to significantly
lower adaptation levels when
measured in flight while the
aviator was exposed to external
light from a clear moonless sky.
The fact that sky light lowers
the level of dark adaptation
more than the red lighting sys-
tem does would seem to indicate
that white instrument lights
would lower the level of dark
adaptation even further. But
equal perception of instruments
can be obtained at lower inten-
sities of white light than of red
Capt Parkerson is a flight sur-
geon attached to the Human
Factors Section of the Analy,sis
and Research Division, USA-
BAAR.
light. Furthermore, the instru-
ments are not steadily fixated
while flying and therefore have
less effect on adaptation levels
than would be expected.
A new type of lighting system
is now being investigated. This
is the Electro-luminescent sys-
tem. It has advantages in that it
produces less instrument mark-
ing shadows and gives an even
distribution of glowing light
over the markings. The instru-
ments are read easier and inter-
preted as well as present sys-
tems at lower light intensities.
Also it is lighter and less elec-
trical power is required. The
luminescence may be any color
desired.
Those who support continued
use of red lighting systems gen-
erally give one or more of the
following reasons:
Better dark adaptation.
Maximum dark adaptation
is often needed to spot other
aircraft and 0 b j e c t s on the
ground.
Red light s y s t ems have
worked well in the past and are
of proved value.
Less time is necessary to
enhance dark adaptation.
There is less chance of
losing dark adaptation.
A change to white light
systems may cause misinterpre-
tation of instruments through
habit influence.
Reasons given for supporting
the use of white light systems
are:
Pilot can read charts and
COCKPIT LIGHTING
instruments better at lower
levels of light intensity.
Dark adaptation is not as
important when instrument fly-
ing or flying high performance
aircraft at high altitudes.
White light induces 1 e s s
fatigue.
White light results in less
reflectance.
Less air c r aft electrical
power is needed to operate a
white light system.
The controversy created by
these opposed views will not
be successfully resolved until
further experimental stu die s
are undertaken and completed.
Even then, it is highly probable
that no one system will be best
for all aircraft and all types of
missions.
15
pes to USAREUR? Here's some information
about weather, terrain, navigation and flying
conditions that will benefit you.
Letter From An AA
Lieutenant Colonel Melvin C. Monroe
Dear Joe,
I just learned that you were
coming to Germany. You've al-
ready heard about the beer and
the beautiful frauleins, so let me
mention a few things about the
flying over here. We found that
many of the units rushed over
here last autumn were not fully
prepared to fly in this theater
without a rather lengthy check-
out.
You will find these procedures
quite different from what you're
used to in the States, and you'll
be due for many surprises by
the time you complete your
USAREUR checkout. There's
quite a bit more to it than a
glance at the checklist would
indicate. Since you already have
quite a bit of flying under your
belt, you'll be even more likely
to stumble over some of the
procedures in effect here.
Instrument flying is perhaps
the simplest, if you're in clouds
and won't be able to see the
16
other 999 aircraft flying here.
Once they clear you to go, the
controllers have to take care of
you and that's a big help.
IFR still means "Instrument
Flight Rules" but don't presume
anything bey 0 n d that. You
can still be IMC (Instrument
Meteorological Conditions) or
VMC (Visual Meteorological
Conditions) and it makes quite
a difference, as you may be
cleared right past another air-
craft if the controller has deter-
mined that you can do it VMC.
Your clearances sound like
nothing you've ever heard be-
fore and, at first, will be difficult
to understand. It will be handy
to have a copilot along who can
interpret, once you bog down in
the clearance. Eventually your
ear will become attuned to this
brand of English and then you'll
be OK. Incidentally, this is a
good place to get good, honest
"W" time toward that special
ticket.
You may be cleared to "Flight
Level 50," which gives you only
a vague reference to your height
bu t will keep you vertically
separated from all other aircraft
in the area since you'll all have
29.92" set on your altimeters. If
you fail to reset during an in-
strument approach through a
low ceiling you
may level off and execute a
missed approach too high, if
the altimeter setting is above
standard; or
bring it too low and begin
picking up tree branches while
your altimeter still indicates
"No Sweat," if the barometric
pressure is below standard.
Your J ep still looks like a
J ep, but remember one big dif-
ference: you're not in the wide
open spaces of Texas but trying
to operate in a pretty cramped
area, and your J ep is full of re-
Col Monroe is Aviation Of-
ficer, Headquarters, VII Corps,
APO 107, N. Y.
strictions and regulations galore.
So read it carefully.
Your approach sheet for a
given airfield isn't all inclusive.
After looking over the letdown
procedure, you still have to go
somewhere else for USAREUR-
specified minimums for Army
aircraft. That's be c au s e the
sheet has no column for "NO
Glide Slope," and some airfields
just don't have any minimums
specified.
Distances are short enough
here that once the approach
controller turns you loose, you
talk directly and effortlessly to
the center controller, thanks to
that wonderful ARC-73. These
controllers are good and are
playing the game as hard as
you are. Fight the problem and
they'll quote you chapter and
verse and hand you a violation.
Show them your willingness to
cooperate and they'll go to any
length to help you.
Don't be alarmed if the con-
troller clears you via "Victor
Red 11. " Your first impulse will
be to ask him to make up his
mind. Really, he's not shook at
all. The original airways here
were "colored" airways extend-
ing between low frequency bea-
cons or range stations. Now
omnis are being added to the
same general routes. If the Vic-
tor airway approximately paral-
lels the colored airway it is now
separately numbered but may be
designated "Victor Blue 6," for
example. If the clearance desig-
nates a Victor airway then, of
course, the distances between
omni stations are used. How-
ever, one segment of "Victor
Red 11" extends from an omni
station to a low frequency bea-
con. This may seem a bit odd,
but is best explained by the fre-
quently heard term "Mox Nix."
Unfortunately, a terminal area
will have one identification for
the beacon, another for the
omni, and still a third for the
localizer.
The initial callup on the
ground is made on "taxi" fre-
quency, or what you know as
"ground control."
The weather forecasters de-
light in pointing out that the
worst weather in the States is
better than the best in Germany,
so keep your instrument ticket
current and your raincoat handy.
In Germany we have two
items called TCP. One is that
stuff they put in gas tanks so
that all Army reciprocating en-
gines can burn 115/ 145 octane
gasoline. The other TCP stands
for Theater Commander's Pre-
rogative. You may think you
know Army regulations and get
tripped-up by a USAREUR reg-
ulation that reads a little differ-
ently. So study all the pertinent
regulations carefully.
VFR flying is quite an experi-
ence. It's a broken-field run all
the way, with few straighta-
ways. To start with, you'll need
a controlled clearance to get out
of the control zone. These are a
whopping 8 miles in radius and
you must report when depart-
ing the boundary.
Once you're on your way,
you're OK until you approach
the next control zone and go
through the clearance drill all
over again. VFR is greatly as-
sisted by the presence of ADFs
in the 0-1. However, pure
pilotage for the newcomer will
at first be disturbing and embar-
rassing. All villages look alike
and there must be ten thousand
of them. The map indicates one
and you'll see a dozen. There-
fore, you must start navigating
as soon as you leave the traffic
pattern and keep up with the
map every minute of the time.
If you become distracted by the
scenery, the passengers, or the
radio, you'll soon be lost.
LETTER FROM AN AA
Pilotage is still an art
and it calls for atten-
tion to all details of
the map.-
This sounds like something you
outgrew once you finished prI-
mary flight training, but high
ranking generals do get scattered
all over the maneuver area be-
cause so-called VIP pilots have
spent all their time navigating
wi th radios and can no longer
read a map.
Everyone needs a border ori-
entation so he won't wander
across. This border crossing is
serious business. For planning
purposes, if you do stumble
across, regardless of how good
the excuse, plan to turn in your
flying suit. Others have.
Night flying also has its pecu-
liarities. ICAO (International
C i v i I Aviation Organization)
rules do not recognize night
VFR but the Germans do per-
mit us to file "Night Tactical."
That means you fly below MEA
if on airways and call major air-
field towers a long way out. The
area of positive control at night
extends out to the limits of the
Departure Control Area, a dis-
tance of about 25 miles.
Flying in Germany has its
compensation. You fly 0 v e r
country that's as pretty as any
artist's painting. The autobahns,
which pilots used for landings
in the so-called "Good Old
Days," are as crowded as the
busiest stateside freeway. Once
you've seen a wrinkled Volks-
wagen, you'll be doubly glad
that you go by air.
Well, Joe, the above is cer-
tainly no formal presentation of
the USAREUR checkout, but it
was intended to give you some
idea of the differences you'll find
over here. Let me know when
you're due in so I can meet you.
As ever,
Mel
17
NEWS AND VIEWS /
S. INFORMATION OFFICE
The Exam-O-Gram is a train-
ing aid that covers specific op-
erational situations and related
aeronautical knowledge similar
to those encountered in the
examinations for FAA pilot li-
censes. They ar.e, in effect, sim-
ulated flights, including emer-
gencies and air traffic control
procedures, and are considered
of potential value to the profes-
sional airman.
Exam-O-Gram No. 2
Situa,tion
You plan to make a VFR cross-country flight
over terrain which has an approximate maximum
elevation of 2,900 feet. After charting the course
you determine the true course to be 188
0
and
the magnetic variation is 12
0
E. According to the
latest aviation weather reports there is a broken
layer of clouds at 7,000 feet, and the visibility is
unlimited along your intended route. The winds
aloft forecast indicates that the higher the alti-
tude, the more favorable the wind direction and
speed. Intending to take advantage of the wind
and still comply with Civil Air Regulations, you
decide upon a cruising altitude of:
18
1) 5,500 feet MSL 3) 7,500 feet MSL
2) 6,500 feet MSL 4) 9,500 feet MSL
Analysis
1. You wish to fly as high as legally possible
to take advantage of the wind.
2. The base of the broken clouds is reported
in height above the surface (see "Pilot's
Weather Handbook," page 79). Therefore,
the base of the clouds is approximately
2,900 feet plus 7,000 feet, or 9,900 feet above
sea level.
3. Cruising altitude is a level above mean sea
level, MSL. (See definition in CAR, Part
60.)
4. This flight will be made at an altitude of
3,000 feet or more above the surface in
order to take advantage of the more favor-
able winds at higher altitudes. Since you
will be flying at 3,000 feet or more above
the surface, you must, according to Civil Air
Regulations, fly at a cruising altitude appro-
priate to the magnetic course. In this in-
stance the magnetic course is 176
0
(true
course 188
0
-12 0 E magnetic variation
176-see "Path of Flight," Chapter II,
page 7.
5. A magnetic course of 176
0
in this case re-
quires that you fly at an altitude (above
sea level) of an odd thousand plus 500 feet
(see CAR, Part 60, Section 60.32).
6. You must maintain a vertical distance un-
der the base of any cloud formation of at
least 500 feet (see Part 60, Section 60.30).
This rules out a cruising altitude of 9,500
feet. You do not choose 5,500 feet since you
want to take advantage of better tail winds
at higher altitudes. You eliminate 6,500 feet
because you must be at an odd thousand alti-
tude plus 500 feet. Therefore, you select a
cruising altitude of 7,500 feet, which meets
legal requirements and gives you the advan-
tage of more favorable winds.
This Could Be Your Life
Learn To Stay Alive
Because of increased radius of action by Army aircraft in today's
operations, their use in remote areas, and increased complexity of
the equipment, survival is becoming an important subject to Army
Aviators. The Army Aviation School's survival course was inaugu-
rated to inform all newly trained Army Aviators in basic techniques
to increase their chances of survival in case of an emergency. The
next step in the expansion of this broad subject will be to include
escape and evasion within the course.
When your aircraft hits the ground the hard
way and you come down under the big silk, will
you survive-or perish? The difference may be
found in a generous safe margin of know ledge-
or it may hang on a hairline thread of luck.
Usually, after an emergency , knowledge is the
difference between living and dying. For instance,
there is the problem of bailing out of the aircraft.
Since 60 percent of injuries are incurred during
exit from the aircraft or on hitting the ground,
it follows that the aviator must know how to use
his parachute.
And there is the problem after landing. Far too
many aviators in the Army today have no survival
knowledge.
The pictures shown here were taken at the
Army Aviation School's new survival course, pre-
pared and taught by the Department of Tactics.
No brief coverage of survival such as this can
be complete for all areas of the world. Each avia-
tor should study the particular area to which he
is assigned to see how the general principles apply
there. He should make up a personal survival kit
adapted to the area in which he is operating.
19
Rescue parties will begin looking for you
shortly after you declare an emergency, or after
it is determined that your aircraft is down. After
caring for the wounded, your next act is to help
the rescue parties. Build three signal fires, mak-
ing as much smoke as possible. Put out parachute
strips to make international signals like those on
the back of your sectional chart. Stretch out a
parachute in a clearing, or place one in a tall tree,
over a stream, or any place where it can be seen
from the air.
You can improvise shelter from parts of your
airplane, your parachute, or from natural mate-
rials found in the vicinity. The kind of shelter
you make depends on whether you need protec-
tion from rain, cold, heat, sunshine, or insects.
Pick your camp site carefully. Try to locate it
near food and water, especially water. Don't make
camp at the base of steep slopes or in areas where
you run the risk of avalanches, floods, rockfalls,
or battering by winds. In tropical areas, don't
sleep on the ground. Make a hammock from your
parachute. Shown here is a lean-to made from
natural materials, a para-tepee, and another
lean-to made from a parachute.
While you wait for rescue, you must eat. If you
are in a wooded area, much food is around you,
but you must catch it. Shown here are several
tried and true methods. The first is a trap made
from sticks with a figure four trigger. The second
is a deadfall with the same kind of trigger. Dead-
falls are very effective and can be made with
heavy logs instead of stone as shown here. Most
streams contain fish. These can be caught with
hooks made from scrap metal or even hand-
carved wooden hooks. A most effective method
is the fish trap. It is made from a parachute and
placed in a stream with the open end facing
upstream.
Sometimes you will need a boat to catch fish.
The one shown on the left was built from parts
of a fallen airplane. And then you must cook the
food. Sear the meat first in the flames to seal in
the natural juices, and then cook slowly on the
end of a stick. Use roots and other plants for
vegetables and make them into a soup. Be sure
to cook all food well.
Most important-keep busy. If you have pro-
vided shelter for yourself, built signal fires, and
found food, go back and start over. Improve your
shelter, find more food, and gather more wood.
But by all means-keep busy.
I
T WAS MIDSUMMER at an
overseas base. General flying
conditions were not unlike those
in the United States for the time
of year-warm, clear mornings,
haze in the afternoon, and the
usual crop of thunderbumpers.
I had just returned from a 3%-
hour administrative flight and
walked inside when the opera-
tions officer asked me to take a
short flight to our division head-
quarters. I was to pick up a
clerk and return him to our
field.
I t was near noon so I drove to
my quarters for lunch. During
the meal, my wife reminded
me of our son's birthday party
scheduled for 3: 30 that after-
noon. She wanted me to pick up
a roll of film and some flash-
bulbs from the PX on my way
home. I told her there would be
no problem as I had only one
flight scheduled and would be
back in plenty of time for the
party.
Driving back to the field, I
noticed a few buildups to the
north and west. When I arrived
at the field, I found I had a pas-
senger to carry on the outbound
flight.
We were scheduled to depart
at 1300. However, it was almost
1400 before my passenger ar-
rived. Still time enough to make
the flight and get back to the
party, but it would be close. The
nice weather of the morning
had deteriorated to light rain. I
checked the destination weather
and learned it was clear with a
heavy shower to the north.
Preflight completed and my
passenger strapped dow n, we
were ready to roll. The takeoff
and climb to altitude were nor-
mal. Visibility was down because
of the rain, and there was a little
more turbulence than there had
been during my morning flight.
Halfway to destination, heav-
ier rain forced first a left, then
22
Anonymous
a right detour before I finally
found my way into the landing
pattern at the division strip. Ex-
cept for some water on the run-
way, my approach and landing
were made with no sweat.
Getting out of the Bird Dog,
I didn't like the looks of the
weather at all. And a cup of
coffee and call to home field
didn't help. A heavy rain
shower had just left the field and
more appeared to be coming
down from the northwest. The
operations officer advised me to
hold tight and that he would call
as soon as the weather cleared.
I asked if the field was VFR
and he replied that it was. I then
told him I would be inbound as
soon as my passenger arrived
and rang off before he could
answer.
With one eye on the weather,
I spent an impatient 30 minutes
waiting for my inbound passen-
ger. Finally he arrived, carrying
stacks of papers and reports.
We loaded the plane, and I
filed for home while he got
aboard. The clearance officer
wasn't too happy, but it was
legally VFR and all he could do
was suggest that I wait. After
a short discussion, and many
promises to execute a 180 at the
first rain drop, I was grudgingly
given approval to try for home.
My passenger was all set to go.
He made me angry with a re-
mark that he just had to be back
at post headquarters no later
than 1500. Of all the nerve! If he
hadn't been late we would have
been on the ground there by
now!
Preflight - kick the tire and
light the fire - and airborne
again. Climbing out, the first
thing I noted was a long band of
rain directly in my path. It was
about 10 miles ahead. I figured
it to be less than a couple of
miles thick and less than 10 min-
utes flying time from the home
field. I decided we could fly
through it easily in not more
than two minutes.
Selecting the lightest flight
path through the rain, I flew
into it. The first 20 seconds or
so were relatively easy. My pas-
Submitted by the United States
Army Aviation Board for Avia-
tion Accident Research.
MY SON'S BIRTHDAY
senger asked a question and I
had turned to tell him to use the
intercom when all hell broke
loose.
My first indication that some-
thing was wrong was a loud
cracking noise. Jerking my head
around, I saw the vertical speed
indicator pas sin g 1,500 fpm
climb. The engine sounded as if
it were running away. Airspeed
was low, there was no control
response, and the altimeter was
winding up like a top, passing
through 3,500 feet.
I couldn't believe what had
happened. A few seconds ago I
was at 1,800 feet msl, and now I
was almost to 4,000 feet.
We went into the clouds, still
with no control, low airspeed,
and hi g h rpm. I frantically
chopped power and shoved the
stick against its forward stop. No
reaction!
The passenger in back was
yelling something, but I couldn't
take time to answer. I tried to
remember my instrument train-
ing back at Rucker. "Keep the
wings level," I told myself.
"Watch your heading!" Head-
ing? It was 260 when this all
started, and now it was passing
through 350 and turning faster.
"Ease in rudder, get the wings
level, and watch the
The next downdraft will be here
any second."
Suddenly the sea t dropped
away and everything flew apart
again. The vertical speed needle
fell to 1,000 feet, then dropped
faster through 1,500 feet to 2,000
feet! The altimeter started to
unwind as I came in with power
and hauled back on the stick.
We left the clouds in a scream-
ing spiral to the right. I fought
the wings level and added power,
pulling back on the stick with
all my strength. At this time, the
only thing I could think of was
the birthday party I was going
to
23
MARCH 1963
Slowly, ever so slowly, the
nose moved up through the hori-
zon. The altimeter slowed and
held at 1,000 feet. Terrain in the
area averaged 700-1,200 feet. We
were close to the ground, very
close!
Suddenly the seat slammed
into my buttocks again, and off
we went into another climb. Off
with the power and nose full
down. Hold on!
This one wasn't as bad as the
first and I managed to stay out
of the clouds. Quickly as it had
come, the worst was over and
we sailed out in to sunshine and
calm air.
The airspeed was low so I
added power to cruise rpm. Still
shaking, I checked the wings
and gently started a turn to
check control response.
I began to look for a familiar
landmark and spotted home field
just ahead and to the right. I
was completely wet from head to
toe and realized I had been
holding my breath for a very
long time.
Turning on the downwind, I
called for and received landing
permission. It was the best ap-
proach and landing I've ever
made, before or since.
Taxiing to the ramp, I sud-
denly remembered my passenger
and looked back. His headset was
down around his neck, his
glasses were hanging from one
ear, and he was covered with
scattered papers. His eyes were
tightly shut and his fingers were
white where he grasped the win-
dow supports. It should have
been funny, but all I felt was
shame.
Pulling into my parking spot,
I cut the mixture and went
through the shutdown checklist
with great care. We got out and
the passenger and I silently
gathered up his papers. From his
look, I knew that Army Aviation
had lost a friend. I wondered
how many other people would
hear his story.
I finished up my paper work
and drove to the PX to get the
film and flashbulbs. I was a little
late getting home but the party
was going strong and no one
noticed.
Later that evening I faced my
second moment of truth. I real-
ized that through my own stu-
pidi ty I had risked my life and
that of a passenger entrusted to
me. Then and there I made up
my mind to become the oldest,
safest pilot in the United States
Army.
Ask not what Army Aviation can do for you,
but what YOU can do for Army Aviation.
[We do not suggest that aerial delivery of personnel be accomplished in this manner. Art and copy
submitted anonymously. Editor]
24
T
HE u. S. ARMY CV-2 Cari-
bou made a low, steady flight
up the runway. As its wheels
briefly brushed the ground, a
trailing hook engaged a cable.
Simultaneously the aircraft be-
gan climbing and a jeep was
pulled from its fuselage and
settled unscratched on the run-
way.
This incident occurred during
evaluation tests of a ground
proximity cargo delivery system
recently at Fort Bragg, N. C.
Flying at up to 120 knots, the
Caribou successfully off-loaded
palletized packages weighing
3,300 pounds.
Two main components were
used-a ground based rotar y hy-
draulic energy absorber unit and
a spring rail hook shank fastened
to the aircraft's landing ramp.
The hook (center) engages the
cable and the cargo is drawn
out (bottom).
The touch and go technique
can be used where cleared areas
are available. The low flyby (5-6
feet above the ground) method
can be used anywhere an open
area can be found, since the air-
craft need not touch down.
Advantages of this system over
the paradrop met hod include
swifter delivery and pinpoint
placement of cargo. This system
was developed by the All Ameri-
can Engineering Company.
TOUCH ai!d &1/.
__ Ie'.
----
25
ASE

a Help
' .. .:.. .. ..... __ ... .. : .. _'- ... _ .. ___ ... -
- -- " - - ... ... ... .

.. ...
iI" Y. ,
.. ' .
.1'

't

./ )
.. <} .. , .. .. ;:

or ?
CWO James H. McCullough and William C. McKinney
Y
OU'VE GOT the world's
best equipment; take care of
it." How many times have you
read or heard this ? Well, you do
have the world's best equipment,
and one example of this is the
automatic stabilization equip-
ment found on the CH-34C and
CH-37B helicopters.
Maybe one reason we do not
appreciate some of our equip-
ment is that we don't understand
it or don't know how to use it.
Let's take a look at ASE
(automatic stabilization equip-
ment). First of all, what is ASE?
ASE might be termed an auto-
pilot. I use the word "might"
because ASE differs from the
autopilot in fixed wing aircraft
in that ASE may be engaged at
all times, with the stability cor-
rections being introduced into
26
the flight control system in such
a manner that the pilot has com-
plete control of the helicopter
through normal use of the flight
controls.
ASE is designed to improve
the handling characteristics of
the helicopter, to permit auto-
matic cruising flight and hands-
off flight by introducing absolute
static and dynamic stability. This
means that, without any help
from the pilot, ASE can make
accurate corrections for direc-
tion, pitch, roll and altitude.
Since ASE is equipped to ac-
complish these feats, one may
assume that you can hover with
ASE. Army helicopters equipped
with ASE are not able to hover;
however, the Navy's HSS-l heli-
copter (CH-34C) is equipped
with a hover coupler which al-
lows it to hover over one spot.
This is quite helpful when a
Navy aviator is required to hover
over the water for extended
periods of time; with no visual
references to speak of, it makes
his job a lot easier. One of the
Navy's- uses for the HSS-l is to
have a sonar ball suspended be-
low the helicopter in the water
for submarine detection.
So far, ASE seems to be pretty
good, huh? Let's take a look
at some of the negative com-
ments made about ASE. "It' s
N ow serving in Germany,
Mr. McCullough was with the
Dept of Maintenance, USA-
A VN S, when this article was
written.
Mr. McKinney was with the
Dept of Tactics, USAAVNS,
when this article was written.
no good." "Why add the extra
weight?" "It's dan g e r 0 us."
Maybe persons who make these
statements do not understand all
there is to know about ASE.
As stated previously, ASE per-
mits hands-off flight - mighty
convenient for instrument flying,
I would say. When landing with
a heavy load do you have trou-
ble holding the heading of the
aircraft as you start to apply
power? Well, if you use ASE, it
will help you hold your heading
and help to make a smoother
touchdown. It might be interest-
ing to note here that ASE can
correct for itself 200 times faster
than the pilot can correct for
himself.
"Why add the extra weight?"
ASE wei g h s only about 70
pounds. This weight was checked
on actual aircraft. This is less
than the weigbt of 12 gallons of
gas. Quite insignificant consider-
ing the job it does for the pilot.
"It's dangerous." This is quite
true if you don't know how to
operate ASE, but a helicopter is
also dangerous if you don't know
how to fly it. ASE is not really
complicated and an extensive
training program is not required
to qualify a pilot in safe use of
it. (See "Crash Sense," DIGEST,
November 1961.)
TM 55-1520-202-10 and TM
55-1520-203-10 give an orienta-
tion on ASE to include its use,
checks, and malfunctions. After
reading either of these TMs and
spending 2 to 3 hours on a prac-
tical checkout, any CH-34 or
CH -37 qualified pilot should be
able to understand and use ASE.
Two items mentioned in the
TMs deserve clarification:
First of all, it is not necessary
to center the yaw trim before
starting or after engaging ASE,
because the helicopter is always
stabilized directionally, no mat-
ter where the trim knob is when
engaging the ASE. Once ASE is
engaged, turning the trim knob
one index mar k will turn the
aircraft one degree.
The second item for clarifica-
tion is that normal procedures
ASE ... A HELP OR HINDRANCE?
for ASE operation found in
Chapter 2 of both manuals might
lead an aviator to believe that
ASE should or must be engaged
on the ground before takeoff. If
ASE is expected to be used dur-
ing the flight, ASE checks must
be part of ground procedures;
however, the equipment does not
have to be used during takeoff
and may be engaged in flight. In
fact, for an aviator being intro-
duced to ASE, we recommend
the first demonstration to be in
flight to avoid confusing the avi-
ator with establishing rate of
climb and climbing and landing
with ASE engaged. These ma-
neuvers should come later. [For
additional operating procedures,
see DIGEST, June 1960, p. 5.]
Automatic stabilization equip-
ment is but one example of fine
equipment 0 f ten improperly
used and, therefore, little appre-
ciated. Only by learning the
equipment and its capabilities
can we exploit the maximum
from our "World's Best Equip-
ment."
1,000 Flying Hours Completed by YUH-1D
THE ARMY'S latest helicopter, the YUH-1D, has
completed its 1,000 flying hour accelerated logis-
tical test. The test accomplished in 108 flying
days what would normally amount to three
years' use in an operational Army unit.
The test was conducted by the U. S. Army
Aviation Test Command at Fort Rucker, Ala.
The purpose of the accelerated logistical test was
to determine reliability, supportability, and main-
tainability of the aircraft in terms of manpower,
spare parts, tools, and publications necessary to
make the new aircraft operate effectively in Army
field units. During the 1,000 hours of flying, main-
tenance and supply data was compiled which
would have taken 3 years of nQrmal operation
to accumulate. In addition, improvements in the
production model were recommended.
Basically, the YUH -lD [left, below] is an
enlarged fuselage version of the UH-1B. Reloca-
tion of the fuel cells substantially increases the
cabin space available. For troop movements, the
YUH-1D accommodates a pilot and up to 12 fully
equipped soldiers, 50 percent more than the B
model. Combination of the seating arrangement
and enlarged doors permits rapid entrance and
exit.
Besides the YUH-1D at Fort Rucker, six other
D-model Iroquois have either completed or are
still undergoing additional flight and static test
programs.
Hurry, send a chopper! Once this cry was associated almost solely with
medical evacuation. Today it can be an urgent plea for many other types
of aviation support including
. ..L
.--.
Aerial Delive
D
URING WORLD WAR II
and Korea the use of na-
palm as a fire bomb and a flame
thrower fuel had tremendous
impact as a casualty and psycho-
logical agent. The demoralizing
effect of the fire bomb against
enemy troops and fortifications
proved to be very effective,
Maj Brockwell is dual rated
with over 2000 hours. He is
currently assigned to Avn Co.,
8th Infantry Div. While at XVIII
Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.
C., he directed the development
and testing of bomb rack kits for
aerial delivery of napalm and
other items of ordnance and sup-
ply from the OH-13. He was
named Army Aviator of the
Year (1961-1962) for this and
other endeavors.
28
Major Leyburn Brockwell, Jr.
causing shock and panic even
where act u a I injuries were
slight. In Korea fire bombs were
more effective against deeply
entrenched troops than large
amounts of high explosives. Un-
fortunately its use against an
enemy in c los e contact was
restricted. The high speed and
subsequent inaccuracies of the
delivery platform seriously cur-
tailed use where the need was
the greatest.
In tests conducted last year,
the Aviation Section, XVIII Air-
borne Corps, used the OH-13
helicopter to effectively deliver
numerous locally constructed 15-
gallon fire bombs weighing ap-
proximately 120 pounds.
The tests were conducted in
seven phases:
Design and manufacture of
an adequate bomb rack support
for the OH-13 helicopter.
Design and installation of
wiring systems for dual and
single release of loads.
Hovering and flight tests
with various loads to determine
flight characteristics.
Dropping of dummy loads
to determine accuracy and flight
characteristics during release.
Evaluation of M-173A1
bomb fuse and M-23A1 fire
bomb ignitions.
Design and manufacture of
adequate fire bombs for heli-
copter delivery.
Live delivery of fire bombs
for coverage and accuracy.
The bomb rack and shackles
used in this installation are the
standard racks and shackles in
use on all 0-1 aircraft.
The bom b sup p 0 r t s were
designed to be light, easily re-
movable, and simple in design.
Sheet-galvanized steel was used
to make the channel unit, but
aluminum of e qua I strength
could be substituted. One bolt on
a hinged strap of each end of
the cross tubes of the OH-13
bomb stabilizer was designed and
proved to be more than ade-
quate to stabilize a load placed
in the shackles. Complete rigid-
ity during steep turns at 80 knots
lAS was experienced with this
type of installation.
The wiring of the arming and
release mechanism was designed
to give independent operation,
allowing release of either left or
right loads or release of both
simultaneously. The emergency
salvo system is utilized by acti-
vating the drop circuits prior to
takeoff. At any time the cyclic
drop button is pressed without
the arming lights on, the load will
be dropped safely. The arming
circuits are actuated no longer
than one minute before the drop
AERIAL DELIVERY OF A FIRE BOMB
to maintain maximum safety.
This action closes the arming
solenoid on the arming wire,
holding it securely during the
drop. With all circuits closed the
fire bomb will be dropped armed
and the fuse activated.
For hovering and flight checks
without an observer, two dummy
bombs loaded with san d to
weigh 125 pounds each were
used. No control difficulty was
encountered and hovering was
accomplished using 3100 rpm, 24
inches mp. Outside temperature
was + 10 C during forward
flight checks. No unfamiliar con-
trol responses were found but
takeoff distance was extended
approximately 25 percent. For-
ward cruising flight could very
easily be maintained at 70 knots
lAS. Normal turns at 70 knots
lAS were made without incident
but steep turns developed buffet-
ing and a light collective.
In the dummy drop phase the
bombs were dropped to deter-
mine any adverse flight control
response and to develop target
accuracy before live drops. All
practice approaches were made
at 200 feet altitude and 70 knots
lAS.
During forward flight no no-
ticeable drag or control feed-
back was noticed. Release of the
loads was accomplished with no
sensation of lost wei g h t or
change in normal flight charac-
teristics.
The fuse and ignition used in
these tests were the standard Air
Force ignitions and fuses as used
on their M-1 fire bombs. The
M-173A1 fuse is an impact fuse
of the direct arming-vane type.
It functions at any angle of im-
pact and can be used as either a
nose or tail fuse. When the fire
bomb is dropped the arming wire
withdraws, freeing the arming
vane to rotate in the air stream.
After approximately 15-20 revo-
lutions of the arming vane the
fuse is armed. The fire bomb
igniter used was the M-23A1,
which contains about 1 % pounds
of white phosphorus.
The design and construction of
an adequate fire bomb container
for the OH-13 posed many prob-
lems. To be effective the bomb
must be constructed of material
light enough to ensure adequate
and complete rupturing upon
impact and sufficiently strong to
prevent the cans from buckling
during steep turns. Numerous
containers were acquired and
tried but proved inadequate be-
cause of sealing, rupturing, size,
and other undesirable character-
istics. The container that proved
to be most suitable, but still not
ideal, is the 5-gallon aviation oil
can. Three oil cans were placed
on top of each other with the
inside ends cut out and brazed
together. Ordinary hasps brazed
to the tops provided bomb sup-
ports. Heavy gauge wire was
brazed to the tops and provided
the fastening poi n t for the
M-23A1 fire bomb igniter.
29
MARCH 1963
This type of fire bomb (above,
left) was the best solution using
existing hardware. However, de-
pendent upon angle of impact,
complete rupturing is not always
assured due to the steel con-
struction; consequently, a de-
crease in the fireball coverage is
suffered. The ideal fire bomb is
shown above, right. It is of light
aluminum and because the con-
tainer weighs less, an additional
3 gallons of napalm is added. The
streamline design materially as-
sists in takeoff and in flight drag.
The fire bomb mixtures were
varied to achieve the optimum.
The most ideal mix was 6 per-
cent M-1 thickener, which pro-
duced a stable gelatin. As a field
expedient high detergent soap
would produce almost as good a
mix. All types of gasoline were
used. It was found that an octane
higher than 90 should not be
used; the higher octane does not
deteriorate as well as the lower
octane.
The fireball obtained by drop-
ping a single bomb covered an
area 30 yards long by 20 yards
wide. Using two fire bombs, the
area was 35 yards long by 25
yards wide. The fireballs ob-
tained a height of 100 feet, de-
pendent upon wind and moisture
content of the air. In all cases
the helicopter was well clear of
the impact zone of detonation.
The OH-13 helicopter in its
present configuration (with mi-
nor modifications) is quite capa-
ble of being armed with two 20-
gallon napalm bombs.
Use of the OH-13 in an offen-
sive role employing napalm has
the following advantages:
S imp 1 e modification (no
Lower left, troops take cov.er after receiving small arms fire during an XVIII Airborne Corps dem-
onstration at Fort Bragg, N. C. Center, an OH-13 helicopter is summoned and within minutes delivers
a napalm bomb on the " enemy's" position. Right, troops charge to .engage the " enemy" as napalm
explodes over a wide area.
30
AERIAL DELIVERY OF A FIRE BOMB
sights or specialized equipment
that is not now currently avail-
able) .
Simple 0 r dna n c e loads
which can be fabricated at battle
group level.
Wide range of suitable tar-
gets (armor, bunkers, boats, vil-
lages, and dug-in personnel).
As to the vulnerability of the
from enemy fires, it
IS well understood that the heli-
copter-like the tank or the in-
fantryman-will be vulnerable
Napalm is mixed in the field during tests
US ARMY, MARINES CARRY OUT FIRST
COMBAT MISSION
* * *
Besides the U.S. Marine helicopter company, the 57th U.S.
Army Helicopter Co., stationed in Saigon, participated.
the staging area here, the big CH-21 troop
earners sk'/'mmed along to their targets along the canals at 90
miles an hour only a few feet from the ground.
As the helicopters touched down near the hamlet of Ap My
Qui to troops, bur.sts of enemy fire came from the banks
of an adjac.ent canal, raising spurts of dust near idling machines.
The Viet Cong also fired on the helicopters as they passed over
the junction of two canals.
No helicopter was hit. They were on the ground in the
various landing zones less than thre.e minutes. American gun-
ners returned the Communist fire whenever their craft came
under attack.
Excerpt from news story, April 23, 1962
to some extent when committed
to combat. I would like to quote
Lt Gen Hamilton H. Howze who
sums up this question quite well:
"The vulnerability of the heli-
copter is of course a pertinent
consideration. These machines
will be subjected to normal haz-
ards of combat and it will not
be unusual to see one crash and
destroy its occupants. War can
be dangerous, but the answer to
the survival problem lies in the
technique of helicopter employ-
ment with special reference to
the use of supporting fire to
enhance greatly the chance of
survival."
Lower left, under cover afforded by smoke, the troops charge the ((enemy." Center, as the smoke
troops close and route (( ene:ny." Right, objective secured! The troops pursue the
enemy and secure the h'lgh ground 'ln the d'lstance. Meanwhile, the OH-13 has been reloaded with
napalm and is ready to offer additional support.
31
PANIC POINT!
A
N OLD AIRLINE pilot is
credited with saying, "Fly-
ing is nothing but hours and
hours of boredom, punctuated
with moments of stark terror."
When that moment of stark ter-
ror interrupts the routine of
boredom, why are some aviators
able to come through, while
others seem to forget the emer-
gency procedures that have been
taught them?
In an attempt to answer the
question let's look at the various
aspects of the problem and see if
we can come up with a theory.
First of all, what is fear?
Fear is an intense emotional
reaction characterized by at-
tempts to withdraw from the
situation, according to the En-
cyclopedia Americana. The en-
cyclopedia also explains that
panics are fear reactions arising
when there has been no prepara-
tion for meeting the threat.
And there we have our first
clue, " . . . no preparation for
meeting the threat."
Perhaps those lucky individ-
uals who always seem to come
through in an emergency are
able to see and use the prepara-
tions that have been made for
meeting an emergency. Or per-
haps if we carry this even fur-
ther, when preparations have
been made to meet an emer-
gency, is it still an emergency?
Suppose you are flying along,
enjoying the scenery. The air is
32
William H. Smith
calm; your engine is functioning
perfectly; and below you is noth-
ing but mile after mile of pine
trees. Suddenly the engine fal-
ters a little-then goes dead.
Are you now in an emergency?
Apparently you are. Down be-
low you are trees and more trees.
As far as you can see there is
not a patch of cleared ground
big enough to land in. And here
you are with no engine to pull
you in to your planned destina-
tion.
Is it really an emergency?
Suddenly you remember that all
you have to do is pull the throttle
back a little and change to a
tank with fuel in it. You see,
preparations had been made for
just such an occurrence. Of
course, it would have been an
emergency if there had not been
two tanks or if you had become
so excited you forgot to switch.
But you did remember and you
did act. So, it became just a ho-
hum-switch-tanks routine.
Looking into this matter of
fear and emergencies a little fur-
ther, we see another clue. When
the engine went dead, you were
able to think out the trouble and
take corrective action. Thus our
second clue is in the matter of
thinking during an emergency.
Recently Col Earnest A. Pin-
son, USAF, holder of two Legion
of Merit awards, a Distinguished
Flying Cross, and the Soldiers
Medal, was interviewed on the
subject. He believes the ability
to think in an emergency is a
great asset in coming out un-
harmed.
And he is certainly qualified
to speak. He seems to have the
knack of getting out of tight
spots. For instance, it was Colo-
nel Pinson who, in 1956, flew in
the first airplane to go through
the boiling mushroom cloud of
a megaton H-bomb explosion
over Bikini A toll. He came out
without a scratch.
He likes to use boxing to illus-
trate his point.
"In boxing," he said, "you
have to think even when you're
hurt, or you don't last. Somebody
knocks you all over the ring for
two or three rounds, but if you
keep your head and never admit
you are licked, maybe you can
win."
Mr. Leslie McFadden, instruc-
tor pilot for the AO-1 Mohawk,
U. S. Army Aviation School,
Fort Rucker, Ala., says, "Of
course an aviator must think in
an emergency. If not, he does not
stand much of a chance to come
out unhurt."
Mr. McFadden, who inciden-
tally has been able to come out of
many emergencies unhurt, car-
ries the subject even further.
He says: "The aviator must
know exa.ctly what he and his
equipment can do. If the aviator
tries to get more out of his air-
plane than was built into it he is
in trouble. Therefore it is impor-
tant that every pilot must have
a will to learn. He must jump
at the chance to learn all there
is to know about the equipment
that he is flying."
Mr. R. N. Hayes of the Safety
Division, U. S. Army Aviation
Center, says that in our study
here we should consider this
matter of panic a little more. He
believes that when confronted
with an emergency situation,
each individual aviator arrives
at a point where reasoning will
be impaired by panic.
Mr. Hayes explains: "Some
aviators with extensive experi-
ence and background have ac-
cumulated knowledge that en-
ables them to have a higher
panic point. It is known that
lack of familiarity with a condi-
tion taxes the brain on taking
care of details in emergencies.
"Two pilots wi th the same
general background and experi-
ence might have a very great
difference in their panic points.
One pilot, who is continually
thinking in terms of emergencies
while flying and is mentally
covering emergencies and emer-
gency procedures, is likely to
have a high panic point. This
pilot will take care of many
details automatically and will
have a relatively free mind to
make sound decisions. Constant-
ly striving to know what to do in
advance of an emergency situ-
ation also saves seconds that
might mean the difference in
life or death.
"On the other hand, the pilot
who is not emergency conscious
and who flies with little thought
of coping with an emergency
situation is likely to become
involved in many details that
should be automatic. This im-
pairs his thinking out a prob-
lem and arriving at a sound
decision. "
It would seem that it all boils
down to being able to think dur-
ing an emergency. But you can't
just stop there. You can't say to
yourself, "Something's wrong.
I've got to handle it in half a
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
FLY 20 MPH FASTER THAN STAll
PANIC POINT!
second before I hit the ground."
This kind of thinking is guar-
anteed to keep any aviator com-
pletely confused until the wheels
hit the ground and the tail is
motionless 15 feet in the air.
You must practice in your
cockpit and/or in your mind just
what you will do when the prop
does stop turning. And you must
know what you and your equip-
ment can do. Then you will do
the routine things automatically,
and the emergency will become
simply an unusual situation.
In this way if you really do
have an engine failure, and your
procedures do not start it again,
your mind will not be cluttered
with details. You can think
clearly of the situation at hand
and what to do about it.
Be aware that those "moments
of stark terror" may come, that
your hair can literally stand on
end. But know also these mo-
ments are no time to give way
to alarm. It is a time to make
the brain keep working.
33
prepared by
THE U. S. ARMY
BOARD FOR
AVIATION
ACCIDENT RESEARCH
X EXCERP S
From Jan. and Feb.
UH-l B ENTERED OVERCAST and pilot became
disoriented. Aircraft broke out of overcast in
nose-low, high airspeed altitude and crashed into
hillside. Major damage to main rotor, engine,
transmission deck, tail rotor, and tail cone. No
Injuries. Weather was 500 feet overcast, with
3/
4
mile visibility in light drizzle and ground fog.
UH-l B ENGINE FAILED in flight. Forced land-
ing completed with no damage. Caused by va-
por lock and fuel starvation from unsecured
quick disconnect on outlet side of fuel strainer.
OH-13E ENTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE and
pitched up. Pi lot bottomed collective pitch dur-
ing recovery and engine oversped to 4000 rpm.
Forced landing completed with no further dam-
age.
UH-19D RETREATING BLADE STALLED dur-
ing attempt to dissipate excessive speed (85
knots) on final approach by cyclic climb. Air-
craft went into ground resonance at touchdown.
Major damage to main rotor blade, hanger bear-
ing, tail rotor drive shaft, and transmission. No
injuries.
U-1A PARTIALLY STALLED and landed hard
hard during simulated engine failure after take-
off. Landing gear strut was driven through
fuselage and ruptured oi I tank.
U-8D NOSE GEAR LOCKED in up position and
would not come down. Both main gear locked
down and would not retract. Aircraft was landed
on main gear, propellers were stopped, and the
nose settled to the runway. Major damage to
both propellers, nose gear, and nose well. Caused
by installatio nof unidentified bolt in place o'f
proper bolt (PIN AN3 H 144A) in nose gear re-
tracting mechanism. Suspect maintenance and
inspection factors.
OH-13H FLEW INTO FOG over deep snow, and
ground contact was lost. Aircraft struck tree-
tops and crashed in edge of wooded area. Air-
craft destroyed. Pilot and passenger sustained
minor injuries.
0-1 A STRUCK WI RE during reconna issance of
low-level navigation training course. Minor
damage to engine cowling, left wing stud, wind-
shield, windows, antenna, and right wing. No
injuries.
OH-23F FLEW INTO DOWNDRAFT while ap-
proaching ridgeline at 10,000 feet. Aircraft
was turned 180
0
downslope, and downdraft
forced it to the ground. Left skid struck un-
known object, collapsing skid, and aircraft rolled
on left side. Major damage to main rotor, skid
assembly, tail rotor, gear box, fuel tank, and
stabilizer. No injuries.
OV-1A CRASHED THROUGH FENCE during at-
tempted go-around. Tech inspector (riding as
crewman) called, "No wheels; don't land," just
prior to touchdown. Pilot applied full power,
retracted speed brakes, and raised 'flaps 15
0

When airspeed reached 80 knots, pilot attempted
to raise nose. Aircraft did not respond, but re-
mained with gear just off ground and crashed
through chain linge fence off end of runway.
Landing gear had been checked on downwind
and final. Major damage to propellers, engines,
nose gear, flaps, and fuselage. No injuries.
CH-21 C STRUCK TREES during forced landing
approach after engine failure. Major damage
to aft rotor blades. No injuries. Metal found
in sump. Suspect master rod and piston failure.
CH-34C PITCHED UP and entered steep left
bank in flight at 2,500 feet. Pilot recovered
and completed forced landing with no damage.
Suspect malfunction of left lateral primary
servo.
0-lA TAXIED INTO TREE. Minor damage to
right wing and top of cockpit. No injuries.
0-1 E ELEVATOR FROZE in full up position dur-
ing takeoff. Takeoff was aborted and aircraft
stopped with no damage. Caused by binding
of right elevator on right horizontal stabilizer
fairing.
U-6A LOST OIL in flight. Oil was seen on wind-
shield and around air intake five minutes after
takeoff. Forced landing completed with no dam-
age. Oil leak caused by crimping of engine oil
screen gasket during installation.
U-8F STRUCK BUZZARD on downwind leg of
traffic pattern. Leading edge of right wing
damaged. Landing accomplished with no further
damage.
CV-2B LOST OIL from No.2 engine while air-
cra'ft was climbing to 9,000 feet I FR in clouds.
Crewchief reported oil leak, and fire warning
light and oil low level light came on weakly.
Oil loss increased. Aircraft was given clearance
to reverse course, and warning lights brightened.
No. 2 engine was set at zero thrust and emer-
gency was declared. Instrument approach and
forced landing completed with no damage. Oil
loss caused by leaks from eight lower rocker box
gaskets. Engine lost 8.5 gallons of oil. Oil
pressure and temperature gauges in normal
range throughout emergency.
UH-19D NEEDLES SPLIT and engine rpm went
to 3500 during night landing approach. Air-
craft struck wires and crashed during attempted
autorotative forced landing. Major damage to
all components. Instructor pilot and pilot sus-
tained minor injuries. Suspect clutch failure.
Rescue Operation in Iran
The Seventh Army Aviation
Training Center was alerted at
1900 hours on 30 January for a
)ossible requirement to send one
UH-1B helicopter with crew
to Iran to assist in the search
and recovery operation resulting
from the crash of a U-1A Army
aircraft in the mountains. Here's
a detailed account of the opera-
tion.
The helicopter was to be air-
lifted by either a USAF C-130
or C-124 aircraft. Plans were
made for the disassembly of the
helicopter. It was determined
that a C-130 aircraft was the
most suitable means of transpor-
tation. The C-130 cruises at 280
knots, versus 180 knots for the
C-124, and the same amount of
disassembly of the helicopter
would be required for transpor-
tation in either aircraft. The only
special equipment required to
load the UH-1B into the C-130
is a narrow set of ground han-
dling wheels with 6-inch tires.
The Transportation Maintenance
Depot at Coleman Barracks sup-
plied these. The depot was also
alerted to supply repair parts for
the UH-1B.
At 1000 hours the following
day, the commanding officer
of the Seventh Army Aviation
Training Center, was called by
Lt Col Lovelady of Air Rescue
Service, Ramstein Air Base, and
informed that there was an ur-
gent requirement for the UH-1B
and crew in Iran. It had not
been possible to remove the sur-
36
Lieutenant Colonel Jerome B. Feldt
vivors of the crash from the
mountain. In addition, two Air
Force rescue men were stranded
on rock ledges in the mountains
and were unable to move or to
be moved without additional as-
sistance. They had landed on the
rock ledges by parachute while
attempting to rescue the crash
survivors.
The Seventh Army aviation
officer was informed of the devel-
opment. Instructions were given
to start disassembly of the heli-
copter and to make firm plans
to support the requirement. Ap-
proval would be required by
USAREUR before actual de-
parture to Iran.
Clearance was obtained from
the transportation officer, Sev-
enth Army to use a new UH-1B
of the 29th Transportation Air-
craft Maintenance Com pan y.
Fie I d maintenance personnel
were offered by the transporta-
tion officer to assist in the dis-
assembly of the helicopter and
to form part of the crew to go to
Iran if necessary.
Disassembly of the helicopter
was started at about 1045 hours
and completed at 1445 hours. It
was necessary to remove the
main rotor blades, stabilizer bar,
elevator, one tail rotor blade,
and the complete mast and rotor
head assembly. All of the re-
moved parts with the exception
of the main rotor blades were
packed to prevent damage in
transit.
A USAF C-130B arrived at
Stuttgart Army Airfield at 1520
hours. Loading of the helicopter
was begun immediately. Salvage
mattresses were used to protect
the main rotor blades and were
placed on the floor of the C-130
to provide shock absorption for
all of the loose parts and equip-
ment. The loading was com-
pleted by 1630 hours. This time
could have been decreased by 20
to 30 minutes with experienced
personnel. One mechanic had
previous experience loading an
UH-1A into a C-130A. No un-
usual problems were encoun-
tered in the loading operation.
Approximately 15 men are re-
quired to load the helicopter if
the C-130 is not equipped with
a winch. We loaded without use
of the winch.
The C-130 was taxiing out for
takeoff at approximately 1700
hours when one of the main
landing wheel tires blew out. An
immediate call to EVEREUX for
another tire and two special alli-
gator jacks was made. The C-130
bringing the tire arrived at about
2145 hours but had brought only
one of the special jacks. This
slowed up changing the tire con-
siderably. After much delay we
took off at 0045, 1 February, ar-
riving at Neubiburg to pick up
a 27-man German Army alpine
Col Feldt is commandant of
the Seventh Army Aviation
Training Center, APO 46, N. Y.
team. We departed Neubiburg at
0300 and landed in Athens where
we were delayed until 0910 by
another blown tire on landing.
The additional delay was dis-
heartening but fortl!nately a re-
placement tire and jacks were
readily available.
The information available to
the C-130 crew regarding the air-
field at Dezful, our destination,
was limited to the fact that it
had a runway 10,000 feet long
and was used by jet fighters. We
also had its location plotted on a
map. We were flying . at 25,000
feet after leaving Teheran over
a solid overcast. We were afraid
we would have to return to
Teheran to use the instrument
approach to land. This would
have placed us 275 miles from
our destination, which was un-
desirable.
Major Sanders, the C-130 air-
craft commander, tuned to emer-
gency frequency when we ar-
rived at what we hoped was the
vicinity of Dezful, Iran. Fortu-
nately he was able to contact
Captain Hemphill, an Army Avi-
ator fly i n g an U -6. Captain
Hemphill was involved in the
rescue operation and was able to
give us the beacon frequency at
Dezful and also gave us the let-
down procedure via radio. Major
Sanders used the procedure and
we broke out of the overcast
headed for the runway.
We arrived at Dezful, Iran at
approximately 1745 hours local
time on 1 February and found
that everything was prepared for
our arrival. An entire hangar
had been emptied for our use.
The airfield commander at Vah-
dahti met us and had a number
of his English speaking lieuten-
ants stay with us and assist in
any way possible. Throughout
our entire stay the Iranian gov-
ernment did everything possible
to assist the operation. The air-
UH-l restrained in C-130 aircraft
RESOUE OPERATION IN mAN
craft was unloaded without any
trouble, thanks to the special
narrow ground handling wheels,
and was assembled and ready for
test flight at 2300 hours.
It is important to have a reli-
able lifting device to use in the
assembly and disassembly of the
aircraft to prevent any damage
to the mast assembly. It took
three mechanics approximately
three hours to reassemble the
helicopter. This crew consisted
of two unit maintenance person-
nel and one field main tenance
mechanic. The field maintenance
mechanic is a necessity to super-
vise, inspect, and sign off all
third and fourth echelon main-
tenance. Care should be taken
that no dust or dirt be allowed
to get into the main gear box
during the time the mast is out.
We covered the open top of the
main gear box with a piece of
cardboard that had been shaped
to fit over the studs on the gear
box, and this worked quite well.
During this assembly period
we stopped work only to eat C
rations that we had carried with
us. We also had carried 12 cans
of water. If at any time during
our operation there was any
doubt as to the quality of the
local food or water we had our
own supplies to fall back on.
Also, because of the terrible ter-
rain we were flying over, it was
comforting to know that if we
had any trouble we had a 3-day
supply of rations and water with
our survival gear and a PRC-6
radio (wi th the crystal for the
rescue channel) in the baggage
compartment.
At daybreak, on 2 February,
we took off for Masjed-Soleiman,
referred to locally and hereafter
simply as MIS, a distance of 50
nautical miles. On arrival at
0745 we were briefed on the
status of the operation, frequen-
cies, call signs, etc., and what
37
MARCH 1963
was desired of us. We were in-
formed that a ground party was
attempting to reach the scene of
the wreckage from the eastern
side. (Shortly after our arrival
this attempt was called off due
to the extremely slow progress.)
All personnel who got on the
mountain either jumped or were
taken by helicopter. Everyone
who came off the mountain came
off by helicopter.
MIS served as our primary
base of operations. A base camp
had been established at the 4,500-
foot level about 30 miles north-
east of MIS and about 18 miles
west of the crash site.
We were shown the route to
base camp by two pilots from
Aero Contractors Ltd. who were
flying Alouette helicopters for
the oil companies. These two
pilots had removed the two
crash survivors and one Air
Force paramedic from the crash
site. They had also flown in two
U. S. Army medics and two
Iranian alpinists to assist in sav-
ing the second paramedic, who
had been blown over the side of
the mountain. He was in an ex-
tremely precarious position for
52 hours on an isolated pinnacle
with sheer sides. Looking back
on the whole operation, we can
see just what a fine job these
two pilots did. Operating at the
12,500-foot level, the Alouettes
had almost no reserve power left
to com bat the ever-present
downdrafts and turbulence.
At the base camp we discussed
the approaches and departures
to and from the mountain with
these pilots, and obtained a
pretty good idea of what the
helipad area was like. After
looking at the clouds that were
in and around the mountain,
these two pilots were of the
opinion that the wind was blow-
ing too hard to go up right away.
We waited a short while, but
because of the increasing neces-
38
sity to get the personnel off the
mountain we decided to make an
attempt to get up there.
Du-ring the 18-mile trip from
base camp (altitude 4,500 feet)
to the helipad on the mountain
(altitude 11,800 feet), an Army
U -6 provided radio relay be-
tween us and the two Alouettes.
Both the U -6 and the Alouettes
were equipped with HF. The
U-6 would then communicate
with us over FM or VHF.
The trip from base camp to
the mountain is over some of the
most awesome terrain imagin-
able. It's hard to imagine flying
18 miles without seeing a single
spot where a helicopter could
land. The land rises straight up
on one side and slopes steeply
down on the other side until it
meets another sheer rock wall
and steep slope. The terrain con-
tinues this way from base camp
20 miles in either direction along
our flight path and north and
south as far as the eye can see.
It was only a 40-minute trip
from the mountain to MIS; yet,
the local tribesmen and residents
estimated that it would take a
person 32 days to walk from the
foot of the mountain back to
MIS. We figured that in the
event of a forced landing our
best chance of survival would be
with the native herdsmen.
On approaching the mountain,
we saw that the landing site was
located in the back of a half-
moon shaped canyon. The peaks
rose up on both sides and the
back disappeared in the clouds
that were hanging at the 13,000-
foot level. We circled outside the
canyon while one of the Alou-
ettes went into the opening in
the canyon wall, turned around
inside and landed (in what we
discovered shortly thereafter was
a small bowl-shaped valley about
200 yards in diameter). The
bottom of the valley was esti-
mated to be about 60 yards be-
low the level of the rim we were
landing on. He took off shortly
with one Iranian rescuer and
started back to MIS. He relayed
to us through the U-6 that he
thought the wind was too strong
for any further attempts.
We weighed this with the fact
that some of the other rescuers
might perish if they spent an-
other night up there, where the
temperature was reported to go
down to - 35
0
F . We decided to
try an approach. On passing over
the landing site at about 500
feet (12,300 feet) and starting to
turn inside the bowl, the first
thing we noticed was the com-
plete lack of visual references
anywhere except on the very
edge of the ridge we were to
A 7th Army UH-1B helicopter warms up before rescu.e operations
in the precipitous and nearly inaccessible mountains of Iran
land on. We were using 6600
rpm and made an approach to
the landing site without trouble
e x c e p t for depth perception,
which was greatly hampered by
the complete whiteness of the
inside of this bowl. The landing
site was actually nothing more
than placing the front of the
skids on some projecting rocks
and the back on the snow that
had drifted behind the rocks.
Even though this did not meet
the requirements for a helipad
as defined by USAREUR Cir
95-5, we will refer to it as a heli-
pad as it was the only place
available.
We were on a slight upward
slope. The aircraft could not be
fully lowered onto the snow as
the aft portion of the skids broke
through the light crust and the
helicopter would start to tilt
backwards. A little collective
pitch and forward cyclic was re-
quired to keep the aircraft level.
We didn't know until afterwards
that the tail rotor was in the
snow about 6 inches. We made
two more trips to the helipad
that day and succeeded in tak-
ing out five people and at the
same time brought in 4 more
Iranian alpinists and an Ameri-
can Army Aviator (Capt Mole-
nelli) to continue in the search
for the bodies of the victims.
On 3 February the weather
was so bad that even a trip to
base camp was out of the ques-
tion until very late in the after-
noon. At that time we managed
to sneak around and under the
clouds and reached base camp,
which was almost completely
weathered in. After unloading
and determining that a trip to
the mountain was completely
out, we returned to MIS and
spent the remainder of the day-
light hours installing wooden
planks 9 inches wide, 3 inches
thick, and 8 feet 2 inches long
under each skid in an attempt
to provide flotation to help pre-
vent settling in the snow again.
(These skids very soon proved
to be the difference between
success and failure.)
On 4 February contact was
made with the personnel on the
mountain, using PRC-6 radios.
They informed us that approxi-
mately 6 feet of snow had fallen
and it had taken them an hour
and a half to dig out of their
tent that morning and the winds
were blowing 20-40 knots. At
1100 hours the search party was
only halfway up to the crashed
aircraft and visibility was only
10-20 feet in fog and mist. At
1300 contact was made and the
searchers were back in their
tents; further attempts were im-
possible due to the weather con-
ditions. The remainder of the
day was spent in ferrying mem-
bers of the German alpine team
to base camp.
On 5 February the . weather
was so bad that it was 1300 be-
fore we could get to base camp.
No contact could be made and
we departed base camp at 1615
hours, hoping everyone on the
mountain was in good shape.
At 0840 hours on the 6th we
landed at base camp hoping for
a break in the weather. We had
contact with the search party at
0908 and they reported that a
fresh 10 feet of snow had fallen.
We were loaded with three of
the German alpinists and were
preparing to take off for the
mountain at 0930 when the
search party radioed us not to
come yet because the winds on
the helipad were estimated to be
at least 40 knots. Since this in-
formation was coming directly
from our intended landing site
and was being given by an Army
Aviator, this was the most reli-
able information we could ob-
tain. At 1000 hours contact was
again established and this time
the wind report was favorable,
RESCUE OPERATION IN IRAN
so we departed base camp for
the mountain with the three
alpinists and their equipment.
Our approach and landing was
uneventful.
Since this was the first land-
ing in the snow with our "snow-
shoes" on the skids, we were
anxious to see if they were the
answer. They worked better
than we had imagined. The heli-
copter didn't go down in the
snow over the 3-inch depth of
the planks and we were able to
lower the collective pitch to the
full down position.
At this time the German al-
pinists unloaded and assisted in
loading five Iranians and some
of their equipment. Although
we were at 11,800 feet and had
approximately 900 lbs of fuel,
we decided to try to remove
these five people because of
their weakened condition and
the fact that we might not get
another chance this day. Using
6600 rpm and only 23 inches of
torque we easily climbed 500
pm into the face of 20-30 knot
winds. I might add here that
even though some of the local
Iranian papers erroneously re-
ferred to the UH-IB as a special
high altitude helicopter, they
were right in reporting that the
aircraft performed beautifully
all the way from sea level right
up to as high as we needed to
go, 13,000 feet. We landed at base
camp and unloaded our pas-
sengers, who were to be trans-
ported back to MIS by the two
Alouettes.
We loaded four more German
alpinists and departed for the
mountain. During the trip to the
mountain we were again in radio
contact with Captain Molenelli
on the helipad through our FM
and his PRC-6 radio. He in-
formed us that there had been
no change in the wind. Again,
upon entering the bowl we initi-
ated a 180
0
left turn to final,
39
MARCH 1963
and upon rolling out, the heli-
copter was caught in a severe
downdraft. Even with 6600 rpm
and full pitch we were forced
down into the bowl some 40
yards short of and below our
intended landing site.
Here is where I am sure that
our wooden snowshoes proved
to be the difference between
success and failure. The front
of the planks caught in the snow
enough to stop our descent.
There was no damage, however.
The main rotor blades were hit-
ting the loose snow in front
of us. Engine rpm had decreased
to 5800. Normal rpm of 6400
was regained immediately after
touchdown. We were then able
to hover in ground effect with
no difficulty. The airspeed indi-
cator was indicating winds of 20
knots gusting to 30 knots while
we were unloading the German
alpinists and loading the remain-
ing Iranian and Captain Mole-
nelli. We returned to MIS to un-
load our passengers and refuel.
Shortly aft e r refueling we
loaded more German alpinists to
be transported to the base camp
and departed. Upon arrival at
base camp we were informed
that the German party on the
mountain was requesting some
additional equipment and four
more men. We decided that
since we had only 600 lbs of fuel
on board that we would take
only two alpinists in an attempt
to lighten the load, thereby giv-
ing us a little more power with
which to combat the possible
downdraft.
In trying to ascertain the wind
direction and velocity, all we
could get from the search party
was that they didn't think there
had been much change. We con-
tacted the assisting Air Force
C-54 that was over the moun-
tain and with the use of their
drift meter they gave us the
winds at 13,000 feet as 250
0
' 40
30-40 knots. This was helpful but
could not replace the reports
that we had been getting from
Captain Molenelli while he was
on the hill. Because of the shape
of the canyon and the small
opening that we had to fly
through, there was in effect a
perfect venturi for the prevail-
ing winds to accelerate through.
The wind report from the C-54
could not in any way depict
the existing winds that were
blowing across our helipad.
Weighing all this information,
we decided to take just the two
alpinists and to make another
trip, if necessary, to provide the
German alpinists with the com-
plete team needed in the search
for the bodies. In our approach
this time we decided that making
a right 180
0
turn would also pro-
vide us with a little more power.
After entering the bowl we made
a right turn and rolled out on
final, still indicating 50 knots
airspeed.
Everything looked real fine
until again' we were caught in
severe downdraft and forced
down into the bowl about 25
yards short of and below the
helipad. There was not enough
power to maintain complete di-
rectional control. We ended up
with about a 15
0
- 20
0
angle to
the right. But, as before, the
snowshoes sustained the aircraft
and again prevented us from
going down into the snow far
enough to damage it. Again we
were apparently out of the down-
draft when on the ground and
we were able to hover up to the
helipad. The airspeed indicator
was reading essentially the same
as before (20-30 knots). The
copilot got out of the aircraft
and, from a point clear of the
rotor downwash, estimated the
winds to be blowing 50-60 knots,
since he was having considerable
difficulty in remaining on his
feet.
We informed the commander
of the alpine team that we could
not make any more trips that
day. They had rations and pro-
visions to last the nine-man
team 15 days, and he indicated
that the other two men were
not necessary . We returned to
MIS and spent the remainder of
the afternoon tracking the main
rotor blades and in catching up
on some of the inspections due
on the helicopter.
On the 7th we ferried three
more German alpinists to base
camp and made contact with the
search party at 1400 hours. They
informed us that they were
forced to stay in their tents be-
cause of the winds, rain, and
snow. At 1500 hours we con-
tacted them again and informed
them we were returning to MIS
as the weather at base camp was
closing down fast.
On the morning of the 8th
was the worst weather yet. We
could not do a thing until 1300
when the weather had lifted
enough to fly locally. About 1310
a message was received from the
mountain that the weather made
any search impossible and that
the danger of snow slides was in-
creasing. Not long after this, a
message was received from Te-
heran to terminate the search
and to get the German alpinists
off as soon as possible.
In the late aft ern 0 0 n the
weather at MIS was m u c h
better, so we took off directly
to the mountain in hopes the
clouds being reported by the
C-54 would lift long enough for
us to get in. We circled the
canyon mouth for an hour and a
half and we could see why the
clouds were apparently not mov-
ing. The wind blowing from
across the Gulf of Persia was
picking up enough moisture and
heat that it was being mechani-
cally lifted up the slope of this
one mountain range; it was con-
tinually forming clouds at about
the 9,000-foot level. At about
1720 hours our fuel was getting
low and clouds were still form-
ing, so we informed the search
party we were returning to MIS.
While we were circling, the
search par t y requested dry
sleeping bags. An Air Force
C-130 had been circling over-
head with the bags, waiting for
a chance to drop them. Shortly
after we departed for MIS the
C-130 returned to Dezful as it
was evident that further waiting
was useless.
On the 9th the weather was
clear and the winds were esti-
mated to be 20-25 knots. At 0745
hours we departed MIS directly
for the mountain and removed
three of the alpinists to base
camp. We made two more quick
trips to the mountain and suc-
ceeded in removing the remain-
ing six members and equipment
(minus a lot of equipment, in-
cluding two wall tents that had
been buried). We then spent the
remainder of the morning and
the early afternoon moving the
personnel and equipment from
base camp back to MIS. After
clearing up base camp and load-
ing our own crew and equip-
ment we left MIS for Dezful,
arriving there about 1645.
Again we had everything that
could be provided to help in the
disassembly of the helicopter.
Here, I believe we established
some sort of a record. I t took
three good mechanics only 1
hour and 30 minutes to complete
the disassembly (41h manhours) .
Since the C-130 had left for
Teheran with an OH-23 that had
arrived on the 7th and had as-
sisted us in moving people from
base camp to MIS, we stopped
for supper. We had no trouble
getting to sleep since we had
flown 6 hours and 15 minutes
that day.
On the 10th the UH-1B was
loaded, ready to go an hour after
the C-130 arrived. We loaded
the alpine team and our own
personnel and departed Dezful
for Teheran. After filing the
necessary flight plan and clear-
ance papers, we departed Te-
heran at 1345 hours for Athens,
Greece for refueling and a crew
rest for the C-130.
On the 11th (Athens' time)
we departed for Stuttgart via
Ramstein and Neubiburg, arriv-
ing at Stuttgart at 1730 hours.
S 0 m e recommendations for
any future operation of this na-
ture are:
Allow a minimum of 2
hours leadtime in the disassem-
bly of the UH-1B prior to the
arrival of the transport.
That a sufficient number of
the s p e cia I ground handling
wheels be manufactured to as-
sure availability.
That the maintenance sup-
port activity maintain a supply
of salvage mattresses, since these
were invaluable for protecting
the rem 0 v e d components in
transit.
That the crew consist of a
minimum of two pilots, two or-
ganizational mechanics, and one
field maintenance mechanic.
That enough rations and
water be taken for the crew to
subsist for a minimum of one
week.
T hat a ranger-qualified
RESCUE OPERATION IN mAN
Army Aviator be taken to re-
main with the ground party, and
that he have two PRC-10 radios
for communication with the air-
craft in the area.
If the UH-1B is going to
be landed in snow or soft ter-
rain, that planks 3" X 9" X 8' 2"
be taken for installation on the
skids. Also that a brace and bit
and a good supply of long bolts
be taken to secure the planks on
the skids (see figure).
No fuel problems were en-
countered. The JP-4 fuel avail-
able was at Dezful, some 50
nautical miles from MIS. It was
available only in a limited sense,
as the Iranian Air Base did not
have a spare tanker they could
let us have. They offered to wash
out some oil barrels and fill
them with JP-4 and send them
over. We decided against this,
as we had been using JP-1 since
our arrival at MIS, and contin-
ued using JP-1 until we left.
We observed no unusual reac-
tion to this fuel throughout the
operation.
Total flying hours on the
UH-1B were 26: 15. The aircraft
is ideally suited for an operation
of this type. With the exception
of weather phenomena as evi-
denced by the severe downdrafts,
more than enough power was
available. No unusual mainte-
nance problems were encoun-
tered.
tOe I
.. " +

45 lEVEL 2 ..
JQl6
3/B" 10LTS
/ ./ NOTE: 10ARD NOTCHED AND GROOVED DEEP ENOUGH
./ SO THAT 10LTS WILL NOT IE TOUCHING WHEN
3" _ .:/ _ _ _ / LANDING ON GROUND, CEMENT, ETC.


Russian Use of
The Air OP

A
T THE HEIGHT of an artil-
lery attack, the enemy as
a rule keeps up a passive return
fire. However, when the offen-
sive is supported by infantry,
the enemy firing positions come
alive. The reduction of these
positions can be best achieved
by using long range artillery,
the fire of which is adjusted by
observation planes. This is the
period of the most intense activ-
ity of the fire adjustment air-
craft.
In the battles on the Lenin-
grad front, particularly during
the breaking of the blockade,
both sides employed a great
number of artillery and mortar
batteries. During this operation,
when our artillery conducted
its offensive, the artillery com-
mander needed only a single fire
adjustment plane over the bat-
tlefield to locate a small number
of active enemy batteries. Fur-
thermore, our artillery directed
42
Translated for the Command and
General Staff School, Fort Lea-
venworth, Kan., from a Russian
article by Lt Col N. A. Koch-
novskii in VESTNIK VOZ-
DUSHNOVO FLOTA (The Air
Force Journal) No. 10, May
1943.
its fire against enemy firing posi-
tions which had been previously
located and plotted.
As a rule, the artillery com-
mander acquaints, in advance,
the commander of the artillery
observation air unit with the
general situation, tells the time
of the beginning and end of the
artillery offensive, and sets the
time when intensive work of the
artillery observation planes will
be required. The plane crews
are assigned to artillery regi-
ments and get instructions from
the commanders concerning the
method of firing, passwords, and
so on.
The mission of our unit was to
maintain contact with several
artillery regiments, and the
crews operating in the air were
instructed to call for fire on the
active enemy batteries. The or-
der "Fire" was given to that
regiment on whose sector the
enemy battery was firing.
WW II
At the time when our artil-
lery preparation came to an end
and the advance of our infantry
units began, the greatest num-
ber of our artillery observation
planes were in the air. Particu-
larly during this period of the
operation, the coordination be-
tween artillery and observation
planes helped our infantry to
advance against a relatively
weaker fire resistance by the
enemy. A number of enemy bat-
teries were silenced, and some
of them destroyed.
Battle experience on our front
shows that fire adjustment is
sufficiently effective when one
plane is allotted to several regi-
ments. The plan of liaison with
artillery regiments is exceed-
ingly simple and convenient to
employ. Four to five regiments
are located on a certain sector
of the front. Each one has its call
sign and a definite area in which
it operates. An observation plane
is on patrol in the air and calls
for fire to that regiment on
whose sector an operating enemy
battery has been discovered.
All the artillery regiments
have their radio stations set for
reception. The observation plane
can call them at any moment
and direct their fire against an
enemy battery which has re-
sumed firing. As a rule, the di-
rectives given by the planes are
not coded. Their coding would
consume too much time. Only
target designations are given in
coded coordinates.
Contact between the air unit
and the artillery commander is
maintained by telephone. The
same messages are also trans-
mitted by radio. When neces-
sary, the commander or the chief
of staff of the air observation
unit is called to the artillery unit
for instructions. In addition to
the telephone, it is also abso-
lutely necessary that the com-
mand post be equipped with a
radio station. Thus, the com-
mander, upon receiving new in-
structions, transmits them in-
stantly to the crews operating
in the air. It is advisable to equip
the radio set with a loudspeaker.
The adjustment of artillery
fire may be accomplished in dif-
ferent ways, from a plane flying
over its own territory or from
one flying over enemy territory.
The use of either method de-
pends upon prevailing condi-
tions. When the enemy has at
his disposal a strong antiaircraft
defense and maintains a constant
fighter patrol over the objective,
then fire adjustment is made
from our territory. Fire adjust-
ment depends, am 0 n g other
things, on good visi bili ty.
The best way for observing
the burst of our shells is to give
the command "Fire" when the
plane is half-way to the target.
But this method should not be
used blindly, without consider-
ing the situation in the air, the
kind of guns the enemy is using,
their distance, and finally, the
speed of the observation plane
itself. Experienced 0 b s e r v e r
crews themselves choose the
most appropriate method when
they are in the air.
During counterbattery ex-
change, which is quite common
on our front, the time of takeoff
of a plane on an assigned mission
is never known in advance. The
plane crew is on duty on the
ground and takes off immedi-
ately upon receiving instructions
(by telephone or radio). In this
case, the crew receives only the
call sign of the unit with which
it has to cooperate and the loca-
tion of the sector where the
enemy batteries are active. The
crew must, therefore, know per-
fectly the region and the target
numbers against which our fire
is directed.
Upon receiving the order to
send an observation plane, the
commander of the air observa-
tion unit should provide the
plane with a fighter escort. Ex-
perience suggests that the com-
mander of the air observation
unit should have his own fighter
planes. When the fighters have
to be drawn from another unit,
the conference with the com-
mander of the fighter unit and
the organization of the meeting
place for the fighters with the
observation plane consume, un-
der most favorable conditions, 30
to 40 minutes.
It is sufficient to say that an
air observation unit having its
own fighter escort can conduct
three flights a day (in winter)
without too much difficulty.
However, when the fighters have
to be drawn from another unit,
only one or two flights a day
can be made. When there is a
great amount of enemy aircraft
on the front, the fighter protec-
tion should be particularly effec-
AIR OP IN WW D
tive (four to six fighters for each
observation plane).
Night adjustment of artillery
fire is a new field. It is not cov-
ered by regulations and was not
practiced in peacetime. Fire ad-
justment on a bright night, when
the visibility is good and when
the sector has landmarks for ref-
erence points (highways, rail-
roads, rivers, populated places,
etc.), does not differ from fire
adjustment by daylight. Illumi-
nated reference points can al-
ways be found, particularly after
an artillery preparation. While
the crew making daytime flights
may only familiarize itself gen-
erally with the sector, in flying
at night it must know by heart
the sector and the coordinates
of enemy batteries previously
plotted.
Many examples illustrate the
practicability of adjustment of
artillery fire at night and the
necessity for perfecting it fur-
ther. Thus, at the time when the
blockade was being broken, dur-
ing a single night flight, Pilot
2d Lieutenant Petrov and Navi-
gator Lieutenant Gilin found
two enemy batteries whose fire
had been particularly active, and
as a result these were silenced.
Altogether, during this opera-
tion, up to 12 enemy batteries
were silenced with the help of
night adjustment of artillery
fire.
Night adjustment also has
other characteristics. While in
daytime we can conduct a recon-
naissance and locate the artil-
lery positions of the enemy by
certain indications, we cannot
do so at night. An enemy bat-
tery can be detected at night
only during firing. Night crews
should thoroughly study the en-
tire region, be perfectly familiar
with the most minute details of
operation of a radio station, and
know by heart previously plot-
ted locations of enemy batteries.
43
sense
PREPARED BY THE U. S. ARMY BOARD FOR AVIATION ACCIDENT RESEARCH
The Other 1%
AT A MODEST estimate, 99 percent of all writing
about aviation safety is confined to equipment
and human errors by people who direct, operate,
or maintain equipment. Rarely do we read any-
thing about the most complex and mysterious
part of aviation-the individual between the ear-
phones. Yet, this other 1 percent contains the
only answers to the elusive "Why?" for many
accidents attributed to what we call human error.
Motivated by an outstanding report from an
Army flight surgeon, this month CRASH SENSE
will attempt to unscramble some of the known
facts and educated guesses about the many miles
of gray circuitry that govern our actions and
44
reactions. Since no useful purpose could be
served by describing the particular accident
which prompted the flight surgeon's fine report,
both he and the accident will remain completely
anonymous. But a portion of the knowledge and
several of the recommendations from his analysis
are included in this writing.
Elsewhere in this issue is an article about clear
writing and readability. After studying available
references about the brain and psyche, it becomes
painfully clear these learned authors did not have
the average reader in mind when they began
opening skulls, studying human behavior pat-
terns, and jotting down their findings. They ap-
pear to have invented a language all their own.
If a six syllable English word wasn't handy to
describe what they wanted to say, they dusted
off some unused Latin and Greek words, stuck
them together, and invented a new one. It's said
the professional brotherhood bands together in
anguish and snorts when an outsider attempts
to reduce their scientific jargon to simple terms.
At the risk of arousing their ire, here's what we
learned ....
MORE THAN A COMPUTER
The mass of nerve tissue we know as the brain
has been compared, with some accuracy, to mod-
ern high speed computers. Both can store facts
and release them on demand. The machine is
activated by electricity and the brain emits elec-
trical impulses which can be measured. But here
the analogy starts to break down. The computer
is limited by its construction and the amount of
information fed into it, while the brain appears
to have an almost unlimited capacity. And the
computer must be mechanically stimulated, while
the brain can be stimulated by any of our five
senses, a basic drive such as hunger, or a thought.
THREE IN ONE
To make their thoughts clear, headshrinkers
regard the mental apparatus as an instrument
made up of separate and distinct parts. A part
of their job is to find the points in this instrument
in which our various mental processes take place.
According to their most recent views, the appa-
ratus is made up of three parts:
1. Id--A storage place for instinctive impulses.
Weare completely unaware of the processes that
take place here.
2. Ego-This is our conscious world as we
know it. The ego develops from the id, allows us
to experience the external world through our
senses, and consciously controls the impulses of
the id.
3. Superego-Here's a part we'd cheerfully
part with at times, conscience. Except when we
overrule it, the superego dominates the ego and
unconsciously controls the impulses of the id.
The couch-keepers hasten to add that these
CRASH SENSE
views are subject to constant alteration as new ___
knowledge is gained.
WHAT WE ARE
Whoever said we are the sum total of our ex-
periences was only partly right. While experience
plays a large role in our development, we come
equipped with certain basic drives-pleasure-
seeking, pain-avoiding body needs-which must
be considered.
Factors which mold our personalities include
family, society, religion, economy, and education.
The most significant features of this environment
are other human beings. It is through other
people that we satisfy most of our needs. This is
affected by the sentiments and attitudes we
develop from environment and experience. These
become as much a part of us as the tools and
skills of our occupations. And the organized sys-
tem of our attitudes is what makes our individual
personalities.
ADAPTING TO SURROUNDINGS
All of us are immature in certain ways. Every-
one is still at times a little boy or little girl seek-
ing to find the satisfaction denied childhood
wishes, and failing to maturely adapt to all
conflicts.
Adapting to our surroundings is largely a proc-
ess of resolving various conflicts. These conflicts
are caused by stresses. There are the social con-
flicts in which we must adapt strong impulses of
our own to those of other people. There are con-
flicts between the need to be dependent and in-
dependent, to be dominant and submissive, and
those resulting from love and hate of the same
person. There is conflict between the need for
various forms of pleasure and moral feelings.
There is also a censorship force or escape mech-
anism in our minds which gives us a way out of
unpleasant situations or conflict. According to the
white coats, this may take the form of ...
Repression, in which we banish distasteful ideas
from our minds or prevent instinctive drives from
becoming conscious thoughts or action. When we
repress such a drive, its energy must find an
outlet, so we disguise it into something more
acceptable. The instinctive drive aroused by the
sight of a well filled bathing suit is disguised
and comes out as a socially acceptable whistle.
If your wife is near, may we hasten to recom-
mend a more silent outlet. We can escape ideas
by ...
Displacement, in which the object of a repressed
idea is replaced by another object that won't be
rejected by our ego or superego.
Symbolization, in which the object is replaced
by another which is similar to it.
Projection, in which repressed drives are seen
as belonging to other people.
Isolation, in which the repressed idea is re-
moved from its context.
45
MARCH 1963
Undoing, in which the unpleasant idea is re-
garded as being nonexistent or never having
occurred.
Conversion, in which emotional drives are
changed into physical symptoms such as paralysis
or uncon trolla ble tics.
Condensation, in which a number of repressed
ideas are concentrated in the unconscious mind
into a single idea or dream symbol.
There are other ways of escape, but these will
serve to illustrate the point. The disguise of re-
pressed drives and ideas in such fonns is a char-
acteristic of the mental life of every individual,
according to Sigmund Freud, who started this
whole business.
EMOTIONS
An emotion is a departure from our normal
calm (who says!?) state which induces feeling,
an impulse toward open action, and certain in-
ternal physical reactions. It may describe fear,
anger, disgust, grief, joy, surprise, yearning, etc.
Today's fast pace of life subjects us to far more
emotional stimulants of stress. Ever-increasing
speed in transportation and communications,
technological advances, and the need to confonn
to higher and higher standards of living keep us
in an aroused emotional state.
Emotions affect our physical and mental abili-
ties. The stronger the emotion, the more violent
the reaction. In the grip of a strong emotion, the
physiological functions of our bodies, including
even blood chemistry, change. Internal glands
spring to action and tone our hearts, lungs, and
muscles to their highest peak of efficiency as a
result of adrenalin pumping into our blood-
streams. When this happens, we can run faster,
hit harder, and feel less pain. Our blood will
coagulate faster if we are angry. But we gain
these advantages at the cost of effective mental
46
activities. As our bodies funnel their resources to
peak physical abilities, our minds are dulled by
a starvation diet. When our emotions are aroused,
our ability to think clearly is impaired.
FRUSTRATION
Social contacts of groups of people call forth
some of the most subtle and delicate adjustments.
Every person wants to gain the approval of the
group, to have his merit recognized, and to feel
that he has achieved something. These needs
are as important in human life as the simpler
physiological demands for food and wannth.
When they are frustrated, the individual is not
in balance with his social environment and ad-
justive activity is called for.
Frustration takes many fonns. Two are mate-
rial frustration and social frustration. Most peo-
ple are able to make constructive adjustments to
material frustrations, either solving their difficul-
ties or giving up the attempt with no undue show
of emotions. But social frustration is very likely
to evoke emotional behavior and result in less
successful adjustment.
One of the subtle types of social frustration
arises when a strong immediate motive is
thwarted by an individual's social habits and
values. How much frustration will be represented
by any given situation depends to a large extent
on the strength of the motives of the individual
concerned. If a person has always had his difficul-
ties smoothed by others, and if he is always
praised, he may develop an exaggerated motive
for superiority and mastery. Any minor obstruc-
tion to this motivation then calls for excessively
intense adjustive behavior.
Even so, most of us are able to resolve this type
of frustration by satisfactory adjustments. These
are usually unspectacular and go unnoticed in the
course of everyday life.
But some cannot adjust in this satisfactory and
unheralded way. This kind of person, frustrated
in his attempts to secure esteem and prestige in
a social group, will probably adjust by going into
a state of depression, or by "showing off."
Boiling this psychological jargon down to its
simplest terms, we find that all of us want the
approval and praise of whatever group we happen
to be a part. This is motivation.
IMPULSE
Why all this yak about emotions? Because emo-
tions are a driving force that can cause impulsive
actions.
An aviator flying a new high perfonnance air-
craft is a member of a select group and enjoys
tremendous prestige. As new aviators join this
group, the prestige of the group is spread thinner
and thinner. The pilot's position as a member of
a select group is threatened. He feels a strong
need to retain prestige. What better way can he
find than to put on an impromptu demonstration
before an audience? Emotional frustration leads
to impulsive action, and a board of officers is
appointed to investigate the results.
Or take the case of an aviator who is suddenly
and unexpectedly called away to a remote camp.
Separated from his family and surrounded by a
totally male environment, he feels, perhaps uncon-
sciously, that his masculinity is threatened.
Seeking to be a part of the group and to assert
his masculinity (a perfectly normal reaction),
he drinks more than he normally would.
Alcohol soothes the forbidding, cautionary
voice of his conscience (also a normal reaction)
and produces a mild disintegration of his usual
personality. Emotionally aroused, unconsciously
seeking reassurance of his manhood, he gives in
to impulse and invites his comrades to fly with
him to the nearest town to seek female company.
An emotional drive, a dulled conscience, an im-
pulsive act-the ingredients of disaster.
CRASH SENSE has often beat its drums about
another type of emotional stress-get-home-itis.
Highly experienced aviators have been known to
ignore thunderstorms, icing from the ground to
20,0'00 feet, and other equally dangerous hazards
when this type of stress, a conflict between desire
and judgment, leads to the impulse that starts
them on their way.
Every aviator faces these and other types of
emotional stress, frustration, and mental conflict.
How he reacts may well determine whether they
develop into impulsive actions, clouded judg-
ments, and other accident cause factors.
PREVENTION
It's all well and good to talk about what we
are and how and why we react to varying situa-
tions. But how can this knowledge be put to use
in accident prevention?
The first and most important step is to recog-
nize your limitations as a member of the human
race and admit that you, like everyone else, are
subject to nature's drives, frustrations, emotions,
and impulses. Only after you take this step
can you develop the necessary mental hygiene.
Whether you're an aviator, a mechanic, a tower
operator, or what-have-you, aviation demands
your undivided attention, your ego, and your
superego. Though you can't escape drives, mental
conflict, and other human traits, you can resolve
CRASH SENSE
them or set them aside before you go on duty.
If you find yourself unable to do this, it's time to
seek help.
We've seen what can happen when emotions
invade the cockpit. The same factors are no less
deadly when they cause the distraction that re-
sults in a missing cotter key or contaminants in
fuel storage tanks and delivery trucks.
Thanks to the flight surgeon's report, here are
some concrete recommendations:
Careful selection of flying candidates from
the psychiatric standpoint to avoid those indi-
viduals who decompensate under strees is of
paramount importance.
Military commanders with fliers under their
jurisdiction must take an interest in the problems
of flight and in the problems of fliers before
accidents happen. Aviation officers and aviation
medical officers should be used fully in their
advisory capacities. This is particularly impor-
tant in times of stress.
- ......... ----
47
MARCH 1963
An active aviation safety program with full
medical participation is essential to accident pre-
vention. A portion of each safety meeting should
be devoted to medical problems associated with
flying.
Flight surgeons or aviation medical officers
should be used as specified in tables of organi-
zation and technical bulletins. Aviation duties
must be accorded the highest priority.
In times of unusual stress, there must be
in authority, administrative officers responsible
directly to the unit commander for the authoriza-
tion of flights.
Health records should be available on all
aviation personnel, regardless of unexpected dis-
locations.
Circumstances surrounding accidents that
illustrate these points should be made public in
an anonymous fa$hion.
This we were happy to do.
WHY NOT
GROUND DUTY?
G
ROUND DUTY! Most Army
Aviators avoid using the
expression. Let's quit fighting it.
Sure there are some problems to
be worked out. Everyone will
agree on this, but Army Avia-
tors can serve the aviation pro-
gram on ground duty, too. A
remark often heard from Army
Aviators is: "The Army will
never integrate us into their
system of thinking."
We, the ground duty aviators
of the 8th Infantry Division
think otherwise. Rather than
48
their integrating us into their
system of thinking, we have in-
filtrated among their ranks and
hope we have helped influence
them in thinking about better
use of Army Aviation. This is
proved by the fact that our divi-
sion conducts heliborne opera-
tions and use of the division
organic aircraft in every phase
of its training that it can.
On the last Battle Group ATT
we incorporated the majority of
the 7th Army helicopter lift
capability in moving a battle
group with equipment from its
assembly area to a line of contact
some 40 air miles over Germany.
We believe that we do not have
to be in a Category I flying as-
signment to give aviation support
to our division, but can be of real
support and sell aviation in our
present assignments. Maybe if
more aviators would take this
outlook, aviation and the differ-
ent branches would have a bet-
ter appreciation of each other's
views.
-Submitted by ,Aviators
of Hqs, 8th lnf Div
MEMORANDUM FOR:
AVIATORS,
FLIGHT CREWS,
MECHANICS
SUBJECT:
Bird Nests
1. Bird nest building time is
here again. Much activity has
been noted in the South and is
moving northward with spring
weather. This year the birds
seem to have speeded up their
construction met hod s. Nests
have been found completed and
ready for eggs in only 5 days
after being started.
2. All personnel are warned
to preflight aircraft very care-
fully during the spring months
to ensure that no bird nests have
been built since the aircraft was
last flown.
Editor-in -Chief
First Flight of Hiller OH-SA
The first flight of the U. S.
Army's sleek, turbine-powered
OH-5A Light Observation Heli-
copter occurred on January 26.
The test pilot stated that the
helicopter had excellent han-
dling characteristics and the
lowest vibration levels he'd ever
experienced in a helicopter.
Five OH-5A prototypes are
now in production, aimed at
Army evaluation early in 1964
in competition for one of his-
tory's largest aircraft production
programs in peacetime. [See DI-
GEST, July 61.]
Beginning a new generation
of Hiller helicopters, the OH-5A
is powered by the Allison T63
gas turbine engine. Speeds will
be over 50 percent higher than
present Army light helicopters.
The OH-5A is fitted with an au-
tomatically stabilized rotor sys-
tem identical in concept to that
now being produced for the
Hiller L-4 piston-powered heli-
copter.
Ready for Cold Weather User Tests
A YUH-ID Iroquois has com-
pleted the Air Force phase of its
adverse weather testing program
and has been turned over to the
Army for cold weather user
tests.
The helicopter has drawn fa-
vorable reports after testing in
temperatures ranging from 65
0
below zero to 125
0
above.
Last year it was flown to Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., for more
than six weeks of climatic han-
gar testing.
Later it was flown to Wright-
Patterson AFB for more adverse
weather testing, to the factory
for installation of rotor blade
and windshield ice-protection
systems and equipping with a ski
kit to permit landings in heavy
snow and on marshy ground;
then back to Wtight-Patterson
for de-icing tests; and finally
airlifted to Nielson AFB, Alaska,
(or more Air Force weather
tests.