The incident l am about to relate was not only the funniest thing l saw while in the RAF, but was also one of the funniest thing l EVER experienced. Let me set the scene.
RAF Brize Norton in the late 1960's. I worked as a airframe fitter on the VC-10 / Belfast flight line. These were the days when Great Britain still had many overseas commitments, and personnel and families were flown out on a daily basis on military duty.
During the aircraft see off the airframe man ( me in this case ) was the guy on the headset connected to the flight crew on the flight deck. The engine tech manned the external engine start trolley, The electrician manned the fire extinguisher, and the instrument trades helped in whatever task they were required on.
The air movements buses arrived with the 150 passenger ready to be loaded aboard the aircraft. They were just being ushered out the buses and escorted to the boarding steps when the flight engineer called " Air " which meant start the air start trolley, and prepare to air start the four engines.
I signaled the correct sign to the engine tech on the Hamson air start trolley. He opened the throttle on the start trolley diesel engine then opened the air transfer valve, feeding air to the aircraft. As soon as he did that all hell broke loose. The hose connecting the trolley to the belly of the aircraft which was about 9 inches in diameter snapped of it's connection clamp, and with an unbelievable noise of rushing air, started to hammer against the side of the aircraft. The noise was ear splitting.
The next sequence of events happened almost at once. The air movement staff left their passenger in an instant, and to a man hide behind the buses, leaving the bewildered passenger stranded on the entry steps. The engine tech was jumping up and down, half trying to escape this wild gyrating hose, and half trying to catch and secure the said hose. The electrician, and the instrument lads took to their heels and ran towards the flight line office, no doubt in a state of panic.
The flight engineer was screaming through my headset wanting to know what the @#$% was going on out there. And yours truly, well l could not do anything for laughing. I have never forgotten that scene, it was in no way dangerous, but was sure one of the funniest things l ever saw.
RAF Brize Norton in the late 1960's. I worked as a airframe fitter on the VC-10 / Belfast flight line. These were the days when Great Britain still had many overseas commitments, and personnel and families were flown out on a daily basis on military duty.
During the aircraft see off the airframe man ( me in this case ) was the guy on the headset connected to the flight crew on the flight deck. The engine tech manned the external engine start trolley, The electrician manned the fire extinguisher, and the instrument trades helped in whatever task they were required on.
The air movements buses arrived with the 150 passenger ready to be loaded aboard the aircraft. They were just being ushered out the buses and escorted to the boarding steps when the flight engineer called " Air " which meant start the air start trolley, and prepare to air start the four engines.
I signaled the correct sign to the engine tech on the Hamson air start trolley. He opened the throttle on the start trolley diesel engine then opened the air transfer valve, feeding air to the aircraft. As soon as he did that all hell broke loose. The hose connecting the trolley to the belly of the aircraft which was about 9 inches in diameter snapped of it's connection clamp, and with an unbelievable noise of rushing air, started to hammer against the side of the aircraft. The noise was ear splitting.
The next sequence of events happened almost at once. The air movement staff left their passenger in an instant, and to a man hide behind the buses, leaving the bewildered passenger stranded on the entry steps. The engine tech was jumping up and down, half trying to escape this wild gyrating hose, and half trying to catch and secure the said hose. The electrician, and the instrument lads took to their heels and ran towards the flight line office, no doubt in a state of panic.
The flight engineer was screaming through my headset wanting to know what the @#$% was going on out there. And yours truly, well l could not do anything for laughing. I have never forgotten that scene, it was in no way dangerous, but was sure one of the funniest things l ever saw.
Gotta respect ingenuity!!
