MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Every inch counts. I duck.
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Helicopter pilot dies...
- Thread starter isshinwhat
- Start date
My only question is how is ducking your head going to help with a -60?
Per NATOPS: May: Condition of futurity.
WARNING: Rotor arc may dip as low as 4 feet.
Smiles, and all that, of course.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
What Gator is getting at, is while the rotor may dip to 4' with an AFCS/Trim fail (and an unguarded cyclic) any sort of hiccup due to AFCS crapping out, or the pilot sneezing is likely to be less than that.
Hence, I duck.
Hence, I duck.
Yes, it is a different world for civilian pilots who often aren't afforded another crew member to assist with things like escorting passengers so they don't put their lips on hot or moving parts. One solution would be to keep them all on board and shut the helicopter down but sometimes that isn't realistic. It's all about the money.
Unless this was a slope landing or near a slope and the pilot walked up into the blades I'm confused as to how this could have happened. The helo shown is a Bell 407 and the blades do have quite a bit of flex. The 407 has a "cyclic centering" advisory light which illuminates if the cyclic isn't centered with weight on skids. I would like to think the pilot would notice this, correct for it and friction down the controls before debarking but I guess we'll just have to wait and read about it later.
Unless this was a slope landing or near a slope and the pilot walked up into the blades I'm confused as to how this could have happened. The helo shown is a Bell 407 and the blades do have quite a bit of flex. The 407 has a "cyclic centering" advisory light which illuminates if the cyclic isn't centered with weight on skids. I would like to think the pilot would notice this, correct for it and friction down the controls before debarking but I guess we'll just have to wait and read about it later.
You duck down to make yourself less than 4' on the way out??
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
No. I duck my self to buy myself an extra foot or so..
Just because it CAN go down to 4' (in the front) does not mean it is going that low.
And I come in from the side.
Just because it CAN go down to 4' (in the front) does not mean it is going that low.
And I come in from the side.
I agree with all of this, but just because you approach the helo from the side does not mean you cannot get hurt. The rotor arc can "dip" in all directions. Yes it moves most at the 12 o'clock, but 3 and 9 get their fair share of dip love as well.
We had an EMS pilot come give a brief to our wardroom a few weeks ago and he said he routinely gets out with the rotor turning, as someone earlier mentioned, kind of hard not to when you're single piloted.
Quick question that just came up for us out here. It actually fits pretty nicely with this thread so I'll put it here. For you 60 bubbas - obviously we always enter and exit from the 3 or the 9. So what's your take about having folks enter or exit from both sides simultaneously?
Edit: Before we all get a case of the stupids, I should clarify that I mean with the rotors at 100% NR and a pilot at the controls and everything functioning as advertised.
Edit: Before we all get a case of the stupids, I should clarify that I mean with the rotors at 100% NR and a pilot at the controls and everything functioning as advertised.
Not much of an issue on the B/F/H, with only one door. Of course it's possible, but I didn't see it happen much because of the practical aspect.
From a safety standpoint, I don't see much difference. The obvious danger is in the front.
When we're hot seating on the line it happens sometimes. The AWs always come on in the right side, but every now and then the guy taking the ATO seat will come in from the left, and so on. It hasn't seemed to be an issue here at all.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
I have ass-chewed a few lineman that cleared people in without Pilot concurance.
One time was a bit hairy, as AFCS kept on coming off and on..
One time was a bit hairy, as AFCS kept on coming off and on..