RNAS
The Sea King Mk4 has been in service with the Commando Helicopter Force for 36 years
Posted on 03/21/2016 12:25:44 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
A Royal Navy helicopter dubbed the "Land Rover of the skies" will make its final flypast later.
The Sea King Mk4 has been flying for 36 years with the Commando Helicopter Force, based at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset.
Five of the aircraft will fly from the base, visiting Portsmouth, Poole, Plymouth, Okehampton, Bristol and Glastonbury.
The fleet will be decommissioned at the end of the month.
On Sunday a 'Junglie' Sea King landed for the final time on the flight deck of HMS Bulwark, which is currently at sea off the Devon coast.
Captain James Parkin said: "The 'Junglie' Sea King has given fantastic service to the British Armed Forces over the last 36 years all over the world, ranging from the Falklands War, through Bosnia and Northern Ireland, and in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"It's been great to see a 'Junglie' Sea King at sea for one final
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
RNAS
The Sea King Mk4 has been in service with the Commando Helicopter Force for 36 years
Heh ... looks like the love child of a CH-53 and a Blackhawk :-D. That being said, all of those old birds like this and the CH-53 have done amazing work over the years and certainly outlived their intended life span.
Probably doesn’t use Lucas electronics.
Great old birds.
Still, I hate to fly in anything that is held in the air by single nut named “Jesus”.
Still a great airframe. Sikorsky is still regretting selling the production license to Westland, these and their variants are still in high demand.
Hahahaha...the “Jesus” nut...
There have been various Marks used by the RN including the ASW Sea Kings HAS.1,HAS.2, HAS.5, and HAS.6; AEW Sea King AEW.2 and AEW.5; search and rescue Sea King HAR.3 and HAR.5; troop carrier HC.4; and utility conversion of AEW.5 Sea Kings, the HU.5. The Sea King has been superseded in Royal Navy service by the Augusta-Westland Merlin EH-101 — Royal Navy designation HM.1 and HM.2 (ASW, ASuW) and ASaC.5 (AEW conversions of HM.1). Merlins are flown by Fleet Air Arm (FAA) Squadrons No. 814, 820, 824, 829, 845, and 846.
Should the Jesus nut fail or unscrews and becomes lost in flight, the main rotor blades come off, and the helicopter flips 180 degrees and goes straight into the ground from altitude.
Place all your faith in Jesus, if not and he lets you down you will be meeting him in person whatever time 9.8m/sec gets you to the ground... :)
Shhhh..... that would ruin your whole day .....
Still, I hate to fly in anything that is held in the air by single nut named “Jesus”.
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Bwahaha :-) That Jesup nut made for some interesting jokes my first few days of flying in the 53’s
Jesus not Jesup lol
Hell I was feeling foolish just because I thought that might be its actual name and I didn’t know it!
LOL, I know, I used to be an aviation mech, but...hadn’t heard that term used in a long time! It sounded funny to hear it after so much time!
Yup, that’s the truth. It sounds funny to hear about it, but it is no laughing matter if the Jesus nut fails or comes off the end of the rotor mast. Everyone aboard the Huey is heading for a smoking crater in the ground. There will be no survivors.
I have a real Huy Jesus nut hanging on the wall of my office to point at and remind young engineers about the dangers of single point failures.
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