View Full Version : Danger to Helicopters?
Brizzo
4th Feb 2006, 09:09
But, because temperatures in London had slipped to below zero and it was minus 3C (27F) in Bath yesterday morning, plans to take the helicopter were abandoned because of fears that ice would cause the rotors to seize up.
is given as the reason in today's Times why the Royal Flight could not take the Prince of Wales to Bath yesterday.
Jerricho
4th Feb 2006, 09:56
Geeze, we were at -15C here in Winnipeg yesterday. I hope somebody told the guy in the chopper who was doing a deer survey just north of the field about that.
(And there's a couple of sentences I never would have dreamed I'd be typing, if you had asked me 3 years ago.)
AlphaWhiskyRomeo
4th Feb 2006, 10:08
Are there any de-icing or anti icing procedures that can be applied to a helicopter?
I know that some light aircraft flying around London yesterday were getting covered in ice.
Magplug
4th Feb 2006, 16:23
So would one of the PC pilots like to explain to us why icing conditions at -15c are infinitely preferable to those at -3c ? 'Cos the rest of know!
donut king
4th Feb 2006, 16:56
Icing!! Again!!!!!
Assuming Royal Flight was their 76...
All present S76's are NOT certified for icing. Therefore, there is no preferred temperature for icing.
As for the London weather at the time...........was precip present at the given OAT????
"ICE IS NOT NICE"!!!!
Freakin cold temperatures are a different story. The 76 is certified to -34 celsius as per the flight manual. Nick correct me if I'm off on that number.
DK
ShyTorque
4th Feb 2006, 17:20
Icing conditions exist from 0C to about minus 10 C, where supercooled water droplets may exist, just waiting for a nice helicopter to freeze onto. Not nice.
Outside that temperature band, there is little problem on most turbine helicopters, subject to the RFM advice.
SASless
4th Feb 2006, 17:22
Maybe they need to invest in the S-92....Westlands could open up a line to build it like they did for the Apache.
ShyTorque
4th Feb 2006, 17:32
In these times of downsizing, I doubt that will happen, SASless. The RTO would need a new hangar first....which would possibly mean a base change and a change of engineering authority too.
Some folks these days would rather see our Royal Family travel by bus....... :rolleyes:
rotorspeed
4th Feb 2006, 17:33
Last few days have actually been tricky in the UK. Lowish cloud base, usually under 800ft, then a layer at around -2C to about 2500ft then +5C at 5000ft. Lovely on top, poor underneath, but the bit in the middle was quite capable of building up some ice if in it for long. Hence cancelled flights for Royal Flight - and others including some of mine!
Farmer 1
4th Feb 2006, 17:55
I think Brizzo's post was a comment on how even the Times is heading towards other, lesser publications.
The flight was abandoned "because of fears that ice would cause the rotors to seize up". Such a statement shows a remarkable ignorance of the subject, especially from such a distinguished newspaper.
Vfrpilotpb
4th Feb 2006, 18:00
Jesus, or Alaha, pick which one fits, But that Prince of Wales sure must live in one hell of a big place, He takes the Helicopter, I normally walk along the corridor to the bath!:D :ok:
Vfr
rotorfloat
4th Feb 2006, 18:02
Icing conditions exist from 0C to about minus 10 C
I used to think that too, Shytorque.
Last monday, Northern BC, -30 C, dodging fog. Managed to pick up a bit of white frost on the landing gear, vertical and horizontal stabs. Of course I didn't notice until I had landed to refuel. Afterwards, I gave the fogbanks a wider berth. I wish I had a camera with me.
ShyTorque
4th Feb 2006, 18:54
"Managed to pick up a bit of white frost on the landing gear"
That's just chock-ice ;)
cwatters
4th Feb 2006, 21:15
The newspaper I saw had some nice logic. It said something like.. "if he had left 30 mins earlier and had gone by train he would only have arrived 30 mins late". They didn't say what time he would have arrived had he left an hour earlier.
plans to take the helicopter were abandoned because of fears that ice would cause the rotors to seize up.
But anyone who's seen the film "The day after tomorrow" knows that's it's true.
Never like saying 'non' to a trip but the strange conditions caused some head-scratching......Inversion, lovely on top, forecast bkn cloud at destination etc pressure pressure but then that's what you get paid for I guess, the knowledge to say know.
As the boss kindly put it:
The reason for having to fly is not life or death but, it could be the result!!