Annual Camp 09
Pilots and Commanders
Courses
September 2009
The powers that be had decided that the annual camp for 2009 was going to be an Amph Courses Camp. Our resources limited us to only running two courses, one to advance trained crewmen to become M3 pilots and an M3 commander's course for those who need the qualification for promotion.
Those on the commander's course enjoyed
all the thrills of 'bridge calcs', 'recce proforma' and other classroom
subjects and were hardly seen by the rest of us when they joined us on
the river for their 'swimmers & waders' drills. Some found swimming
across the river Weser twice fun, one individual found it a major trauma.
All made it there and back, and nobody drowned.
The
pilot's course started with 'basic maneuvering' and 'close coupling drills'.
The concentration of the trainee pilots was intense and at the times when
it seemed like 'waterborne bumper cars' the concern on the faces of the
rig commanders was obvious.
The
course went on to cover 'open coupling drills' and 'head of bridge drills',
joined by the trainee rig commanders to learn the subtle art of 'bluffing
your case', standing round looking important, and 'shouting at your pilot
when it goes wrong when you didn't brief him in the first place'. The
trainee pilots learned the valuable lessons of 'staying on the pilot stand
for hours' and 'you will get shouted at even when it's not your fault'.
The
last few days of the course were mainly taken up by testing, but did give
the pilots a chance to experience the wonders of maneuvering an M3 through
the confined still waters of the locks when they had the chance of motoring
up the Weser to Wouldham and back. They now all know the speed and ease
of a road move compared to what they may have considered the 'fun' option.
The end of the camp was, as always, celebrated with a BBQ and a few beers.
