CRASHING waves batter a Royal Navy ship causing it to roll and pitch in the heavy seas and despite a moving deck, technicians still have to service or repair a helicopter on board this vessel.

Edward Oliver spent 28 years in the Fleet Air Arm and 17 years of that time as a Chief Petty Officer (Engineer Technician) operating with helicopters such as the Wessex and Wasp types

He saw service on many Royal Navy vessels including the assault ship HMS Intrepid; HMS Hydra, an ocean-going survey vessel and the aircraft carrier, HMS Hermes.

The various environments he served in were as extreme as the desert and Arctic regions of the world.

His talk will not be about how helicopters fly; they do so using the same laws of physics and aerodynamics as any other type of powered aircraft, but how they control flight is quite different. To get a fixed wing aircraft airborne and control its direction and height is relatively straightforward. Because of the particular requirements of a helicopter in hovering, or producing sufficient lift to fly but without actually leaving the ground, the control system has to be more complex.

With the aid of a model of a control system, he will explain how helicopters actually achieve controlled flight.

Edward Oliver will be speaking to the society at their meeting on Friday, January 9, 7.45pm for 8pm at Penarth Conservative Club.

Visitors are welcome to attend; a donation of £2 per head is requested.

Hon. Secretary: Mike Duxbury Tel: (01446) 711 482 Mobile: 07829 124 353

For further details go to the website.