After returning from Vietnam and being stationed at Ft. Hood, I was out boring holes in the sky when a buddy of mine flying an OH-58 ran into a bit of a problem. He was flying back to Hood AAF when lost hydraulics: 1005: Hood Tower, Army 1005. We have hydraulics failure, request straight in to the runway. HT: 1005 Hood. Are you declaring an emergency at this time. 1005: Negative Hood, just the straight in. HT: Roger 1005. Cleared straight in to the active winds... (heard in the cockpit - Clackety, clackety, BANG!) 1005: Hood Tower, Army 1005. We have just had a tail rotor failure. HT: 1005 Hood. Understand hydraulics failure and tail rotor failure? 1005: That's affirmative Hood. UKN A/C: 1005, you shit's flaky 1005: Roger flaky. He set it down without problem. There was an IP in the back seat but a grunt in the front. Some days are a bit more exciting than others. jdg
Hydraulics failure AND tail rotor failure? :eek1 Setting that one down's some good flying right there I tell you whut.
When I was doing my rookies in the jelly bean suit we were shown a number of "promotional" videos for various corps. After seeing what happened to turret heads and bucket jockeys, I chose "communications" and Tactical Air Support. Sure it got a bit noisy at times and some mil pilots could be dicks, but the food and field conditions more than made up for it.
Overspeed protection sent an eronious signal to the fuel shutoff valve. The A/C only had 1005 HRS and was a 2010 model.
that's a ballsy move stretching it out to the nearest airfield. how far out was it from where you experienced your S/E failure? i probably would have taken it to the nearest grocery parking lot, called triple A, then got myself a beer. that is assuming i wasn't heavy and "far out" of S/E HOGE parameters... man i miss flying... can't wait to get back to the cockpit after this ground tour...
Went to the new Bell / Cessna facility in Singapore today Its HUGE, and all air conditioned, was actually cold whilst there May be able to get some pics in a while when i go back Its really new and they dont seem too busy yet
Getting my commercial later this year. Any recommended DVD/video training products out there? Have some great books and instructor but want to supplement/reinforce them.
I know generally that's the way that aircrafts are evolving, but I hate having a computer between me and the helicopter controls. I've seen R-K glass cockpits literally melt and malfunction in 45 deg heat, seen computers shutdown engines due to erroneous feedback, seen multi million dollar twins unable to start due to one crappy transistor on a circuit board, etc. Lots to be said about steam gauges, push/pull cables/rods etc... but I am old (fashioned)...
Seeing those Cobras brought back an old memory or two. This Cobra, one of "the Rebels" out of Phu Loi, RVN, helped us out of a tight spot: Here are a few Hueys inserting troopers of the 2nd Bn. of the 28th Infantry Regiment: Here's a resupply slick bringing a hot lunch to on Christmas Day, 1969: Here's a Huey pilot you could count on when things got "sporty:" He's gone, now, but not forgotten by our team. Mike
Mike, Powerful photographs. Thanks for sharing Edit: just read the ride report in your sig line. AWESOME.
I heard this while filming in Newfoundland last summer . . . best story in a long time. My buddy in the LongRanger told me that some local pilot in South America who was crop dusting happened to be talking to a Bell engineer from Texas. He complained about the location of the ambient temp probe that sticks out above the windscreen a few inches. The engineer asked him what the problem was . . . He went on to explain that the wirecutter kit on his machine was working just fine but . . . " everytime I hit wires it always snaps the temp probe off so maybe BELL could find a better location for it ! ":eek1
I love winter ops You get up close with mother nature Travel to exotic spots Dress up your helicopter in nice quilted pajama's Blow sweet nothings in her ear to wake her from a long winter nap Give her lots of TLC and encouragement to take on the days challenges And hope the natural and artificial windchill don't freeze you solid:huh I don't know what the windchill is with a temp of -35C and the downwash off the main rotor but it is f&%king cold