Best Takeoff and landing procedures from oilrigs

[Margins]

I'd like to open a discussion on what in your opinion would be the best and preferred procedures for taking off and landing to/from oilrig decks (including moveable decks) considering the various type of environment and possible weather conditions.

It would be appreciated also what are the considerations taken into account for passenger comfort and safety issues, particularly regarding the presence of obstacles and various types os warm air sources.

Thanks

[jayteeto]

I would recommend using the manufacturers profiles for this type of thing. In this world of litigation, if you do it like they say, you always have a claim when something goes wrong.

[Variable Load]

I would recommend using the manufacturers profiles for this type of thing. In this world of litigation, if you do it like they say, you always have a claim when something goes wrong.

The manufacturers generally don't know anything about real world operations to offshore installations.

Do what you operator tells you. Follow your OMA/OMB in EASA land. The operator will have sanitised or improved on whatever OEM advice is out there.

[DOUBLE BOGEY]

VL that's a tadge harsh, at least one manufacturer I know has a number of flying staff with a bit of offshore experience! We are trying to keep up!

DB

[Variable Load]

I did say "generally". Out of the 1000s employed, there are a 'few' in each OEM that have some offshore experience. However those that develop RFM procedures are test pilots that come straight out of the military.

[bladegrabber]

Representing SLF in a professional capacity I usually.....
Get in the back, strap in tight and pray to whatever God you believe in that the guys up front know what their doing !
35 years experience shows a large variable range in competency apart from their ability to induce severe pucker factor amongst the troops.

[roundwego]

Landing - Make sure it is the right deck and don't hit anything. Try and get vaguely in the yellow circle.

Takeoff - Point the sharp end in a clear direction, pull power, count to two and if nothing goes "bang" (unless it's a Makila in which case you can ignore the bangs) nose down 10 degrees and hold it until the ASI starts moving, nose up slightly and relax.

That's about it :)

[albatross]

hilarious response there roundwego I see this going to at least 5 pages of opinions.
The present approach into the wind SOP at all times vs the old deck orientation, accept the xwind and land debate drives me bonkers.
I have seen guys approaching "into the wind" when you would have to fly through the derrick when the wind was 1 gusting 3.

[krypton_john]

I like where you're going with this, Roundwego.

But could you dumb it down a bit more for us antipodeans, please? :D

[bladegrabber]

Try this take off procedure if you dare .... 1986 offshore Brazil crew change flight departing drillship helideck.
10 pax mount up and doors closed
Pilot pulls lever up until torque gauge needle moves right round into the red
Pilot lowers lever and by sign language asks 1 pax to leave
Pilot pulls lever up again and torque gauge needle sits firmly in the red
Pilot "beeps" up engine RPM and helicopter still remains stuck to the deck
Pilot lowers lever and asks another pax to leave ( by now there is no need to ask for volunteers!)

Pilot raises lever and hey presto we are off the deck (just) and shuddering into translational lift.

Did wonder if he had read the book on weight & balance & required power etc ?:)

[Fareastdriver]

It must have been an S76A(+?). Simple technique at 30 degrees plus. Beep up to 105%, throw the lever at the roof; when airborne throw it over the side of the deck and use the 150 ft. or so before the sea to get some airspeed.

[bladegrabber]

S76A nope it was a 2 bladed Bell probably a 212 or 214 as I remember it but it was a long time ago and I'm sure nobody would behave like that nowadays ?

Anyway obviously a top driver because we all survived.:D

[jayteeto]

Just to put meat on my earlier post, of course you use your operators methods. I thought he WAS something to do with an operator asking for advice on what to tell his pilots. Manufacturers are pretty good on handling advice these days........ Lawyers have forced that

[Gray 14]

You seem to be taking a lot of flak here.

Offshore take-off and landing criteria in twins is fairly specific and documented.

The procedure is a one-of-a-kind and is considered standard in the industry.

It pains me to see here the replies you have been given to your request and from one of the most professional forums on the net.

PM me for more specific and legit info on the procedures. I'll be glad to help you out.

[alouette]

@ roundwego;

That pretty much sums up the recommendation.:E

[Variable Load]

Manufacturers are pretty good on handling advice these days........ Lawyers have forced that

Really? Here's the elevated helipad landing profile recommended by Sikorsky. Thankfully I'm not aware of any operator that follows it!

The approach is flown at an airspeed of 40 KIAS
with a descent rate of no more than 600 feet per minute. At
an altitude of 50 feet above the landing surface, the aircraft
is flared to reduce airspeed and descent rate. During this
flare, the pilot should maneuver the aircraft over the landing
pad.


Pilots should follow their operator's procedures - end of! :ok:

[Vertical Freedom]

Hey Bladegrabber....& what is wrong with that technique to prove You have escape power? Do it all the time up here, works perfect. Besides the RFM performance graph is just a guide

Cheers

[bladegrabber]

VF - Honoured indeed, keep the photo's coming as it brightens everyone's day.

Didn't say the guy was wrong my post was illustrating how offshore take off techniques can vary - we all survived after all but times have changed and your average offshore SLF expects procedures and check lists although who's to say its any safer ?

Happy landings and mind that tail !

B.G

[jayteeto]

VL, I have read that over a few times, it is simplistic but doesn't cause me any great shock. I agree, use the operators techniques, if you don't, you won't last long in the company. The problem with deviation from manufacturers advice comes after an accident/incident. If your company is using different profiles, that is their get out of jail free card.
Have you considered actually feeding back data to the makers? You never know, they might change the advice given :cool:

[Vertical Freedom]

G'day bladegrabber (http://www.pprune.org/members/180594-bladegrabber) ~ Yaar a guess procedurally You guys are inundated & fly the numbers ticked off for that mission (makes for an easier, safer workload) :8 Landing at 23,000' You gotta make it up along the way & use a short final power check to be sure.....to be sure :ooh: given the chance I'd be doing what Your doing......just gimme that chance :O

[Margins]

Thanks for everyone's contribution

I was actually trying to stimulate a discussion on more detailed aspects of the helideck procedures, specifically:

Takeoff

Is the takeoff procedure considering passenger comfort?
What is considered an acceptable maximum TDP height, rate of climb to and pitch down attitude after TDP
What are the crosswind limits considered
What are the minimum power margins (AEO) accepted
What kind of climb and at what speed is achieved to reach cruise altitued


Landing

What maximu height is acceptable for the LDP
What maximum ground speed is acceptable at LDP
What is the minimum height at which start the descending to reach LDP
What speed is the best reference parameter (IAS or GS) to define LDP


I appreciate any useful feedback from all the operators

[Gomer Pylot]

IME, passenger comfort and preference are not considered at all.

Once upon a time, we loaded the helicopter to max gross weight, and if it hovered at 100% torque or less, that was close enough. Hover to the edge of the deck, get the rotor over the water and the skids (or wheels) at the very edge, and hold the hover completely steady, moving nothing. Wait for enough wind to come up to get more lift, and then go over the edge. Use judgement to prevent going forward too soon, so as to not hit the tail rotor on the fence. If you couldn't get off at gross, you weren't going to last as a pilot unless you had pictures of bosses or some such. These days, performance charts may actually be used, but certainly not always. Newer aircraft have better performance, and PC2 takeoffs are usually possible. Get a stable hover in the center of the deck, pull collective briskly to reach 100% torque or other first limit, at ~10ft call rotate, and put the nose down to accelerate. The exact nose-down attitude isn't specified AFAIK, but it should be enough to accelerate somewhat quickly. The climbout speed should be Vy, or thereabouts, and you want to reach it as soon as practical. Airspeed is life, even in a twin.

For landing, it seems to vary a lot. I want to start the descent from ~300' above the deck. Once the descent starts, I don't care about airspeed, just groundspeed. Airspeed varies wildly, depending on the wind speed. The wind might actually be a little behind you, depending on the rig. Sometimes you simply cannot approach into the wind, and there are various ways around that. None of them that I know of consider airspeed, at least late in the approach. Part of the PNF's callouts should be rate of closure, both vertically and horizontally from the GPS. We didn't have that years ago, but now it's always there, so why not use it.

[DOUBLE BOGEY]

Margins,

Safety in offshore landings is about momentum!

During take-off you want as much as possible before you commit to crossing the deck edge. This takes precedent over PAX comfort and all modern profiles and performance systems are written to generate this momentum.

Landing however is the exact opposite. We want as little vertical momentum as possible as we cross the deck edge. We don't want to give the Devil a head start if the engine fails. For this reason, most committal points are at slow speed, near zero ROD, as close to deck edge as possible at around 40-50 feet. This is correspondingly much more comfortable for the PAX.

DB

[bladegrabber]

DB :ok: sod the comfort SAFETY everytime !

[prehar]

Margins ,

If you can get hold of the RFM of the AW-139 you'd get a fairly good idea of Offshore take offs and landings including sight pictures for LH or RH side landings .
It however does not answer all you questions of subsequent climbs after the take off segment is complete .
If you have obstructions ,adequate guidance is not provided and would need to be ' intelligently applied '

Hope this helps ??

Cheers

[CareBear]

DB has it about right in my book:ok:

[S76Heavy]

Not smashing into things is usually considered a plus for passenger comfort

[js0987]

The technique about hovering to the deck edge that Gomer Pylot described worked pretty well in the 214ST.

In the 76, I found that for a gross weight takeoff into the wind a little trick about the pedals. If your hover was near 100% torque over the deck, reposition to the deck edge with the nose 10-20 degrees left of the wind line. Set the AC back down and lower the collective to eliminate rotor wash. When ready, pull collective to 100% and as the AC lifts and the nose goes forward, feed in a little right pedal and pull more torque, still not exceeding 100%. Now the caveat. This technique is not for someone new to the aircraft. Needless to say, you screw it up and you will probably overtorque the transmission. Practice when light and work your way up on the loads as you get comfortable.

[Margins]

I appreciate all the posts and I would like to thank for the contributions. My aim was to try to stimulate an open discussion on what the offshore operational pilots consider the best techniques and what would be ideal to be achieved, with respect to the type of machine they fly, in the scenario of the operational rules and the challenging conditions they operate, in order to improve safety taking into account the operational constraints.

Thanks again to everyone that has contributed to this discussion

[griffothefog]

Hover power plus 20% or your pushing the limits..:ok:
But we've all been there at 100% and no options, it's just not acceptable these days (says the 139 driver, awesome power) :ok: