R22 Beta missing on flight from Nunavut to Greenland

[rotornut]

Helicopter missing on voyage from Nunavut to Greenland | CP24.com (http://www.cp24.com/news/helicopter-missing-on-voyage-from-nunavut-to-greenland-1.2488142)

[Loki696]

NunatsiaqOnline 2015-07-25: NEWS: UPDATE: Searchers comb Davis Strait for missing Russian helicopter pilot (http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674searchers_comb_davis_strait_for_missing_greenland-bound_helicopter/)

[newfieboy]

I have quite a bit of experience flying in this part of the world. One of the most extreme environments there is. I have done the crossing to Greenland a few times. Mostly in AS350 fully equipped with pop outs, life raft, rifle and all the Arctic survival goodies. You really have to pick the day, weather is a major factor and can/ will change in an instant. I was communicating with an Inuit friend from Arctic Bay only yesterday, he was talking about the WX being crap, bad ice and lots of fog. He was out in the straits after polar bear. I certainly would not attempt that route in an R22, do they come pop out equipped or was it on fixed floats, where would you stow the survival kit and life raft required up there in an R22. Hope it ends well, but having operated up there I fear the worst.

[Loki696]

Checking the photo in the article, not much room for any survival equipment next the, quit red neck style looking, extra fuel tank.

http://www.skyeagleaviation.com/blog/traveller-sergey-ananov-visited-sky-eagle-aviation-academy/attachment/unnamed-5/

And no, no floats at all on the helicopter.
I have been up north in the same region several times, and no way I would ever attempt something like that in a Robbie.....:ooh:

[twistair]

Saved and safe. Sergey Ananov, that R22 pilot sunk into Davis Strait, saved by Canadian Coast Guard ship "Pierre Radisson".

His R22 got transmission belt broken over waters. He only could take a life raft from the cabin and swam to the nearest iceberg having no communication devices other than 3 signal flares. Third flare was luckily noted from the resque ship.

BTW Sergey was on his world record circumnavigation trip which started from Moscow eastbound.

[nigelh]

Nutter ...... V glad he's safe but really !! In an R22 ??!!!

[TWT]

:ok:Good to hear !

[evil7]

I don´t know what´s good to hear!?

A Nutter even starting this flight and now have to be rescued?

Hopefully he has to pay for the whole rescue operation and a "stupidity fine" on top!!

[cockney steve]

Massive Gonads, though....obviously he was at the front of the queue for those....and the tail end when brains were dished out. :}

[[email protected]]

Would have been worthy of a Darwin award if he hadn't made it back - it's all very well putting your own life at risk but what about the poor sods who have to come and look for you/rescue you in crap weather?

[kevin_mayes]

Could you actually carry enough fuel to do that distance in a 22 - even with the plastic cans in the front...?

[TWT]

I don´t know what´s good to hear!?
You would have preferred that he didn't survive ?

You must be disappointed.Even expensive IFR twins with 2 pilots can suffer mechanical faults and end up in the drink.Just like this R22.Hardly his fault.

[nigelh]

TWT ..... I'm not sure about your logic here . The R22 has everything against it from the engine ( piston ) to the size ( ability to carry survival gear , ability to fly safely in big winds / turbulence etc ) . I think even you can see that a Dauphin might be a tad safer than an R22 ?? A Bell 206 would not be as safe as a Dauphin ...but would be a lot safer than an R22 ...?
A really pointless risk . It's all been done before and the only thing that makes this attempt remarkable ....is that it is being done in a totally unsuitable machine which doesn't make it more difficult but just makes it more dangerous !!
To then have to be saved by someone who may have to risk their lives is just stupid and selfish .

[evil7]

@TWT

Hardly his fault?

Who started this flight with the least suitable aircraft on the planet (even without floats!) and flew over an area where, in case of failure (as is happened), he had no chance of an auto onto terra firma?

Who do you wanna blame??? :mad:

[Aesir]

There was a gyrocopter that did the trip yesterday.

Home page, Autogyro circumnavigation of the globe, Norman Surplus, record attempt (http://www.gyroxgoesglobal.com/)

[500e]

SPOT Shared Page (http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0ft5ixJKpvl36j7EUyzbvXy7mnyRRfSND)

[clunckdriver]

When I was much younger and serving in the RCAF I almost lost track of the time, energy, costs and fuel we wasted looking for the likes of this guy, our SAR squadrons have better things to do than than go looking for this chap! All the worthwhile long distance flying has already been done long long ago, yes, I hope we do charge him for all the costs of the search and rescue operation.{Clunckdriver, AKA Canadian taxpayer}

[newfieboy]

Clunk
Agree with what you say, as another Canadian tax payer.
Like I stated earlier I work in the high Arctic lots. The crossings across the straits is an ass puckering experience on a good day in a fully equipped turbine helicopter and loaded for bear. I would not even contemplate it in a R22 let alone a bloody gyro copter. Very lucky the guy didn't freeze to death, or meet a bear, they do tend to hang out on the ice flows.......Glad it ended with the dude surviving, very very lucky indeed.

[timprice]

No one likes to see anyone hurt, but like the other posts above said don't know if he was brave or stupid, but if it was not for a few brave or stupid people mankind wouldn't be what we are.:D
As one similar person said "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

[newfieboy]

http://www.gofundme.com/5n7ycbhgc

Seems like the guy is stuck in Iqualluit with no money, credit cards etc. Collection going on to get him home......Mmmm seems he encountered icing and fog, airspeed down to zero. No surprise there, guess he didn't check GFA.

Sergey Ananov was making an attempt to be the first R22 to travel around the world. While on his way he encountered icy conditions and fog (all we know) and his tracking indicated zero airspeed. While normally, given those conditions, news is generally not great, Canadian Search & Rescue was able to spot a flare and locate him. He is now en route to Iqaluit but has no clothes, no money, no credit card and most importantly, no papers and needs to reach a Russian Consulate. The closest one is in Montreal or Toronto over 1,275 miles away. A flight alone to Montreal is $2,000.

[whoknows idont]

Nothing to be gained for humanity here AT ALL. This was purely about self realisation and self display of a bored individual.
I think it's his right to do so but I also think he should be charged at least partially for the rescue costs.

Edit: Seriously?? After zigzagging all over the place just for fun, the guy is honestly asking public for money??? :yuk: Why can't his "team" wire some money? :=

[Loki696]

Some more info regarding the finding of him.

Sergey Ananov, Russian helicopter pilot missing in Davis Strait, found alive - Nova Scotia - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/sergey-ananov-russian-helicopter-pilot-missing-in-davis-strait-found-alive-1.3168690)

But "Survival suit not buttoned up"..........! :ooh::ugh: And 3 polar bears walking around him.:uhoh:

He has used up all his luck, no more left for sure.

[Thomas coupling]

Excellent news that he is OK but even better news that another R22 has bitten the dust and is no more. Only 3,146 to go and we'll be rid of the lot!:eek:

[jimf671]

Could have been worse TC. Surely you have to give him credit for not trying it in a Russian helicopter. :rolleyes:

[Harry the Hun]

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[nigelh]

Having done quite a few hours in terrible conditions over the years in Mi8,s I have to say I would be much happier in one than an R22 !! Over the years they have been very reliable and handle landing sites that no European helicopter would handle !

[SilsoeSid]

I'm surprised this trip had got so far without there being a thread about it on PPRuNe :hmm:

[nigelh]

I think we just don't want to encourage them !!!

[evil7]

@Nigelh

As the manufacturers head office is in Moscow and the eastern border of "Europe" is the Ural mountains you could say they are "European helicopters":hmm:

Out of interest - what kind of landing site this aircraft can handle that others can´t?

[Bronx]

I'm surprised this trip had got so far without there being a thread about it on PPRuNe


Pprune forums are always most active when folk are criticizing other pilots.

[rotornut]

Pilot's story: Sergey Ananov, Russian pilot rescued in Arctic, recounts 2-day ordeal - North - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/sergey-ananov-russian-pilot-rescued-in-arctic-recounts-2-day-ordeal-1.3170235)

[newfieboy]

'The pilot took off Saturday morning into good weather conditions, flying sandwiched between a layer of fog below and clouds overhead.'

Mmmm....says it all really. Anyone with experience flying Baffin and the straits wouldn't even consider lifting off VFR in those conditions.

[stringfellow]

The world needs more pioneers like this. Stop being arm chair critics and give him a break.

[Nubian]

The world needs more pioneers like this

''pioneers?!'' of stupidity then?!:ugh: Don't worry, the last idiot has not been born yet!! :rolleyes:

[nigelh]

Evil7...... The landing sites on the edges of the river are very rough with big boulders . The only way to land most helis would be to just put one wheel or skid onto a rock and pax climb out . In blustery weather and with ice on the rocks this is fraught with danger for all concerned !! The Mi8 hs huge balloon type tyres and massive clearance so can usually fully land . When they tried a Eurocopter it rolled over and killed the pax who were outside ....

[evil7]

Thanx for the description, nigel.

If no pax needed to be placed, you could use a skycrane - that should fit some boulders underneath:}

[FSXPilot]

Pioneer? He's a mentalist who is very lucky to be alive. Old and bold.

[[email protected]]

His 'survival' story sounds like pure invention - either that or he didn't pay any attention whatsoever in his survival training lessons in the Army.

Did he really 'swim' to the ice floe or paddle in his dinghy?

He only thought to put on his survival suit after he got soaking wet???

He flew across the Arctic waters in 'street clothes'????

As for the bollocks about chasing away Polar bears - which is the big, fast, nasty and immensely strong predator out of Sergey and a Polar bear?

As for good weather day with fog below and clouds above - that's not VFR weather anywhere, let alone the Arctic.

With bullshi*t like his he ought to be Putin's publicist!

Waste of oxygen!

[Hot and Hi]

In 2010 Matthieu de Quillacq crossed from Greenland to Canada in a single seater kit helicopter. He was travelling from southern France to Oshkosh in his lightweight Kompress CH-7 helicopter with a Rotax 914 engine.

Here is an inspiring interview with this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zggCDPcPZM0

[newfieboy]

stringfellow
Pioneer ? Have you ever flown in this part of the world, operationally day in day out? I have a few thou hours up there. There is no pioneering spirit ignoring the WX, flight planning and proper survival gear. Also a good weather briefing via Arctic Radio in North Bay. Wonder if he even flight planned with them considering its in the Adiz. Only an ignorant fool would cross that water in street clothes in non VFR conditions.You dismiss/ignore the weather at your peril. I can assure you it can change in minutes. This time of year the fog is a major player along with poor sea ice and hungry bears. I note from your profile that you are a PPL from the Lake District so maybe you don't quite understand the dangers operating up in the Arctic. Back to my armchair quarterbacking!!

Crab
Agree, unbelievable re the survival story. Two Inuit I worked with up on Baffin last year were attack in the night by a Polar Bear while seal hunting on the ice. The only way they survived was by shooting it, after it had done some serious damage to both. Screaming and shouting might work for Black Bear but 3xPolar Bear and one guy on an ice flow.....easy pray!!

[MartinCh]

I can only echo most of the throughts here.

I talked to one global ops ferry company owner in NW US and he said the smallest aircraft he'd agree to ferry (I mean, his pilots for the company), is Caravan or similar, at least single turbine and capabilities/space for long range tanks. He said he 'lost too many' pilots flying piston twins etc.

Yes, some people have crossed over OK, the Super Cub that towed me up in glider behind in the North of Emerald Isle, the C150 and guy flying via Azores to South/Southern Africa, this Kompress guy going to KOSH.

Meanwhile (so to speak) you have plenty people not making the crossing for simple mechanical reasons, changes wx conditions etc.

I just read on another thread here that Ross, 30k hr pilot had fatal crash somewhere in WA, doing the trip from just outside Brisbane QLD. Would have probably met him while in Brisvegas if visiting Caboolture.
Cicare or Kompress, similar experimentals with connected history/development.

A year or two ago, two experienced heli pilots (or at least one of them) had fatal with blade of tail rotor flying off on Safari in Czech Republic. Sadly, big smoking hole. Guess if it were some greater MR inertia heli and there was enough time to react, at least try an auto before it all folds up.

I've seen the R44 the two Scandinavians (helistars.no) at KHIO back in 2008 before the flew it across to Norway. Still bloody small a/c, but flown two up, so much better regarding CRM, fatigue management, planning.

People who want to fly such aircraft over these areas really ought to read handful of tragic accident reports and somehow get a reality check. Silly idea, innit?

The only fight there would have been with THREE bears and one chap within their reach, would have been which bear keeps which leg or arm. :ugh:

[jettero]

The only fight there would have been with THREE bears and one chap within their reach, would have been which bear keeps which leg or arm. :ugh:The 3 bears came not together, as he wrote on Russian forum 1 was on first day, 2 others on second, he used same tactics to scare all of them.

Biggest mistake as he wrote was that he tried to pull liferaft from sinking helicopter (he pulled it underwater yet), instead of saving satphone or inReach.
The ice floe was close (50m) and as I understood he was swimming to it not sailing.
Survival suit saved him life, without it he didn't live out even 2 hours.

[[email protected]]

Hmmm - chances of swimming in arctic waters in 'street clothes' even 50m are very poor.

Strange the only person to agree with his story comes from Moscow.......

[Hot and Hi]

50 meter!! Research agrees with the previous poster crab:

The Cold Truth | Vertical Magazine - The Pulse of the Helicopter Industry (http://www.verticalmag.com/news/article/23426)

He must have been an extraordinary, extremely well trained ice water swimmer then! :D

The article says that no ordinary human can swim, not even for 10 meters, in cold water (below 10 deg C). Even if you get out of the helicopter after a ditching and even if you are a good swimmer, the cold water will immediately put your body in a state of shock, and you will drown (long before the cold can kill you through hypothermia). Now, here we are not talking arctic cold here, where the water temperature (Sergey to correct me if I am wrong) would rather be 3 deg C or less, than 10 deg C.

[jettero]

>Hmmm - chances of swimming in arctic waters in 'street clothes' even 50m are very poor.

He wrote that he was in survival suit. Not fully buttoned though so he got water inside and had to take it off afterwards to remove water.
Swimming is my understanding of his post as swimming and sailing is same word in Russian and he wrote that it was mistake to waste time to pull liferaft and not phone.

>Strange the only person to agree with his story comes from Moscow.......

Don't know where you saw that I agree or disagree, I just translated that he wrote on Russian forum.
Here is source http://saon.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=10123&start=525

[jettero]

And here he said he was swimming, so I got it right CTV National News: Dramatic rescue | CTV News (http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=666548&playlistId=1.2489470&binId=1.810401&playlistPageNum=1&binPageNum=1&hootPostID=60ce14951e0bb891754eceb0a11f89df)

[jettero]

And here he said he was swimming, so I got it right
http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=666548&playlistId=1.2489470&binId=1.810401&play%20listPageNum=1&binPageNum=1&hootPostID=60ce14951e0bb891754ece%20b0a11f89df

[SilsoeSid]

The 3 bears came not together, as he wrote on Russian forum 1 was on first day, 2 others on second, he used same tactics to scare all of them.
Biggest mistake as he wrote was that he tried to pull liferaft from sinking helicopter (he pulled it underwater yet), instead of saving satphone or inReach.
The ice floe was close (50m) and as I understood he was swimming to it not sailing.
Survival suit saved him life, without it he didn't live out even 2 hours.
Assuming that the above quote is correct;

Wet and on an 'ice floe' and he'd rather have a phone than a life raft :eek:
Surely even the most basic of liferafts would satisfy the principles of survival, isnt the clue in the name!

Protection
Location
Water
Food

Especially as it was so instrumental in not only basic survival, but even more importantly the polar bear scare tactic.

But that's my opinion, even at NASA the experts opinions on liferafts differ;
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/166504main_Survival.pdf

[jettero]

As he wrote search plane was above him just after 4 hours after crash but they didn't see his flare because of fog. He used 2 flares without success.
He had last flare when he saw lights on icebreaker next day and they saw his flare only during last seconds of firing. So it pure luck that he was located.

[newfieboy]

So let me get this straight......
He swam 50 meters in a survival suit full of frigid Arctic water, managed to drag himself onto an ice flow. Survived 3 polar bears and two nights on the ice and managed to attract Coast Guard with his last flare.....Guy should buy a super Max lotto ticket.
Do we actually know the real reason he crashed. Was it mechanical or did he get into trouble in fog with no reference? I read somewhere his airspeed was down to zero knots. Almost sounds Hollywood!!!! Maybe he should read 'Death on the Ice ' about 70 odd Newfoundland boys who froze to death stuck on an ice flow for two nights off Labrador.

[vova_k]

"Hot and High: The article says that no ordinary human can swim, not even for 10 meters, in cold water (below 10 deg C)." - of course, sure... But can you learn a bit about something before posting crap like this ? Go and read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_swimming

[Dynamic Roller]

According to Quentin Smith ("Q"), after his ditching near Antarctica, he was able to swim 100m to his life raft in near freezing water, with his survival suit flooded (and just barely made it). So swimming 50m in similar conditions is not impossible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sDIFT6ZqN4 (skip to around 13:30 for Q's ditching story)

[[email protected]]

Which is another uncorroborated story.

Yes, you can swim in very cold water, if you are prepared for it - but sudden unplanned immersion is a killer.

I don't know if you have ever tried swimming in an immersion suit that has leaked and started to fill with water - I have and 10 meters would be tricky, 50m impossible.

[jettero]

Do we actually know the real reason he crashed. Was it mechanical or did he get into trouble in fog with no reference? I read somewhere his airspeed was down to zero knots.1 (of 2) drive belt has broke.
Zero speed and altitude it were readings from his DeLorme inReach after he ditched. It was reason for starting the search operation and also they had last coords from inReach. If he was to recover inReach he would be able to send sms and new coords and would be found early, at the same day I think.

[Nubian]

1 (of 2) drive belt has broke.

Should not the R-22 continue to fly on 1??

Flying in the Met conditions that prevailed, one must be a complete d..k....

I have tried those waters, and swimming any distance AND pulling yourself up on the ice is a task I would like to see before I believe it!!

As mentioned before, this smells of Hollywood long way....

[Hot and Hi]

Zero speed and altitude it were readings from his DeLorme inReach after he ditched
Well, zero speed and altitude is what you would expect once the vehicle has come to rest at sea level (and sea level it was, wan't it?).

Are the Sergey's DeLorme trackings public? What you would not expect is that the DeLorme sends a signal after ditching. Or rather, while the tracker may continue sending position (given that it is waterproof) you not not expect that the Iridium satellite receives any signal sent from a tracker that is covered by water or otherwise has not a 100% clear view of the sky.

That's why in case of satellite trackers (Spot, deLorme, Spidertracks), the last known position is typically several minutes old.

Should not the R-22 continue to fly on 1??
Quite right. The other symptoms reported of his mechanical problems are also not consistent with belt clutch failure. So I would agree that it might have been zero speed before ditching, which as other posters have pointed out suggest spatial disorientation in zero visibility.

[jettero]

As he wrote he wasn't able to continue horizontal flight on 1 belt and was loosing height or speed and experienced strong vibrations and choosed finally autogiration.
He was trying to land on ice floe but ditched near it.
Regarding climbing on ice floe he wrote it was 50cm height and in another interview he mentioned he wasted many efforts to climb there.

>What you would not expect is that the DeLorme sends a signal after ditching.

last reading was
Speed: 0.00 km/h Heading: N
Elevation: -1.71 m Batt: Normal
Lat: 64.301745 Lon: -60.939575
it is from forum http://saon.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?p=168793#p168793

[Hot and Hi]

I met Gordon Pugh who is mentioned in the related Wikipedia article that vova_k referenced. He did advertising for a private bank that hoped that his extraordinary capabilities (to control thermo shock, fibiriliation and cardiac arrest typically provoked by cold water immersion - all mentioned in the same Wiki article) would enhance the bank's brand perception by means of association.

He also was retained as a motivational speaker by a well-known software company to address their annual user group meeting. As motivational speaker for the following year's conference, the same software company chose a double leg amputee athlete who then only a few weeks later proceeded to shooting and killing his girl friend in his own house, and who is now serving jail time. The story, that many didn't believe, was that he thought she was a house robber, and he opened fire (three of more shots) in presumed self-defence through a closed toilet door.

Maybe Sergey would be a suitable candidate as motivational speaker for their next annual conference then :cool:.

[jettero]

Here is public track https://share.delorme.com/SergeyAnanov

[Flyting]

Not knowing the area there for the crossing, why wouldn't one fly up to the airport at Cape Dryer and cross from there? It is the shortest distance between the two landmasses with less exposure time over water...

[newfieboy]

Mmmm.....if anyone would know survival on the floes it would be the Inuit. I talked with an Innu friend last night who was out on the floes hunting last week. He figures something smells and it ain't Polar Bear poo!!!!!!

[Nubian]

Regarding climbing on ice floe he wrote it was 50cm height and in another interview he mentioned he wasted many efforts to climb there.


Anyone that has tried to get into a life-raft, that has ladders and handles as help, and know how much you actually struggle in normal temperatures (10-20 deg C) would know what I talk about.
Now, getting UP 50 cm of slippery ice, with a half full emergency suit on, (after swimming 50 meters in between 0-2 deg C.) I'd hazard to say is impossible.

He was trying to land on ice floe but ditched near it.

I think a much more likely scenario, is that he managed to land on the ice and get out before the ice gave way or ... .... ... . ...... .... .... ... .....:suspect:

[Outwest]

Not knowing the area there for the crossing, why wouldn't one fly up to the airport at Cape Dryer and cross from there? It is the shortest distance between the two landmasses with less exposure time over water...

That's exactly what a good friend and I did.....and we were in a S61N ;)

It is Cape Dyer by the way.....an old DEW line site.

[[email protected]]

Nubian :ok:

[Loki696]

His story about how to survive and scare away polar bears.....

?I had to scare off 3 polar bears on Arctic ice? ? Russian helicopter crash survivor ? RT News (http://www.rt.com/news/310918-russian-helicopter-pilot-canada-rescue/)

[AnFI]

Similar suit not done up here (3 dead)

Arctic helicopter crash details emerge - CBC News - Latest Canada, World, Entertainment and Business News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/arctic-helicopter-crash-details-emerge-1.1868535)

either

(and a twin, cause known yet?)