Moving a Bell 212 helicopter to Brunei by Royal Air Force Boeing C17 requires a lot of planning.
Key to this is making sure the helicopter, when it is loaded onto the giant aircraft, is securely tied down for the mammoth journey.
Engineers and Logisticians at the Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit based at RAF Brize Norton are tasked with this important job. Using the exact replica ‘mock up’ of the C17 in their hangar; the team first work out a tie down scheme for the safe transport of the 212 before it is loaded onto the real thing.
From the moment it arrived, a dedicated team of military and civil service personnel swarmed over the helicopter; manufacturing loading beams, calculating restraint requirements and generally ensuring the valuable cargo would arrive in Brunei and be ready to fly with no issues.
A team of military and commercial contractors will travel to Brunei to offload and assemble the helicopter where it will be used by the Army Air Corps at the British Army’s training base.
The primary role of Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit (JADTEU) is to conduct operational trials and evaluation to develop the delivery by air of personnel, machines and materiel on behalf of sponsors. In addition it provides advice/recommendations to MOD sponsors, other government departments, civilian industry and foreign governments on all air transport matters.
The Bell 212 is used by the Army Air Corps in the jungle areas of Brunei. A winch on the side of the aircraft also enables medical evacuation in otherwise difficult terrain. Consequently the Bell 212 is currently employed in predominantly jungle areas where its performance is a great advantage.
Images Crown Copyright 2020.