View Full Version : Duke successfully lands Sea King on water
Farns744
4th Jul 2011, 17:49
BBC News - Canada tour: Duke successfully lands Sea King on water (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14012948)
TurbineTooHot
4th Jul 2011, 17:55
Nicely done fella. :D
Fareastdriver
4th Jul 2011, 18:58
Once upon a time the S61s belonging to Bristow Helicopters practised landings on Corby Loch as a matter of course. Then the CAA made them put anti-collison lights on the lower hull so they were not waterproof any more. Rather then go through the hassle of taping it over they stopped the exercise.
Judging by the amount of waterproofing tape on the Duke's aircraft I would imagine that if it landed on the sea for real the cabin would be awash in about three minutes.
pasptoo
4th Jul 2011, 19:29
Make the Gate, Hold, then level, Hardly rocket science. Getting airborne again is more of a challenge. Good experience to get in a 48 year old aircraft though. :ok:
Must say that the "Journos" need a bit of a re-briefing for the garbage they were spouting. :ugh:
ian176
4th Jul 2011, 20:13
Must say that the "Journos" need a bit of a re-briefing for the garbage they were spouting. :ugh:
Would that be something to do with the yellow tape being to prevent oil/fuel etc getting out into the water? (assuming it's the BBC coverage)
pasptoo
4th Jul 2011, 21:36
Not the tape! Which is there to prevent ingress of water not the stuff leaking out! It's a Sea King it leaks! (in and out)
Very Low power landing? Use all you need to cushion!
Canadian Sea Rescue? I assume they mean Air Force and not the SAR Sqns which don't fly Sea King OR do Waterbird either!
Dodgy Weather? Looks VFR to me!
The process of landing a Sea King helicopter on water with minimum power is known as 'waterbirding'. - or Ditching! :rolleyes:
But why would the Canuck Media get it so wrong? They've only been doing it for 48 years!
P
Tankertrashnav
4th Jul 2011, 22:04
Slight thread drift but I always thought that Cormorant was an odd choice of name for the Canadian EH101 variant. Having seen cormorants diving under water to catch fish I would have assumed that would be a manoeuvre to be discouraged in the a/c. Pleased to see HRH didnt attempt it in the Sea King!
jamesdevice
4th Jul 2011, 23:02
somewhere I have an old book with a pic of an RN Sea King floating, supposedly awaiting take-off. The photo would have to be very early 70's
The chaps who built the things always claimed that a fully fitted RN ASW Sea King would be too heavy to lift off - even with an attempt at a running (swimming??) take off.
Whats the truth?
The 61N was indeed used regularly for water landings by British Airways Helicopters at Aberdeen back in the '70s. Not wishing to enter into an ego competition with our Bristow competitors, but Corby Loch is little more than a puddle so we used Loch of Skene and occasionally the North Sea off Balmedie - now that was interesting, especially when the critical Nr decay to 92% on the single engine take-off determined whether to abort or not!
My last water landings were in September 1978, and as noted above the practise ceased because of potential salt water corrosion in the leaky hull and the extensive measures necessary to prevent it; and the owners objections to us disturbing his wildfowling and/or noise on the loch
oldpinger
5th Jul 2011, 10:35
Did this one at NAS Jacksonville with HS1, best fun I've had in a Seaking!
The SEWTO- single engine water takeoff was the best, dragging the tailwheel in the water at 1' altitude while you droop NR to get speed.
Pity we're paying them off...:(
Like to see them try it in a MH60R!!:eek:
Ivan demonstrating how not to do it...
YouTube - ‪Helicopter Crash on Sea‬‏