The Flight
The flight has to land at Leh/Thoise at Sunrise and take off for return by before the air gets heated up (because of the rarity of air [at this high altitude] the aircraft cannot generate enough thrust for take off). We had to get up early to catch the flight. Generally these are the timings.
· Get up and get ready at Transit Camp – 2.30 am
· Loading of our equipment – 2.30 to 3.00 am
· Arrive at Airfield – 3.30 am
· Check of equipment/men – 3.30 am to 4.30 am
· Technical Flight checks 4.30 am to 5.00 am
· Take off – 5.00 am
· Land at Leh/Thoise 6.00 am
We will all be aboard waiting for takeoff. From the inside of the aircraft one feels that they are in a heavily loaded truck. Just that this flies. Oh Yeah, the aircraft is IL-76 – Garuda, massive plane with two decks (levels). This has a gunner in the tail who is supposed to fire any enemy planes, during a war.
Then we get a good news that flight is cancelled as the weather is packed (unsuitable).
Unload and get back to the Mess. Nothing to do till next day. So this continued for about 5 days till we took off. During one of these “cancelled days” we went to a movie “Phoolan Devi”, went to a colleagues house, did some (unnecessary) shopping etc.
People manipulate the staff at the Transit Camp. things to stay in Chandigarh for couple of days extra. Intentionally miss the flight / no-room in the aircraft, fell ill… individual’s creativity comes to the fore. Coz, one is considered to be on duty as long as you are in transit camp.
So finally one fine day when everything is OK we took off. My team to Thoise and the other team to Leh. Some time after the take off, we could see the sun coming up the horizon and the Himalayas moving slowly below us - nothing but wilderness. All that we could see was brown patches and white patches and some white patches with the early morning golden hue of the rising sun. Being taller, some mountains are covered with snow and the lowly ones without the snow are brown.
Wondered if rescue / recovery can reach, if we were to crash in those places.
The flight, though not comfortable was exiting. Some men (soldiers) around you tense, some excited, some pretending to be enjoying. But I can say everyone had a prayer on their lips while take off and landing that everything should be OK. No regular seats. Just foldable benches along the sides. In between there’ll be luggage, equipment all secured. So no regular seatbelts. Just hold on to what ever you can. Being a cargo plane there were few windows and once the daylight was streaking through, people rushed to take turns to watch the view.
During the flight we reached an altitude of 32000 ft. Nearing the end of the flight we descended and flew between the mountains, in the valleys and finally DHAD DHAD DHAD DHAD we touched down. The Thoise runway was not so smooth but is vital for the troops serving in this sector. When the doors opened, a chill dry and clean air slapped on the cheeks. The air was so fresh and clean that I filled my lungs to the full. We were at 10100 ft. I was never at this height. I felt light. My steps had a spring. I said “WOW Lord, your creation is amazing. Thanks for bringing me here.” We saw the sun from up above, but down on the land, it is yet to come up above the mountains.
After unloading and checking of our luggage, it was loaded them on to the trucks. Not by us but the men at the airport. We had strict instructions. No exertion. Coz coming from plains to this altitude, the body doesn’t adjust and there could be major health issues. We were treated like the fighting cocks, well fed and taken care off, before being let in to the BLOODY battle field.
Luggage in trucks, we in buses, off we go to the transit camp, where we would be spending next week acclimatizing to the climate, height and conditions.
· Get up and get ready at Transit Camp – 2.30 am
· Loading of our equipment – 2.30 to 3.00 am
· Arrive at Airfield – 3.30 am
· Check of equipment/men – 3.30 am to 4.30 am
· Technical Flight checks 4.30 am to 5.00 am
· Take off – 5.00 am
· Land at Leh/Thoise 6.00 am
We will all be aboard waiting for takeoff. From the inside of the aircraft one feels that they are in a heavily loaded truck. Just that this flies. Oh Yeah, the aircraft is IL-76 – Garuda, massive plane with two decks (levels). This has a gunner in the tail who is supposed to fire any enemy planes, during a war.
Then we get a good news that flight is cancelled as the weather is packed (unsuitable).
Unload and get back to the Mess. Nothing to do till next day. So this continued for about 5 days till we took off. During one of these “cancelled days” we went to a movie “Phoolan Devi”, went to a colleagues house, did some (unnecessary) shopping etc.
People manipulate the staff at the Transit Camp. things to stay in Chandigarh for couple of days extra. Intentionally miss the flight / no-room in the aircraft, fell ill… individual’s creativity comes to the fore. Coz, one is considered to be on duty as long as you are in transit camp.
So finally one fine day when everything is OK we took off. My team to Thoise and the other team to Leh. Some time after the take off, we could see the sun coming up the horizon and the Himalayas moving slowly below us - nothing but wilderness. All that we could see was brown patches and white patches and some white patches with the early morning golden hue of the rising sun. Being taller, some mountains are covered with snow and the lowly ones without the snow are brown.
Wondered if rescue / recovery can reach, if we were to crash in those places.
The flight, though not comfortable was exiting. Some men (soldiers) around you tense, some excited, some pretending to be enjoying. But I can say everyone had a prayer on their lips while take off and landing that everything should be OK. No regular seats. Just foldable benches along the sides. In between there’ll be luggage, equipment all secured. So no regular seatbelts. Just hold on to what ever you can. Being a cargo plane there were few windows and once the daylight was streaking through, people rushed to take turns to watch the view.
During the flight we reached an altitude of 32000 ft. Nearing the end of the flight we descended and flew between the mountains, in the valleys and finally DHAD DHAD DHAD DHAD we touched down. The Thoise runway was not so smooth but is vital for the troops serving in this sector. When the doors opened, a chill dry and clean air slapped on the cheeks. The air was so fresh and clean that I filled my lungs to the full. We were at 10100 ft. I was never at this height. I felt light. My steps had a spring. I said “WOW Lord, your creation is amazing. Thanks for bringing me here.” We saw the sun from up above, but down on the land, it is yet to come up above the mountains.
After unloading and checking of our luggage, it was loaded them on to the trucks. Not by us but the men at the airport. We had strict instructions. No exertion. Coz coming from plains to this altitude, the body doesn’t adjust and there could be major health issues. We were treated like the fighting cocks, well fed and taken care off, before being let in to the BLOODY battle field.
Luggage in trucks, we in buses, off we go to the transit camp, where we would be spending next week acclimatizing to the climate, height and conditions.
Coming up : The Acclimatisation.
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