UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook crews have completed two weeks of training aboard the Royal Navy’s over 71,600-ton aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to prepare for heavy-lift missions at sea.The training was part of Exercise Hathi Pol, a recurring program designed to improve cooperation between the RAF and the Royal Navy. Personnel practiced coordinating flight operations, aircraft handling and engineering tasks within the carrier’s confined environment. The exercises also included moving a Chinook from the flight deck into the hangar for maintenance, preparing crews for extended deployments, disaster relief and civilian evacuations.Chinooks train at seaRAF Chinook crews have completed two weeks of training aboard the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to prepare for heavy-lift operations at sea.The exercise focused on integrating the helicopters into the carrier’s operations, including moving aircraft between the flight deck and hangar for maintenance. The training is intended to prepare the crews for extended deployments and missions such as disaster relief and civilian evacuations. It also gave the carrier’s personnel experience handling helicopters that they do not routinely operate.Chinooks from the RAF’s 27 Squadron, based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, joined HMS Queen Elizabeth for Exercise Hathi Pol, a recurring training program involving the Royal Navy and RAF.At 99ft long, a Chinook – here ZH777 – just fits on the aircraft lift, its nose protruding over the edge, its rotors spread.The exercise brings together pilots, other aircrew, engineers, aircraft handlers and personnel working in the carrier’s flight-control, bridge and operations-room teams. These groups must coordinate closely to operate helicopters safely aboard a moving ship, where space is limited, and conditions can differ significantly from those at an airbase.One of the main tasks involved transferring a Chinook from the flight deck to the hangar below. The process allows engineers to inspect and maintain the helicopter indoors, protecting it from wind, rain, and other weather conditions during longer deployments.The operation also demonstrates how the carrier’s aircraft-handling systems accommodate a large helicopter. At 99 feet long, the Chinook ZH777 just fits onto the aircraft lift, with its nose extending beyond the edge and its rotor blades spread out.The lift lowers the 13-ton helicopter from the flight deck to hangar level in approximately 60 seconds. Once it reaches the lower deck, personnel maneuver the aircraft into the hangar so engineers can work on it under cover.RAF trains for evacuationsThe procedure is important because operating a Chinook from a carrier involves more than simply landing and taking off. The aircraft must also be moved, secured and maintained within the ship’s available space, requiring careful coordination between flight crews and the carrier’s personnel.Exercise Hathi Pol, whose name means “elephant gate” in Hindi, helps RAF personnel adapt to the unfamiliar environment of a naval vessel and obtain the qualifications required for carrier-based operations.The training also benefits HMS Queen Elizabeth’s crew. Its aircraft handlers practiced working with the Chinook, a helicopter they do not regularly operate, while strengthening their aviation-handling skills following the carrier’s substantial overhaul work in Rosyth and Portsmouth.The experience is intended to help both services prepare for situations in which heavy-lift helicopters must operate from either HMS Queen Elizabeth or its sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales.Chinooks are designed to transport heavy loads and personnel. Their ability to operate from a carrier could support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), as well as non-combatant evacuation operations (NEO), in which civilians are moved away from dangerous areas.In these scenarios, a carrier can provide a seagoing base for aircraft operating near a disaster zone or an area where civilian evacuations are required. The ability to maintain helicopters inside the ship’s hangar could also help sustain operations over longer periods.The exercise concluded with the Chinooks on the flight deck as HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived in Gibraltar for a week-long visit. The training marked another step in preparing the RAF and Royal Navy to operate their aircraft together when missions require heavy-lift capability at sea.