A life on the ocean waves
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No-one outside of the CAF (and perhaps a couple of other navies that employ haul down) can train for that, you are entering the unknown
) was that often crews, from any nation, operating in one of the most dangerous aviation environments going, have to expect the unexpected.Are you still in the rotary world or have you moved on like myself? (Every now and again with a touch of regret into the Aluminium Tube world)
Happy flying!!!
Flap62 what I meant was + 1G...an additional 1G on top of resting G. IE: The sponsons experience +1G under a decelerative force.
Wirblesturmski: What years did you do SK2 and 5? I was 1980 - early 90's.
I work for a foreign aerospace company now. Gave up fluggling in 2007 to drive a desk low level!
Wirblesturmski: What years did you do SK2 and 5? I was 1980 - early 90's.
I work for a foreign aerospace company now. Gave up fluggling in 2007 to drive a desk low level!
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Mid 80's early 90's.
814 & 849 Sqn's
Sometimes look at those desks with a little envy these days when I'm looking at Greenland from FL400 at 2:00am! Although the mighty 777 is ok to fly!
Happy Landings.
814 & 849 Sqn's
Sometimes look at those desks with a little envy these days when I'm looking at Greenland from FL400 at 2:00am! Although the mighty 777 is ok to fly!
Happy Landings.
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Your wish is our command
Press Release: New Zealand Defence Force Seasprite Court Of Inquiry: Summary Of Findings
The Court of Inquiry for the accident involving a Royal New Zealand Navy Seasprite Helicopter on board HMNZS Te Mana during First of Class Flight Trials (FOCFT) has been completed. The trials involve determining the safe operating limits of ship’s pitch and roll, wind strengths and aircraft handling under normal and emergency conditions. On 20 February 2002, during FOCFT, Seasprite NZ3604 made a heavy landing onto the frigate HMNZS Te Mana resulting in significant damage to the aircraft. The Court of Inquiry found that the heavy landing was the result of a unique and largely unforeseeable combination of ship motion and aircraft rate of descent at the moment of touchdown.
Air Vice-Marshal John Hamilton, Chief of Air Force said, “These events, when taken in the context of the inherently greater risk involved in FOCFT, all contributed to a greater or lesser degree to the accident. No one significant event has emerged as being pivotal to, or directly causative of, the accident. Accordingly, few recommendations could be made by the court to specifically improve procedures or practices in avoiding such incidents.”
Seasprite Court Of Inquiry: Summary Of Findings
Questions and Answers
What are First of Class Flight Trials (FOCFT)?
The First of Class Flight Trial process seeks to determine the safe operating limits for the aircraft from a ship under normal and emergency conditions. The limits are computer modelled prior to the commencement of the trial; the flying trial itself sees a gradual expansion of the limits, from the benign to the extremes of the modelled envelope. In this case, the FOCFT task plan called for two sorties to be conducted in “degraded” mode – in this case being flown with either the Automatic Stabilisation Equipment (ASE) off, or the hydraulic boost off.
What happened during the accident?
The incident trials took place in Cook Straight. The wind was south-south westerly at approximately 20 knots with a sea state of 3 – 4. The ship was pitching 2 – 3 degrees (occasionally 4 degrees) and rolling up to 7 degrees.
The second sortie of the day was planned to investigate known data point in three stages: Automatic Stabilisation Equipment (ASE) off, ASE off and lateral coupler disengaged, and hydraulics off. The first two approaches/landings/launches were conducted uneventfully. The third landing required the hydraulic boost to be disabled, a scenario that significantly increases the pilot’s workload. With the Test Pilot at the controls, the Seasprite hovered over the deck, and after a period of time, descended. The aircraft impacted the deck heavily resulting in significant damage to the landing gear.
What is the cost of the repair?
The cost of damage to the aircraft has been estimated at approximately $7.4 million (NZD).
The Court of Inquiry for the accident involving a Royal New Zealand Navy Seasprite Helicopter on board HMNZS Te Mana during First of Class Flight Trials (FOCFT) has been completed. The trials involve determining the safe operating limits of ship’s pitch and roll, wind strengths and aircraft handling under normal and emergency conditions. On 20 February 2002, during FOCFT, Seasprite NZ3604 made a heavy landing onto the frigate HMNZS Te Mana resulting in significant damage to the aircraft. The Court of Inquiry found that the heavy landing was the result of a unique and largely unforeseeable combination of ship motion and aircraft rate of descent at the moment of touchdown.
Air Vice-Marshal John Hamilton, Chief of Air Force said, “These events, when taken in the context of the inherently greater risk involved in FOCFT, all contributed to a greater or lesser degree to the accident. No one significant event has emerged as being pivotal to, or directly causative of, the accident. Accordingly, few recommendations could be made by the court to specifically improve procedures or practices in avoiding such incidents.”
Seasprite Court Of Inquiry: Summary Of Findings
Questions and Answers
What are First of Class Flight Trials (FOCFT)?
The First of Class Flight Trial process seeks to determine the safe operating limits for the aircraft from a ship under normal and emergency conditions. The limits are computer modelled prior to the commencement of the trial; the flying trial itself sees a gradual expansion of the limits, from the benign to the extremes of the modelled envelope. In this case, the FOCFT task plan called for two sorties to be conducted in “degraded” mode – in this case being flown with either the Automatic Stabilisation Equipment (ASE) off, or the hydraulic boost off.
What happened during the accident?
The incident trials took place in Cook Straight. The wind was south-south westerly at approximately 20 knots with a sea state of 3 – 4. The ship was pitching 2 – 3 degrees (occasionally 4 degrees) and rolling up to 7 degrees.
The second sortie of the day was planned to investigate known data point in three stages: Automatic Stabilisation Equipment (ASE) off, ASE off and lateral coupler disengaged, and hydraulics off. The first two approaches/landings/launches were conducted uneventfully. The third landing required the hydraulic boost to be disabled, a scenario that significantly increases the pilot’s workload. With the Test Pilot at the controls, the Seasprite hovered over the deck, and after a period of time, descended. The aircraft impacted the deck heavily resulting in significant damage to the landing gear.
What is the cost of the repair?
The cost of damage to the aircraft has been estimated at approximately $7.4 million (NZD).
