The Flight Team - Keith D Thomas

Career details and aviation experience:

I served as a helicopter pilot, instructor & examiner in the RAF for a total of 31 years and left to join the Civil Aviation Authority in 1999. My current post is as a Flight Operations Inspecting & Standards Officer within the Flight Operations Inspectorate based at Gatwick Airport. On 1 June 2009 my role is changing to that of a Licensing Standards Inspector in the Personnel & Licensing Division.

1964 – 67 Joined the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force at Warwick School and completed a RAF Flying Scholarship at Carlisle on the Cessna 150 & 172.

1968 - 71 Joined the RAF after obtaining a University Cadetship and attended Cardiff University reading Pure & Applied Chemistry and Polymer Technology. Flew the Chipmunk in the University of Wales Air Squadron and graduated from university in 1971 with a First Class Joint Honours Degree.

1971 – 72 Was offered a PhD research place but the love of flying meant that the next year was spent at RAF College Cranwell flying the Jet Provost Mk 3 & Mk 5. Obtained RAF “wings” in September 1972 and volunteered for rotary training.

1972 – 73 Helicopter training was at RAF Ternhill. The basic course was on the Sioux HT2 and the advanced course on the Whirlwind HAR Mk 10.

1973 Wessex HC Mk 2 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Odiham.

1973 – 6 Posted to No 72 Squadron at RAF Odiham as a Wessex Support Helicopter (SH) pilot.

1976 – 78 Posted on exchange as Flight Commander to the Army Air Corps at Netheravon flying Scout AH Mk 1 in the anti-tank role using SS11 wire-guided missiles.

1978 Completed Search and Rescue (SAR) training at RAF Valley on Whirlwind HAR Mk 10.

1978 – 80 Posted to A Flt No 22 Squadron at RAF Chivenor as SAR pilot on Whirlwind HAR Mk 10.

1980 – 83 Posted to No 84 Squadron RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, as A SAR pilot and Flight Commander on Whirlwind HAR Mk 10. Converted to Wessex HC Mk 2 for the latter part of the tour when the Squadron assumed an additional role in support of the United Nations.

1983 Attended Central Flying School course at RAF Shawbury training to be an instructor using the Gazelle HT Mk 1.

1983 – 84 Posted to No 2 (AFT) Squadron at RAF Shawbury instructing on the Wessex HC Mk 2.

1984 – 86 Posted on exchange as Training Officer to No 3 Squadron, Sultan of Omans Air Force flying the Bell 206, 205 & 214B.

1986 Wessex HC Mk 2 refresher course at RAF Shawbury.

1986 – 89 Posted to No 22 Squadron HQ, RAF Finningley, as the SAR Training Officer on Wessex HC Mk 2. Responsible for initial and continuing training and examining of 20 pilots at 5 dispersed flights at RAF Manston, Chivenor, Leuchars, Valley and Coltishall. Became a Command Instrument Rating Examiner (CIRE) responsible for award of IRE status and Instrument Ratings.

1989 – 90 Attended the General Duties Aero-Systems Course at the Dept of Air Warfare, RAF College Cranwell. This is a 12 month long course in mathematics, statistics, radar, electro-optics and weapon theory to become a Trials Officer at Boscombe Down.

1990 – 92 Posted to the Navigation & Radio Division, RAF Boscombe Down, as a Harrier GR 7 Trials Officer.

1992 – 95 Posted to No 28 (AC) Sqn, RAF Kai Tak, Hong Kong, as the Squadron Training Officer on the Wessex HC Mk 2. 28 (AC) Sqn had both SAR and SH roles.

1995 – 97 Posted to No 72 Squadron, RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, as the Squadron Training Officer on the Wessex HC Mk 2.

1997 –99 Posted to RAF Shawbury as an instructor in the Defence Helicopter Flying School on the Bell 412EP (Griffin).

1999 – Started a new career with the CAA.

Learned to fly seaplanes and balloons and I have a PPL to fly these aircraft. I have purchased a hot-air balloon which is kept in Mondovi’, Italy and travel out there three times a year to fly it. The Huey team of Phil, Jo Connolly & Neil Airey have all been to Mondovi’ and flown in the balloon.

I maintain a CPL for aeroplanes by flying light aircraft – my favourite being aerobatics in Tiger Moths at Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent

I maintain an ATPL for helicopters with instructor rating. I have recently carried out type ratings on the EC120, Huey and R44. I am Display Pilot and a Display Pilot Evaluator. I attended the Robinson factory safety course in California during April 2009 and will do a Hughes 500 conversion later this year. This will allow me to fly the OH6 as soon as it has cleared all the paperwork hurdles with the CAA.

I also hope to become involved with flying the AH1 Cobra later in the year.

I have over 8000 flying hours on helicopters including over 700 on Huey helicopters (Bell 205, 214B & 412EP &, of course, G-UHIH, otherwise known as Huey 509)

Current CAA General Aviation responsibilities include:

• Sport parachuting;
• Private, Corporate and Aerial Work helicopters. This includes the grant or refusal of low flying and Congested Area Permissions. A large amount of time is spent in dealing with noise and nuisance complaints from the general public.
• Air Displays. As a Display Authorisation Evaluator (DAE) the assessment of pilots for the issue of Display Authorisation (DA) ratings. Without a valid DA a pilot may not take part in any displays.
• Assessment foreign registered aircraft as to suitability for carrying out aerial work, including flight instruction, in the UK.
• Public Transport balloon companies.
• Setting the Principles of Flight examinations for commercial helicopter licences.
• Working as a member of the European Helicopter Safety Assessment & Intervention Teams.
• Giving expert advice on all matters relating to Safety Management Systems. This role came about after finishing a part-time Masters Degree in the subject at Bournemouth University.

CAA Commercial Helicopter responsibilities include:

• Ramp checking AOC helicopters and pleasure flying helicopters at special events.

This addition role was as a result of completing the 12-week long Flight Operations Inspectors course.

In June 2009 I start work in my new role as a Licensing Standards Inspector. This will involve inspection and approval of Flying & Type Rating Training Organisations around the UK and overseas.

Keith At Work

Worst (and Best) Aviation Moment

Worst

During my tour of duty in Hong Kong the duty crew, of which I was the captain, were scrambled to a vessel that had transmitted a MAYDAY. This was in Chinese territorial waters during Typhoon Becky. After getting diplomatic clearance we carried out a search for the vessel.

Unfortunately the Wessex suffered a double engine surge and stall and we ditched into the sea which had 50 foot high waves.

Getting Slightly Better

Good fortune together with the excellent training provided by the RAF enabled me to carry out a text-book ditching and the Wessex remained upright whilst the crew, who were all uninjured, abandoned “ship”.

The co-pilot boarded his single-seat dinghy whilst I joined the two rear crew who were holding on to the upside-down multi-seat dinghy. For some reason these always seem to inflate upside-down – even when being used in a swimming pool. We discussed the relative merits of hanging on versus righting the dinghy to board it. We decided that in the prevailing high winds it would probably tumble and we would have to let go. This would mean we would be separated from each other and thus would present our rescuers with 3 small targets to find rather than one large target.

One of the crewmen asked: “Keith – you are a SCUBA diver – are we going to have any problems with sharks?”

This enabled me to crack one of the corniest of SCUBA jokes by replying “Absolutely not”.

This always gets the supplementary question: “How can you be so certain?”

The reply to this is: “Because the salt-water crocodiles have eaten them all.” BOOM BOOM !!

Best

After 30 minutes in the sea (but it felt a lot, lot longer) we were rescued by 2 other Wessex from 28 (AC) Sqn.

A friend of the Squadron kindly painted a picture of the ditching. Although this has some technical errors it gives a flavour of the moment and is attached below.

In the SCUBA club I was accused of being too keen and reminded that I should not take my helicopter diving. Fortunately the RAF Board of Inquiry did not see the following picture.

Proudest Aviation Moment

Having my RAF “wings” pinned onto my chest during the graduation parade at RAF College Cranwell whilst my parents watched with delight. Sadly my parents are no longer with us but I thank them for their kindness and commitment that made my achievements possible.

Scariest “Aviation” Moment

This was not the ditching, as I was too busy making MAYDAY calls and carrying out the engine-off ditching to be scared, but my free-fall parachute course at RAF Weston-on-the-Green. Each day I prayed for strong wind and rain – but none came and I completed all 10 jumps. All were truly and deeply terrifying. Life has, however, a sense of humour as one of my current CAA responsibilities is safety oversight of all UK sport parachuting.

Hopes For The Future

To help the Huey team in displaying Huey 509 and the OH6. To become rated on the Huey Cobra and to become a Type Rating Examiner to assist the team in remaining current.

Keith At Play