Interesting Merlin Landing Video
 

Doh, do you think they noticed ................... just keep going and pretend it didn't happen. Wait for 1/3 the way thro the vid.

Did he get in a hole lot of trouble!:D

Well, it must have been operating at nearly AUM for that to happen! ;)

Once the buggy was off, it clearly has a bit more manoeuvrability and power that it can use to get away with doing the rest of the display!

PP

So you can add airfield-denial and mud-moving to the Merlin's list of roles.

(Wouldn't have happened with skids).:E

Surprised he was happy to retract the gear after that.

...and it proves once again that the only exciting place to watch a heli display from is the right hand seat.

The rabbits in that warren had a shock!

What an eejit! And he carried on the display???

Exactly what I was going to say.

Still at least we will never know who it is 'cos the commentator hadn't already said his name..........:uhoh:

Yes he is!!! Ask anyone at his home station. I hadn't seen that video before; how on earth can it be described as 'good airmanship' to carry on the display without shutting down and checking the aircraft?
And another thing! Just how stupid does that six-wheeled thing look? It's a joke isn't it?

Can't see what the fuss is all about - a controlled approach and landing, all within the aircraft's capabilitites and release to service onto a grass strip, and it got a bit bogged - occupational hazard as a batttlefield helicopter.

Concur with the majority of posters that our hero should have shut down and had a look for any damage before continuing. Poor show for an A2 QHI !!!

Zic

MG

As regards the vehicle (its a John Deere Gator, 700cc Kawasaki vee twin, 6x4), well, it was a role demo! It would be one thing to steam about the sky with a Gator in the back and another to lug a Landrover around. The spams have loads of them, quite a neat piece of kit.:cool:

Mind you, I think I would have taken the chance to check the undercart whilst the Gator was doing it's thing.:uhoh:

He got away with it. We live and learn.

How about not allowing the 6 wheeled thing off until U/C check carried out? Surely there was danger of the oleo collapsing during the vehicle offload?

Yes, fair call.

Interesting to note the name given at the beginning of the commentary - it'll be familiar to many. As for shutting down halfway through a display to carry out a check - that's exactly what the CH53G crew did at Middle Wallop during their role demo (1986) after the stinger dug a furrow. No loss of face, no heckling from the pilots' tents, just a realisation that when things go rwong you do something about it.

Back to the vid anyone notice the big clump of mud falling to the ground (with about 2':56" left to run) as the aircraft passed through the overhead?

Oh, and anyone who thinks a heli display can't be interesting (2s in, perhaps) should try and get access to a vid of Charlie Zimmerman's Bo105 display. That'll be the one that won the Greenham Common mil aerobatic display trophy in 1977...

I think many of you have mis-interpreted MG's

He wasn't referring to the Gator.......;)

Aggh the Gator - last seen in combat with said crew trying to drive it into the Chalet area at RIAT.

As there was no showground driving permit, the said Sqn Ldr was telling the Oik that he had an important appointment to attend. (complete with fellow aircrew and techies)

Step up Senior take-no-s h 1 t Warrant Officer with large 'at and pacestick telling crew they ARE NOT allowed in and that it should not be on the showground.

Certainly made all of us in the Breitling terrace smile to see the RAF being told to poke off by the Army! (and MB and crew getting off their toy!!) :)

If only his inter-personal skills were as good as his superb flying.

I didn't realise how massive a helicopter Merlin is. As it does the special JCB manoeuvre, it dwarfs the spitfire infront of it.

So the six wheeled thing is actually a motorbike in drag?

I suppose there is a good link here, in that the Gator was just big enough to pick up a very much departed Chinook landing gear leg and wheel.... Remember Abingdon?

Conan