Feel Free to Move on Grass!

It was not an everyday spectacle, when the C-130 and C-160 transport aircraft practised forced landings and take-offs on the grassy runway, and the low-level flights. And this was the task of the pilots participating in the training exercise on Wednesday among others. The A 400M type airplane of the French Air Force arrived first from Pápa to the Szolnok air base. The French pilots could take the monster down on the tarmac, but the next ones landed on the designated, two kilometres long and fifty meter wide grassy landing field.

Lt.-Col. Endre Daróczi, the Chief of Air Operations of the HDF 86th Szolnok Helicopter Base said to our inquiry that this manoeuvre requires increased preparation, and a more delicate and intricate take-off and landing technique from the air personnel. “Landing on a grassy field is used on the area of operation (AO), when the pilots have no opportunity to take their plane down on the traditional concrete airstrip" – explained the Lieutenant Colonel.

The ETAP-T 18 exercise organised jointly by the European Air Transport Command (EATC) and the European Tactical Airlift Centre (ETAC) began on June 10 at the HDF Pápa Air Base, with the fundamental objective that the participating personnel of the Member States carry out operational planning and tactical operations tasks with the transport aircraft. The exercise ends on 22nd of June.

Photo of Tünde Rácz