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Winch by winch… 825 Wildcat crews broaden search and rescue skills
4 June 2025
Flight said Fred?
Raise the Ruth?
Raise the Ruth?
Air Engineering Technician Aaron North of 825 Naval Air Squadron looks up to his colleagues in their Wildcat hovering overhead.
The Navy’s perennially accident-prone dummy – Fred if it’s male, Ruth is the female variant, slightly lighter, slightly harder to see in the water/dark, but equally clumsy – is in trouble again and needs winching to safety.
Enter the Wildcat. While Search and Rescue duties are not a primary role as they were in the days of 771 Naval Air Squadron and HMS Gannet, they are still both taught and practised by all rotary wing crews in the Fleet Air Arm, be it to rescue shipmates in trouble, or civilians if they’re the quickest on scene.
With that in mind, and with Wildcat helicopters operating with leaner crew complements (one pilot, one observer and eight engineers), 825 has adapted by giving a few selected engineers like Aaron with the skills and confidence to take on key SAR responsibilities… typically performed by a dedicated aircrewman.
While the primary role of Wildcat helicopters revolves around reconnaissance, maritime strike, and utility sorties (moving personnel and equipment around), in real-world Search and Rescue or casualty evacuation scenarios, these engineers are called upon to act swiftly and effectively as a winchman.
Pictures: L(Phot) Unaisi Luke