THE RAF pilot who guided a stricken plane down Top Gun-style has explained how he did it.

The Press reported yesterday how Jim O’Neill was flying his Cessna from Scotland to Essex when he went blind at the controls over RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

He radioed an emergency message to RAF Linton’s air traffic controllers – whose icy-nerved battle to bring him down is today revealed in a transcript of the drama.

Flt Lt Terry O’Brien was the duty supervisor in the control room. He suggested to Mr O’Neill that he should head for Full Sutton. The airfield has just half a mile leeway, sandwiched as it is between the village and the prison.

Flt Lt O’Brien’s concerns deepened when the pilot was unable to confirm that he could see the ground. He said: “I didn’t want to put him under any more pressure, but I was very worried.

“Despite receiving radar steers on four occasions he was still unable to locate the airfield which by now was right in front of him.”

The pilot then asked controllers to talk him down. This would not have been possible at Full Sutton so he was directed back to Linton. But the pilot could not stay on the correct flight path and air traffic controllers were worried that if he tried to land he would miss the airfield and possibly crash on to one of the local villages.

Fortunately, Wing Commander Paul Gerrard, 42, had just returned to Linton in his Tucano from a training sortie. His help was sought by the controllers.

Taking off, Wg Cdr Gerrard located the Cessna and flew his Tucano to within a few metres of it.

Weaving behind to allow him to stay with the much slower light aircraft, Wg Cdr Gerrard then talked the pilot every inch of the way home.

Using “left..... stop, descend...... stop” he said he was able to guide the blind pilot to the runway, even telling him when to lower the nose, and by how much, on the critical final descent.

The Cessna approached and finally touched down, only to bounce back into the air. On its second touchdown, the aircraft again bounced before finally landing on the third attempt. It had only metres to spare.

Wg Cdr Gerrard, who is Linton’s chief flying instructor, said: “I think this pilot was fortunate to be guided in by an RAF team effort. For my part, I am very glad to help a fellow aviator in distress.”

RAF Medics checked Mr O’Neill over on the ground, but he has been transferred to hospital in Romford, Essex, where he is thought to be seriously ill.

‘I’m really sorry, sir. I cannot see the runway’

THIS is how Paul Gerrard (PG) talked Jim O’Neill (JO’N) through the emergency landing: PG: “OK, Golf Romeo Mike, you’ve missed the runway this time. Just climb back up to 1,000ft on that heading.”

JO’N: “1,000ft on this heading.”

PG: “OK, Golf Romeo Mike, would you like a straight-in approach?”

JO’N: “Yes, sir, if it’s available.”

(Linton-on-Ouse tower confirms the planes can approach on any runway) PG: “Golf Romeo Mike, okay, we’re going to start another gentle right-hand turn, then level from 1,000ft.”

(Pilot confirms he is travelling at around 100 knots, then 70 knots) PG: “Keep the right turn coming. I’m going to come up on your left-hand side, not too close, but you just keep following my instructions and keep turning right. Just take a little descent there…And keep yourself below the cloud…Take a look out of your right window, you should be able to see Linton-on-Ouse. Confirm you have visual with the airfield.”

JO’N: “No, sir, I’m sorry, I’m not…oh, yes. Yes, sir, I am.”

PG: Okay, Golf Romeo Mike, so we’re nice and close to the airfield now so no need to worry. What we’re going to do is continue on this heading and then we’ll do a final turn to come in on runway 28. Keep heading this way. Roll out left. Roll out left. Come left again. Left again. Keep coming left…Just look out of your left window, you should see me now.”

JO’N: “Sir, I’m sorry.”

PG: “It’s okay, no problem. Golf Romeo Mike, continue your pre-landing check, please. I’d like you to start descending, gentle right-hand turn, please, and as if you were in the final turn for the circuit. Keep coming down. Nice, gentle right-hand turn, keep coming down. Keep turning right. Keep turning right. Keep descending. Roll out left, roll out left. Come left, come left. Keep coming left. Keep coming left harder. And roll out there…Stay looking ahead. You should be able to see the runway. Don’t level off. Keep coming down. Keep pointing the nose down towards the ground, please.”

JO’N: “Sir, I’m really sorry about this.”

PG: “Hey, no problem. You’re doing fine. Confirm you’re on our visual with the airfield. You’re pointing directly at the runway. Can you see the runway now?”

JO’N: “No, sir.”

PG: “Confirm you cannot see the runway.”

JO’N: “I cannot see the runway.”

PG: “Okay. Just coming down, you should see it very shortly. It’s really near the end of your nose now. Look ahead. Look just under the nose. Keep coming down.”

JO’N: “I’ve got it, sir, thank you. I’m clear to land now, sir?

PG: “You are cleared to land.”

JO’N: “That’s runway 28?”

PG: “It is…It’s down.”