Thursday 18 December 2008

'Popped Smoke'



A smoke pyro has been let off to allow the helicopter pilot to gauge the wind direction and strength during landing. A nice bright orange so the chap can see it... you try and stand upwind so you don't get covered in orange dye!

And why the term 'popped smoke'??? Well in the heat of a rescue earlier this year someone (nameless) radio'd into the helicopter on its final run in and shouted 'Rescue 106 we've Popped Smoke!' only to find the smoke didn't go off and the team bursting into laughter! Popped smoke indeed!

1 comment:

Swanage Coastguard said...

Its orange smoke!!!

And I have been "tango'd" once when the wind changed direction!!