Dick Poole had a memorable flight in Hawk XX158.…
One Friday in March 1985 I accompanied Heinz Frick
on a Production
Flight Test Schedule (PFTS) flight in XX158. This was the 4th
development Hawk, for which I had briefed stalling, spinning and
performance trials many times during the development programme. I also
flew in the aircraft as a flight test observer on a number of the
trials, but not spinning, although Jim Hawkins had demonstrated some of
the spin modes to me. By now the aircraft had been de-instrumented and
converted to the War Role (carriage of Sidewinder) as a TMk1A and was
to be delivered to the RAF.
We cleared a few PFTS items and then returned to
Dunsfold. On the
downwind leg for runway 25 with undercarriage and flaps deployed Heinz
did a brake test and found that one of the main wheel brake foot
motors, operated by pressing the rudder pedals, was inoperative. This
was a serious problem as the brakes were the only means to steer and
stop the aircraft on landing once the nose wheel was on the ground.
Heinz abandoned the approach and informed air traffic and the duty
pilot, Jim Hawkins.
My
Promotion To Temporary Co-Pilot
Question to Heinz, “Who have you got in the back?” Answer, “ Dick
Poole” Reply, “He should be able to stop you on the ground”. Wow,
promotion indeed! Heinz wanted to use the lowest practical approach
speed so, as we still had a significant amount of fuel on board, we
went to the south coast to burn the fuel level down to ‘bingo’ state
(fuel low level warning lights on) and then returned to Dunsfold.
Heinz’s plan was to use maximum aerodynamic braking by holding the nose
up once the main wheels touched down. When he could no longer keep the
nose up I was to steer the aircraft to a halt with differential
braking. With some “left” & “right” direction I brought the
aircraft to a stop close to the runway centreline.
When we had reached Dunsfold after the PFTS tests
there were three export Hawks parked on the flight line at the western
end of the runway. When we returned these aircraft had disappeared and
the airfield ambulance and fire engine were parked on the perimeter
track at the threshold of runway 25 - little confidence in my ability
to keep the aircraft on the runway, I felt. The following day Heinz,
the excellent cartoonist, presented me with a cardboard Medal -The
Order of the Hairy Foot’.