R22 Redhill to Cuneo Italy,

[slippy17]

Hi Folks,

I did this ferry flight with biggles99 last week over two days. I have to say that I learned a lot from the experience and really enjoyed it.

Here are some pics,


http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs214.snc3/22142_350803928311_529588311_4897625_1801012_n.jpg

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs214.snc3/22142_350803943311_529588311_4897626_4035112_n.jpg
Coasting out at Lydd

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs214.snc3/22142_350804143311_529588311_4897641_4579575_n.jpg
South of France


http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs234.snc3/22142_350804148311_529588311_4897642_2960455_n.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs234.snc3/22142_350824578311_529588311_4897696_2586512_n.jpg
Crossing the Alps

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs234.snc3/22142_350824673311_529588311_4897702_2946739_n.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs234.snc3/22142_350804103311_529588311_4897638_3334603_n.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs214.snc3/22142_350804033311_529588311_4897633_6207733_n.jpg

[manfromuncle]

Why are all these Robinsons going to Cuneo?!

Helicopter Life (http://www.helicopterlife.com/2009_04/flight.html)

[krypton_john]

Oh I dunno. Brecon Beacons, Lakes District, the Scottish Highlands and Islands... not too shabby on a nice day.

[Nigel Osborn]

Interesting to see no floats; you must have perfect faith in the Robbo!!:ok:

[Brilliant Stuff]

Nice one!:ok: You seem to have been blessed by the weather.

[chopper2004]

Or maybe the floats fitted after first picture taken? :)

Nice one guys,:ok: that too is my ambition once I get my license, to do cross channel hop and beyond :)

Anyway gotta pack bags for Houston

[biggles99]

Brilliant Stuff - notice the complete lack of piccies between Lydd and St Tropez!! Weather wasn't clever all the way across France.

here are some more pictures across the Alps.

Check out the altimeter in the Beta (NOT Beta II).

http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx357/martinrutty/r22overthealps.jpg

at 10,500 ft, no GPS, no AH, no DI. Just me, my compass and map.




http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx357/martinrutty/themountainswithR44inview.jpg

with a R44 in sight



http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx357/martinrutty/themountains4.jpg

a lot of snow



http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx357/martinrutty/thealpslikeamoonscape.jpg

looks like the moon.......??


http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx357/martinrutty/thealps.jpg

beautiful but scary!

[helicopter-redeye]

Were you using O2 at 10.5K? h-r

[GoodGrief]

So, the R44 had the GPS on board and guided you...:D

[biggles99]

Hi Red-eye,


No, I used C9H13NO3!!!

Big Ls.:ok:

[GoodGrief]

What made you produce it? Or did you take an extra dose?
Prescribed by the doctor?

[PENNINE BOY]

Is this another close to time expired R22 going to Italy to be used there under the so called Italien Ultralight Class?

[topendtorque]

Ultralight


Heh heh, be even lighter when all the gunge is cleaned off the instrument panel. maybe it's on its way to a dealer who will also fix up the agricultural bits behind the pencil holder and reseal the instruments??

[Brilliant Stuff]

People always try to scare you about flying over water, I have to say thick German woodland and snow covered mountains scare me more than water. But at least the snow will cushion you.:}

Cracking flight and what an experience.

[Sliding Doors]

Having just read the letter in Helicopter Life magazine I'd have to concur " What an experience" :rolleyes:

[Heli-Ice]

biggles99

I heard that C9H13NO3 is brown in colour and and smells like sh*t :)

Is it true?

[Yellow & Blue Baron]

How many fuels stops did you make?

[spinwing]

....."and there I was .... ten thousand five hundred feet ...nothing around me but snow covered mountains ... GASPing for breath" ... and IN A ROBINSON! .... :eek:




:D


an act of faith of the first order ...... ;)

[biggles99]

Spinwing and Brilliant Stuff-- yes, indeed. But I know of others that have been higher in an R22. Georgina Hunter-Jones for one.

As for act of faith, crossing the Timor Sea for FOUR hours in an Astro was probably more of a worry for me than being at 10,500 ft in a R22. The drone of the engine becomes a blurr after the first 2 hours, and the 100% view of nothing, and I mean nothing, other than sea and sky is most disconcerting. No radio contact, with the D&D frequency being blocked by the warring factions in East/West Timor made you feel very alone and vulnerable.

I have this theory, (and long may it remain just a theory) that a zero forward speed auto into trees and/or snow is more likely to be survivable than ditching into a heaving cold sea, at any speed.

However, I do take your point about the mountain -- there's little point in doing a perfect forced landing onto a snow covered slope only to tumble to the bottom of the ravine in a dis-intergrating helicopter!

Yellow and Blue -- on this trip we stopped three times for fuel. We had to go the long way round and the weather was rubbish.

I have done it with just the one stop (excluding Lydd). We went Lydd, Dijon, Cuneo. But this was in a R44 and we had a 15 knot tailwind all the way.


Heli-Ice -- not in my cockpit and on my watch it doesn't......:ok:

Big Ls.

[Gypsy_Air]

Why are all these Robinsons going to Cuneo?!

Helicopter Life (http://www.helicopterlife.com/2009_04/flight.html)


Thanks very much for that link, Manfromuncle. I wrote that article, but I didn't know it was in Helicopter Life!