Do(ing) it again; Water Survival Training (API is just the beginning)

[srqwho]

I don't know how old the new dunker in Pcola is, but I know that myself and a few others in my "crew" had some issues getting all straps on the harness to unlatch. When I was left seat in the "cockpit" 1 of the straps was being stubborn and the girl behind me got pretty anxious while I figured it out. And, if I remember correctly, the rear left seat has a panel they have to unlatch once the dunker has completely flipped over. They were pretty serious about making sure we waited until the dunker was completely submerged to unlatch it because I guess a few nervous studs opened it prematurely and the panel flew across the dunker and popped the stud across from them in the mouth, and I guess a tooth or 2 were lost in the process.

 

[phrogdriver]

That's interesting, because on mine, the guys with the pop-out windows were told that if they were smart they should pop the window out on the way down.

Those of us with the latched windows in the cockpit were SOL, though.

 

[Gatordev]

That's interesting, because on mine, the guys with the pop-out windows were told that if they were smart they should pop the window out on the way down.

Those of us with the latched windows in the cockpit were SOL, though.

They seem to be a lot more anal at Pensacola, probably just because they deal w/ studs all the time. When I did my requal in Miramar in 2002, it was outside for the "storm" section, but they still had thunder and water hoses to simulate waves. When I did my R2/RP2 at Pensacola in 2005 (w/ the new dunker), they had the thunder and lightning w/ all the lights off. When I did my R3/RP3 in Jax in 2008, same same, they just were a lot more relaxed about how you got out. "Did you get out?" "Yeah..." "That's really all we care about."

 

[usmarinemike]

Yeah, they had all kinds of SOP/safety weirdness when I went through. I think the people with latches and the people with pop-OUT windows were allowed to pop'em before they hit the water. The pop-IN window(seat 8?) had to wait so they didn't break the nose of the person across from them.

 

[srqwho]

That's interesting, because on mine, the guys with the pop-out windows were told that if they were smart they should pop the window out on the way down.

Those of us with the latched windows in the cockpit were SOL, though.

Like usmarinemike said, some of the windows have a hinge on them and some don't (the "pop-OUT" windows). These windows just fell wherever once they were released, and if that happened at a bad time, gravity takes over and the person across (or below depending on where the dunker is during its rotation) ends up eating it. The instructor that stood at the back of the dunker was a little jumpy about it too. I guess he was on the receiving end of said hatch on more than one occasion.

 

[FlyinSpy]

They seem to be a lot more anal at Pensacola, probably just because they deal w/ studs all the time. When I did my requal in Miramar in 2002, it was outside for the "storm" section, but they still had thunder and water hoses to simulate waves. When I did my R2/RP2 at Pensacola in 2005 (w/ the new dunker), they had the thunder and lightning w/ all the lights off. When I did my R3/RP3 in Jax in 2008, same same, they just were a lot more relaxed about how you got out. "Did you get out?" "Yeah..." "That's really all we care about."

When I went thru at Pax in 2007 (with the full Magilla of new dunker and storm/thunder/raft), it was me, five O-5s...and a Marine 2-star. To say it was "more relaxed" was a bit of an understatement. Of course, I'm still trying to figure out how I, the junior guy by a longshot, ended up being the last man in the raft. In retrospect, maybe it makes perfect sense.... ;-)

 

[scoolbubba]

That's interesting, because on mine, the guys with the pop-out windows were told that if they were smart they should pop the window out on the way down.

Those of us with the latched windows in the cockpit were SOL, though.

If you ain't cheatin, you ain't trying. I had my hand on that latch as soon as satan's jungle gym started moving.

 

[Pags]

In Norfolk they let us pop the pilot windows before the "crash". Which is fairly realistic, since "WINDOWS - JETTISON (in the flare)"

 

[phrogpilot73]

In Norfolk they let us pop the pilot windows before the "crash". Which is fairly realistic, since "WINDOWS - JETTISON (in the flare)"

I'd be jettisoning mine WAY earlier than in the flare. Then again, I don't have a Tail Rotor to worry about...

 

[Pags]

I'd be jettisoning mine WAY earlier than in the flare. Then again, I don't have a Tail Rotor to worry about...

If I had the time, I'd get em out earlier. But NATOPS specifically mentions the flare.

 

[exhelodrvr]

Be careful - at least once an H-3 window was jettisoned by mistake, hit the landing gear sponson, bounced up, and damaged a couple of rotor blades. When HS-1 was flying mids (don't know if they were ROTC or USNA) one summer, one of them pulled up on the release handle, then put it back down without saying anything. The next guy in bumped the window, and it flew out.

 

[Gatordev]

But really, if you're in the position where you're ready to jettison a window because you're going down, does it really matter if it hits something on the way down to the crash? Rotor blades are tough, they'll punch through a window and keep flying. Tail rotors, well, if you're in an auto, you don't really need them anyway.

 

[exhelodrvr]

But really, if you're in the position where you're ready to jettison a window because you're going down, does it really matter if it hits something on the way down to the crash? Rotor blades are tough, they'll punch through a window and keep flying. Tail rotors, well, if you're in an auto, you don't really need them anyway.

It's been a while, and the autos I did post-HT8 were just in the simulator, but they were a LOT easier with tail rotor control. The percentage of over water ditchings that are autos is pretty small, isn't it? (As in close to 0% when I was flying, from what I remember.)

It may be a reasonable risk to take, though.

 

[Gatordev]

It's been a while, and the autos I did post-HT8 were just in the simulator, but they were a LOT easier with tail rotor control. The percentage of over water ditchings that are autos is pretty small, isn't it? (As in close to 0% when I was flying, from what I remember.)

Close to it for the -60. There's been a couple, but yeah, it's rare for both motors to die.

It may be a reasonable risk to take, though.

That's all I was getting at. When your day is already gone bad, why sweat the little things? Standing by for NATOPS experts to overwhelm me w/ facts.

 

[m26]

Stupid question: Is the water in the dunker tank/pool chlorinated?