One day on a power project long, long ago. In a swamp far, far away.
Pilot lands 204 sans sliding door.
( doors often do a “falling leaf” when they depart and land with little or no damage.)
Pilot knows +- where he lost it.
So we jump in and go look.
He is flying over a large area.
Engineer: “ I thought you know where it landed!?”
Pilot: “Well, it could have drifted with the wind.”
Engineer: “Drifted with the wind? How high were you?”
Pilot: “About 9000’ AGL.”
Engineer: “9000! 9000 feet? Fer Gawds sake the F******G thing probably burned up on Re-Entry!”
We never found the door.
I saw a Bristow 212 G- BALZ in Bagdad ( Photo credit Jamie Jamieson ) when we were looking for the “Weapons of Mass Distraction” just before the last Gulf War that had 2 brackets fitted where the rubber bumpers were that would hold an open door in place if it “Jumped the tracks” Brilliant idea.
Sorry I didn’t take a photo and didn't do well on the drawing course.
