Leslie Symons - To Ride the Mountain Winds

This is a great book, filling in a very important part of the mountain story.

Sir Chris Bonington

This volume is a comprehensive account of the history of mountain aviation, from the first intrepid balloon flights of the 18th century, through to the commercial airliners, leisure flights, military operations, and daring sport flying achievements of the 21st; and of the challenges presented by the mountains, including the hazardous winds. It is a thoroughly well researched and well written history and, as such, an important document. Above all it is a true celebration of the mountains, of aviation, and of the inextricable link between the two.

Jamie Andrew, from his Foreword

Having spent forty years climbing on the worlds mountains, I enjoyed enormously Leslie Symonss whole new perspective of mountains from above. The maps and aerial photographs we climbers rely on would never have been possible without the skill of mountain pilots. Many of us myself included also owe our lives to the invention of the helicopter. As for the balloonists and paragliders who brave the fickle air currents on high mountains for sport they are just much braver than I will ever be!

Stephen Venables

For years, RAF pilots have been taking their Sea Kings into areas not usually associated with helicopters. Their contribution to mountain rescue in the Cairngorms has been immense. As this book amply demonstrates, the histories of flying and mountain rescue are intimately linked with each pushing the other forward.

John Allen, former leader of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team and author of Cairngorm John

Unimaginable stories of the history, exploits, dedication, triumphs and tragedies of flying among mountains. No mountain-goer will ever look at an aeroplane or helicopter in the same way again.

Hamish Brown, author of Hamishs Mountain Walk, Hamishs Groats End Walk, and Climbing the Corbetts.

The fear of falling, or the desire to fall into flight? The contrary drives of the climber and the flier give their relationship with mountains a mutual fascination which this book explores.

Terry Gifford, founding Director of the International Festival of Mountaineering Literature and Trustee of the Mountain Heritage Trust.

This is an outstanding work, comprehensively charting the development of aerial mountaineering and the rescue services in mountains. I learnt a lot about the fascinating history surrounding these initiatives, and I unreservedly recommend a reading of this book.

Dennis Gray, author of From the Edge, Rope Boy and other books is a former General Secretary of the British Mountaineering Council

If you think you know all about the history of Search and Rescue in the mountains then this is the book for you it will either confirm your suspicions or, I suspect, make you realise just how little you really knew. There are some wonderful, highly relevant asides too.

Brian Canfer in On the Hill, journal of the RAF Mountain Rescue Association

a well-balanced book of interest to the aviator and mountaineer alike. But be warned, whichever way your inclinations might lie, if this book tempts you to investigate the alternative interest, you might learn something about yourself.

David Gibbings FRAeS, distinguished pilot and aviation artist, writing in Aerospace Magazine

A terrific book, lots of new material, good photographs, both historic and current, well written and well worth reading.

Helicopter Life

Leslie Symons is an Emeritus Professor of Geography who has been fascinated throughout his life by mountains and aviation. After wartime aircraft recognition and aeronautics studies, military service and travel with the Royal Engineers Movement Control Section gave opportunities to further an already keen interest in hill walking. Post-war climbing in Wales and Scotland was pursued while studying at the London School of Economics where he became president of the mountaineering club and delegate to the fledgling British Mountaineering Council. Later, a Ph.D thesis on mountain land use accompanied lecturing at Queens University, Belfast.

In New Zealand through the 1960s Leslie taught at the University of Canterbury during which time he researched aerial renovation of mountain tussock grasslands. Back in the UK with the Department of Geography at Swansea University and Centre of Russian Studies, he studied aerial work and civil aviation in the Soviet Union, travelling in Siberia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Research into weather as a contributory factor in aircraft accidents was followed by the role of external examiner at the Royal Naval School of Meteorology and Oceanography. His interest in mountain rescue has led him to further travels and discussions with the rescue services of a number of countries.

By the same author

Agricultural Geography

Russian Agriculture; A Geographical Survey

co-authored and co-edited

Land Use in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland; A Geographical Introduction

Russian Transport

Soviet and East European Transport Problems

Transport and Economic Development: Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

The Soviet Union; A Systematic Geography

Highway Meteorology

First published in Great Britain in 2011

This edition published 2013

Sandstone Press Ltd

PO Box 5725

One High Street

Dingwall

Ross-shire

IV15 9WJ

Scotland

www.sandstonepress.com

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the express written permission of the publisher.

Editor: Robert Davidson

Leslie Symons 2011

All internal photographs as ascribed.

The moral right of Leslie Symons to be recognised as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988.

The publisher acknowledges subsidy from Creative Scotland towards this volume.

ISBN: 978-1-908737-41-0

ISBNe: 978-1-908737-42-7

Jacket design by Gravemaker + Scott, Paris.

Ebook by Iolaire Typesetting, Newtonmore.

To Gloria

and to

the rescuers who risk their lives to save others, whether by sea, air or land

A large number of people have given freely of their time and expertise to help in the writing and preparation for publication of this book. In particular I should like to thank the librarians who have patiently sought to meet many requests, often difficult to fulfil. Help extending over several years has been generously provided at the libraries of the cole Nationale de Ski et dAlpinisme (ENSA) and the municipal library at Chamonix; by Christine Boesiger, archivist of the Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus) Luzern and at many public libraries in Switzerland, France and Italy. In Britain I am indebted to Brian Riddle, librarian, and other staff of the Royal Aeronautical Society; Ministry of Defence DASA; the Air Historical Branch, Royal Air Force; the Royal Naval Air Service; H.M Coastguard especially Mark Clark and John Bentley; the Alpine Club; the British Mountaineering Council, especially Tony Ryan; the National Library of Wales; the Mitchell Library, Glasgow; the British Library of Political and Economic Science, London School of Economics; and several public libraries, especially in Shropshire, Dorset and Inverness and the Carnegie Library, Kendal. I am no less grateful for the help generously given by the personnel of HMS Gannet, Prestwick, especially Mike Paulet; the Peloton de Haute Montagne (the Gendarmerie) at Chamonix; Philipp Keller, Communications, Rega, Zurich; and members of staff, past and present of aviation firms, notably AgustaWestland; Air-Glaciers; Air Zermatt, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, especially Chalid Baumann, Chamonix Mont Blanc Helicopters, and from staff of the Swiss Tourist Office, ditions Glnat, Grenoble and the Forest Fire Control Branch, Ontario. I have also received many helpful comments from pilots and aircrew members, instructors, mountain guides, doctors and others involved in the mountain rescue services, from the Air Accident Investigation Branch, Farnborough; the National Transportation Safety Board, Washington DC, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, Montreal. Special thanks for helpful comments and supply of information and photographs are due to Robert Davidson, John Allen and the members of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, Colin Cruddas, David Gibbings, Chris Sanger-Davies of Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd., Mark Radice, Ruth Tyers, Stephen Elliott, Frank Card, Alister Haveron, Roy Wheeler, Dr. James Begg, Richard Meredith-Hardy, Patrick Roman, Regina Bittel, Anne Franoise Lee, Alan Blackshaw, the late Mike Holton, Georgina Hunter-Jones of