Underslung Load 'Incidents'
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Stanley Harbour 1982. Chinook tasked with positioning a fabricated walkway that had been transported with a recently arrived “Coastel”.
Nicely rigged by Hookers.
Up gently.
Max torque!
Load not moving???
STILL WELDED TO THE DECK!!!
Nicely rigged by Hookers.
Up gently.
Max torque!
Load not moving???
STILL WELDED TO THE DECK!!!
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Cheers To All
Dear readers of this thread, it looks as if it is quietly running out of steam to join the pprune archive. I'd just like to thank each and every scribe for your contribution, there's lots of thought provoking material to consider from some almost unbelievable tales.
I think the biggest lesson when dealing with USLs is that old 'un,
'Always expect the unexpected'!
Regards,
SFF
I think the biggest lesson when dealing with USLs is that old 'un,
'Always expect the unexpected'!
Regards,
SFF
Before the thread disappears completely......
I was waiting for an eye witness account, but this is second hand (told to me by "someone who was there").
Bristow S61 in the Falklands, early 90's, underslinging empty fuel bollocks, in turbulence, load swung up and over the tail boom, passed between the tail boom and the main rotor without touching it, aircraft landed with the load still wrapped around the tail boom. Crew was the Chief Pilot, Deputy Chief Pilot and Senior Loadmaster............
I was waiting for an eye witness account, but this is second hand (told to me by "someone who was there").
Bristow S61 in the Falklands, early 90's, underslinging empty fuel bollocks, in turbulence, load swung up and over the tail boom, passed between the tail boom and the main rotor without touching it, aircraft landed with the load still wrapped around the tail boom. Crew was the Chief Pilot, Deputy Chief Pilot and Senior Loadmaster............
Chief Bottle Washer
Dear readers of this thread, it looks as if it is quietly running out of steam to join the pprune archive. I'd just like to thank each and every scribe for your contribution, there's lots of thought provoking material to consider from some almost unbelievable tales.
I think the biggest lesson when dealing with USLs is that old 'un,
'Always expect the unexpected'!
Regards,
SFF
I think the biggest lesson when dealing with USLs is that old 'un,
'Always expect the unexpected'!
Regards,
SFF
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Seafuryfan,
If this thread is to end, perhaps your little incident in with the builders bag at G40 in about 2005 bears repetition... I'm pretty sure that the rigger who was unexpectedly lifted into the air atop the load - subsequently jettisoned - would think so!
If this thread is to end, perhaps your little incident in with the builders bag at G40 in about 2005 bears repetition... I'm pretty sure that the rigger who was unexpectedly lifted into the air atop the load - subsequently jettisoned - would think so!
To end with - my very first SH task after Sqn acceptance, on Whirlwinds in Cyprus. Go to DANCON, troops and resupply the various OPs along the ceasefire line, just after the invasion. Arrive with half full fuel tanks, OAT in the mid 30's, first task is to take USL of water jerrycans from camp up to OP. I look at my kneepad quick planning guide, and say we can take 'x' number in the net; my very experienced crewman says 'Don't worry, done this lots of times - we can take 'x+50%' in the net - you'll have plenty of power'. So think 'he knows what he's doing' and off we go.
At this point I should add the LS is quite small, surrounded by fig trees and only one way out - up a small valley, as the Turks would not allow us to go the other way, towards the coast. Now add in a sea breeze which always set in early. Most of you by now know where this is going!
So, my first 'real' load is now attached, and I pull in power - the aircraft immediately centres itself over the load, but does little else. Crewman encourages me to 'pull a little more', so foolishly I did - at which point the sea breeze (from behind) dies, and we lift about 5ft, and start a transition. However there is now the problem of the trees waiting to catch us - not to worry, the load is so heavy it just goes straight through the first one, but unfortunately this sets up a good fore and aft swing. Going forward is great - the aircraft accelerates (a little), then it swings back and all speed is lost, and we sink back towards the ground. This goes on for two or three more swings as I now try to fly between the trees in front of me, whilst looking at the rising ground ahead. Jettison - never even thought of it! Crewman meanwhile is strapping in tightly, doesn't say a thing. Eventually I did reach translational lift and gently climb away from the ground. We drop the load at the OP, return to Kokkina and shutdown for 'small discussion'.
He had assumed I was low on fuel (as all the other experienced pilots would have been), I assumed he knew what he was talking about. I will let you all draw your own conclusions. Needless to say I always double checked my own calculations afterwards - it's not always helped when the loads don't match the advertised weights, but it has saved me embarrassment at other times!
At this point I should add the LS is quite small, surrounded by fig trees and only one way out - up a small valley, as the Turks would not allow us to go the other way, towards the coast. Now add in a sea breeze which always set in early. Most of you by now know where this is going!
So, my first 'real' load is now attached, and I pull in power - the aircraft immediately centres itself over the load, but does little else. Crewman encourages me to 'pull a little more', so foolishly I did - at which point the sea breeze (from behind) dies, and we lift about 5ft, and start a transition. However there is now the problem of the trees waiting to catch us - not to worry, the load is so heavy it just goes straight through the first one, but unfortunately this sets up a good fore and aft swing. Going forward is great - the aircraft accelerates (a little), then it swings back and all speed is lost, and we sink back towards the ground. This goes on for two or three more swings as I now try to fly between the trees in front of me, whilst looking at the rising ground ahead. Jettison - never even thought of it! Crewman meanwhile is strapping in tightly, doesn't say a thing. Eventually I did reach translational lift and gently climb away from the ground. We drop the load at the OP, return to Kokkina and shutdown for 'small discussion'.
He had assumed I was low on fuel (as all the other experienced pilots would have been), I assumed he knew what he was talking about. I will let you all draw your own conclusions. Needless to say I always double checked my own calculations afterwards - it's not always helped when the loads don't match the advertised weights, but it has saved me embarrassment at other times!
Way off thread but.
Went to Dancon to play a match in the UN Cricket Tournament. We arrived in a bus just before lunch and eleven Danes in cricket gear met us. Into lunch, then the bar and we, and them, all got ratted on Carlsberg.
Went out to the pitch and eleven different blokes pitched up.
Went to Dancon to play a match in the UN Cricket Tournament. We arrived in a bus just before lunch and eleven Danes in cricket gear met us. Into lunch, then the bar and we, and them, all got ratted on Carlsberg.
Went out to the pitch and eleven different blokes pitched up.
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"Seafuryfan,
If this thread is to end, perhaps your little incident in with the builders bag at G40 in about 2005 bears repetition... I'm pretty sure that the rigger who was unexpectedly lifted into the air atop the load - subsequently jettisoned - would think so! "
Hello Tiger 16, happy to correct. 'Pretty sure' is a good stab, 'little incident' is halfway right, but please don't imply the load was jettisoned while airborne.
The operating crewman (I was CStanO, watching) spotted the rigger/marshaller who returned to the load and quickly climbed up it (can't remember why, possibly having spotted a tangle) as the load left the ground. Yes, the rigger briefly got airborne. The crewman calmly voice marshalled the load back on to the ground, operated the emergency release (avoiding injury to the rigger), and subsequently received some sort of flight safety award for his swift actions. The incident was related to sqn members on our return and we liaised with the user unit for lesson learning. Perhaps you heard of it on the sqn, or through bar chat. Anyway, that's what happened. All's well that ends well - expect the unexpected!
If this thread is to end, perhaps your little incident in with the builders bag at G40 in about 2005 bears repetition... I'm pretty sure that the rigger who was unexpectedly lifted into the air atop the load - subsequently jettisoned - would think so! "
Hello Tiger 16, happy to correct. 'Pretty sure' is a good stab, 'little incident' is halfway right, but please don't imply the load was jettisoned while airborne.
The operating crewman (I was CStanO, watching) spotted the rigger/marshaller who returned to the load and quickly climbed up it (can't remember why, possibly having spotted a tangle) as the load left the ground. Yes, the rigger briefly got airborne. The crewman calmly voice marshalled the load back on to the ground, operated the emergency release (avoiding injury to the rigger), and subsequently received some sort of flight safety award for his swift actions. The incident was related to sqn members on our return and we liaised with the user unit for lesson learning. Perhaps you heard of it on the sqn, or through bar chat. Anyway, that's what happened. All's well that ends well - expect the unexpected!
Last edited by seafuryfan; 25th Jun 2012 at 18:38. Reason: Faded memory returned during trampoline washing
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I stand corrected; crewroom banter may indeed have exaggerated the incident a touch - wouldn't be the first time! Must admit to having a minor interest in that particular event - I'd just completed one of 230's notorious "72 hour non-stop DA" stints, finishing the handover literally 5 seconds before the phone call came in from your so-pumped-he-was-barely-coherent pilot!
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F I LOADS
Shackman, Waddoplummer, Motley
I remember the Kent ISO slightly differently. ISTR that the task was to pick up the rubbish ISO which usually weighed about 8t. On this occasion there had been a new bit of building going on and at the end of it all the excess rubble etc was thrown in the ISO. When it came to the lift the aircraft was in the hover with about 78 kts indicated. As they transitioned over the north side of the site. (the one with the big cliff) the ias dropped to about 40kts and there was quite a roller coaster till they got some sensible airspeed on again
. I remember my front end crew reverse engineering the ODM to come up with an all up weight of 28.5 t. MAUW at the time was 22.7 and with an APS plus fuel of about 15t it gives you an ISO weight of 18.5t. Still a tad heavy.
Rollandpull
My crew had delivered those ISOs the day before on a double 40ft strop without redundant rigging. I don’t think it had been invented then. Unfortunately my twin brother managed throw half the rigging away over the side of Atlantic Causway
. The final move was as you say without the extra rigging because of my twin brother (who as a side has also been known to attend riotous parties ) but the final positioning called for a single point lift with handling lines. 4 of the ISOs had been put in and the one that went bombing Stanley harbour was the last. Not having the extension rigging was factor but the major cause was the lifting eye was corroded and not man enough. The eyes of all the chains were still locked when recovered.
My twin brothers mishaps
4 bollocks dieso San Carlos replen to Goose Green. A bit of turbulence and one fecked orff at about 2000 ft. Didn’t alf go bang when it hit the rocks.
Genny Moody Brook If it had of been me I would have blamed the hookers.
10Ft Shake on iso Full of NAAFI nutty, booze, beer and fags up to Byron. They were notorious for spinning and the only way to stop them was touch them on the ground . A bit difficult on the way up to Byron over the sound. Make Sure They Are Locked. SIB Plod didn’t see the funny side of it untill we showed him all the flotsam on the shore of the sound.
Challenging loads
Chinook on to Liecesterbrook
Lots of Pucaras to Atlantic Causway. We refused the last one cause it had bang seats in with no pins.
Phantom minus donks from Airfield to Leicesterbrook
Scariest Load.
Building Byron Radar we always picked up a particular ISO every morning and then dragged it back last lift at night. This night because we needed a low fuel for a heavy lift in the morning we didn’t refuel and just hovered off the side while the ship crew moved the ISO off the deck. Someone opened it and out stepped 4 Royal Engineers. Captain was not happy is an understatement. Ships captain not happy
. Union not happy. We think they were doing it at Alice too.
I remember the Kent ISO slightly differently. ISTR that the task was to pick up the rubbish ISO which usually weighed about 8t. On this occasion there had been a new bit of building going on and at the end of it all the excess rubble etc was thrown in the ISO. When it came to the lift the aircraft was in the hover with about 78 kts indicated. As they transitioned over the north side of the site. (the one with the big cliff) the ias dropped to about 40kts and there was quite a roller coaster till they got some sensible airspeed on again
. I remember my front end crew reverse engineering the ODM to come up with an all up weight of 28.5 t. MAUW at the time was 22.7 and with an APS plus fuel of about 15t it gives you an ISO weight of 18.5t. Still a tad heavy.Rollandpull
My crew had delivered those ISOs the day before on a double 40ft strop without redundant rigging. I don’t think it had been invented then. Unfortunately my twin brother managed throw half the rigging away over the side of Atlantic Causway
. The final move was as you say without the extra rigging because of my twin brother (who as a side has also been known to attend riotous parties ) but the final positioning called for a single point lift with handling lines. 4 of the ISOs had been put in and the one that went bombing Stanley harbour was the last. Not having the extension rigging was factor but the major cause was the lifting eye was corroded and not man enough. The eyes of all the chains were still locked when recovered. My twin brothers mishaps
4 bollocks dieso San Carlos replen to Goose Green. A bit of turbulence and one fecked orff at about 2000 ft. Didn’t alf go bang when it hit the rocks.
Genny Moody Brook If it had of been me I would have blamed the hookers.
10Ft Shake on iso Full of NAAFI nutty, booze, beer and fags up to Byron. They were notorious for spinning and the only way to stop them was touch them on the ground . A bit difficult on the way up to Byron over the sound. Make Sure They Are Locked. SIB Plod didn’t see the funny side of it untill we showed him all the flotsam on the shore of the sound.
Challenging loads
Chinook on to Liecesterbrook
Lots of Pucaras to Atlantic Causway. We refused the last one cause it had bang seats in with no pins.
Phantom minus donks from Airfield to Leicesterbrook
Scariest Load.
Building Byron Radar we always picked up a particular ISO every morning and then dragged it back last lift at night. This night because we needed a low fuel for a heavy lift in the morning we didn’t refuel and just hovered off the side while the ship crew moved the ISO off the deck. Someone opened it and out stepped 4 Royal Engineers. Captain was not happy is an understatement. Ships captain not happy
. Union not happy. We think they were doing it at Alice too.
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BTDTGTTShirt, I seem to remember almost losing a Phantom over the side of the ship as there were no hydraulics hence no brakes on a concave deck housing. Same one????
Gentleman Aviator
Went to Dancon to play a match in the UN Cricket Tournament. We arrived in a bus just before lunch and eleven Danes in cricket gear met us. Into lunch, then the bar and we, and them, all got ratted on Carlsberg.
Went out to the pitch and eleven different blokes pitched up.
Went out to the pitch and eleven different blokes pitched up.
Last edited by teeteringhead; 24th Jul 2012 at 09:41.
BTDTGTTShirt: ISOs from Mt Kent are almost worth a chapter on their own - the one I referred to was in amongst the accomodation ones, mounted on half of 2ft square plinths (paving slabs) with adjoining ones mounted on the other half! Certainly remember plenty of other lifts (particularly of the 'builders' ISO) and the dreaded 'Bollocks to Mt Kent' tasking line!
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BTDTGTTShirt.
Byron Heights was a lot of fun. We must have played Bingo at some point, as we tended to get lots of dedicated airlift parking on the fwd deck for mini dets. I was one of the two resident Hookers (leave it!). I still have the scar on my head from a masterlink that bounced off my head on its journey from the Wokka to the deck. Helmet? Nah - I was in the middle of having my tea and just 'popped' out to see if I could help! That old drunk member of the ships crew sewed me up.
The Corato was like a mini JATE for me as I got to test rig a lot of stuff on the ships crane - and there was all sorts of un-flown engineer 'plant' I can tell you.
Byron Heights was a lot of fun. We must have played Bingo at some point, as we tended to get lots of dedicated airlift parking on the fwd deck for mini dets. I was one of the two resident Hookers (leave it!). I still have the scar on my head from a masterlink that bounced off my head on its journey from the Wokka to the deck. Helmet? Nah - I was in the middle of having my tea and just 'popped' out to see if I could help! That old drunk member of the ships crew sewed me up.
The Corato was like a mini JATE for me as I got to test rig a lot of stuff on the ships crane - and there was all sorts of un-flown engineer 'plant' I can tell you.
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A mate was on a task in a Chinook at an Range in the North of England repositioning some targets. They had JATE assistance as they were not your usual cleared loads. It was the end of the tasking day and they had to reposition an old Jet Provost. The load was lifted as normal and they departed to its new home.
The crewman was watching the load through the load hatch and looked away for a second to check the utility panel. When he looked back the load was nowhere to be seen - he looked through the window at the side of the aircraft to see the JP had decided it was not just a load, but, was an aeroplane again and was level with the chinook! The crewman jettisoned the load which flew its way down to make its own landing!
The crewman was watching the load through the load hatch and looked away for a second to check the utility panel. When he looked back the load was nowhere to be seen - he looked through the window at the side of the aircraft to see the JP had decided it was not just a load, but, was an aeroplane again and was level with the chinook! The crewman jettisoned the load which flew its way down to make its own landing!
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Motley
That's the same one. I've just dug up an old log book. 8 Mar 83 ZA709 skipper was JM and tasking was Bollocks Anco Charger to PSC Replen then into Stanley for the Phantom. I remember we were pulling about 90% dual engine just to keep it from rolling off the deck. No one would come in and chock it because of the down wash. Unfortunately my log book doesn't name the rest of the crew. I assume your handle comes from a later life.
That's the same one. I've just dug up an old log book. 8 Mar 83 ZA709 skipper was JM and tasking was Bollocks Anco Charger to PSC Replen then into Stanley for the Phantom. I remember we were pulling about 90% dual engine just to keep it from rolling off the deck. No one would come in and chock it because of the down wash. Unfortunately my log book doesn't name the rest of the crew. I assume your handle comes from a later life.
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Shackman
Correct Kent tasking was a PITA . Looking at my log book I went up there many a time. Kent and Albertross were the first two radar sights. I remember early on in 82 when we were still at Port San Carlos, Albertross begging for a shift change from the first chinook airborne every day. They were still living at the bottom of the hill at Ajax Bay. While Kent was built the accommodation blocks went in at the same time. Can you imagine a shift change every day from Stanley to Kent?
Rollandpull.
I hate to admit it but my previously mentioned twin brother might well remember you from the Corato. The bang on the bonce rings a bell as does the pissed crewman but probably not as loud as it rang your bell
Were you aware of the usl engineers?
Correct Kent tasking was a PITA . Looking at my log book I went up there many a time. Kent and Albertross were the first two radar sights. I remember early on in 82 when we were still at Port San Carlos, Albertross begging for a shift change from the first chinook airborne every day. They were still living at the bottom of the hill at Ajax Bay. While Kent was built the accommodation blocks went in at the same time. Can you imagine a shift change every day from Stanley to Kent?
Rollandpull.
I hate to admit it but my previously mentioned twin brother might well remember you from the Corato. The bang on the bonce rings a bell as does the pissed crewman but probably not as loud as it rang your bell
Were you aware of the usl engineers?