Page 30 - HeliOps Frontline Issue 26

30 HELIOPS FRONTLINE / ISSUE 26 / 2019

The tower is active 24 hours a day and has BACCARAT AIRCRAFT
no radar with all aircraft engine start-ups, take
offs and landings controlled visually and on radio The French Army Aviation has approximately
commands only. Due to the confined space within 150 helicopters in its inventory, with almost 20%
the tower normally only one controller is on duty of these taking part in the exercise including
at any one time with a second ATC person used to Tigers and NH90 TTH from 1e and 5e RHC plus
record aircraft movements. Gazelles and Pumas from the 1e and 3e RHC. The
Away from the main field forward arming and Spanish Army sent Tiger’s from BHELA I in Central
refueling points were also set up at short notice Spain, a NH90 TTH from BHELMA III in Logroño
during the exercise providing temporary locations and CH-47D’s from BHELTRA V based in Colmenar
to hot refuel multiple helicopters simultaneously Viejo, Madrid. The British Army Air Corps sent AH-
using mobile combat support tankers. An air 64D Longbow Apaches from 3 Regiment based in
traffic controller was deployed in these advanced Wattisham and AW159 Wildcat from 1 Regiment
fields to control aircraft movements using a located at Yeovilton.
handheld radio. France originally ordered the HAP (Hélicoptère