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Blimp Down at U.S. Open
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As usual, the media delivers a great aviation news headline :D:
Jun 15 2017, 7:52 pm ET Blimp Catches Fire, Crashes at Golf’s U.S. Open; Pilot Forced to Eject by Erik Ortiz and Juan Anguiano Videos posted to social media captured the moment a commercial blimp flying over the U.S. Open golf tournament in Wisconsin crashed into an open field Thursday morning. Spectators described the pilot parachuting out of the deflated and tattered aircraft, which appeared to have caught fire, just in time before it slammed to the ground in flames. Thick smoke could be seen billowing in the distance. "Oh, my God, they just parachuted out, they just parachuted out," one person said in a tweeted video. The aerial advertising firm AirSign confirmed to NBC News that the pilot escaped from one of its blimps and that no other person was on board. The blimp, which was advertising a local credit union, wasn't affiliated with the United States Golf Association (USGA). Airsign's president, Patrick Walsh, told NBC affiliate WTMJ of Milwaukee that the crash likely occurred because of a catastrophic failure of its skin, an "envelope" that is inflated by using air heated by propane burners. The USGA said the blimp caught on fire and went down in a field about a half-mile from the Erin Hills golf course at 11:15 a.m. CT (12:15 p.m. ET). First responders already at the tournament arrived at the crash site quickly to treat the pilot, the USGA said. No one on the ground was hurt. The pilot, Trevor Thompson. sustained serious injuries and burns and was airlifted to a hospital, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said. Described as an experienced and careful pilot by Walsh, Thompson sustained burns on 40 percent of his body because of the crash, WTMJ reported. "He wore a fireproof flight suit, and that probably protected him quite a bit as well,” Walsh told WTMJ. The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Hospital said in a statement that Thompson remains in serious condition at their hospital in Wauwatosa. The blimp had been airborne for "several hours" when it crashed and was lawfully operating at the proper altitude, authorities said. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were assisting in the investigation. |
It seems as if "blimp" is a misnomer. This craft was an hot air balloon/blimp hybrid. I was unaware of the existence of such a beast until this accident.
Airship & Blimp Advertising Services World Wide - AirSign |
Well the headline is indeed a bit over the top but all in all the article remains factual.
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You are right, I just don't think the pilot was able to 'eject', a term which probably means more to military aviators than headline writers.
There were reports of multiple parachutes, probably from parts of the balloon falling in the distance. The company said the pilot had a 'fireproof flight suit' and it appears that he rode the craft down rather than parachuting from later reports. |
Nomex, perhaps, Airbubba?
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You and I have worn those in years past. Sadly, the 'fireproof' aspect turned out to be a somewhat of a misnomer in this case with the 40 percent burns. :(
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Nomex is not fireproof, but heat and flame resistant, says the manufacturer.
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The Nomex will not catch fire and burn as we would expect of some fabrics. But it gets very hot and has poor heat transfer characteristics - it does not "insulate".
Go look up Brian Shul on Google, he was an old student of mine and fellow A-7D flyer in the same squadron back in the 70's. He survived a T-28D crash and escaped the burning plane easily. Sitting against a nearby tree he became extremely hot within seconds even tho the nomex flying suit was not on fire. It was very hot from the fire but had no insulation properties. So he suffered severe burns over a significnt part of his body and about a third of his face. I played soccer with the man and seeing the damage when in the locker room was a shock. There were lines where his shorts and socks were. The backs of his hands were burned, but the palms were O.K. because the gloves only had nomex on the backs. So nomex may not burn, but your best bet is wool or a coupla layers of cotton and not rayon or any nylon. |
Originally Posted by gums
(Post 9804476)
Go look up Brian Shul on Google, he was an old student of mine and fellow A-7D flyer in the same squadron back in the 70's.
I've got Shul's Blue Angels Wings of Gold book sitting on the shelf as I type.
Originally Posted by gums
(Post 9804476)
So nomex may not burn, but your best bet is wool or a coupla layers of cotton and not rayon or any nylon.
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Salute!
Good view, Bubba. I had to grade Brian's papers at Air University back in 1977 or so. He could write fairly well for his stage and background. He was not arrogant, and he did not use his disfigurement as a "crutch" . He was an outstanding athlete and that saved his butt after getting burned so badly. Most of us would not have survived the "treatment/therapy". I only know him and one other SR-71 troop, and will not comment about that aspect of his career. The secret to protecting your skin is the combo of fireproof and insulation materials. So best uniform if you are concerned about fire is to wear an old-fashioned set of long johns underneath your cosmic nomex outfit. "fishnet" or "bubble" or "waffle weave" suits are best. Hope the dude has great care and a goo recovery. Gums sends... |
Originally Posted by gums
(Post 9805254)
I had to grade Brian's papers at Air University back in 1977 or so. He could write fairly well for his stage and background. He was not arrogant, and he did not use his disfigurement as a "crutch" . He was an outstanding athlete and that saved his butt after getting burned so badly. Most of us would not have survived the "treatment/therapy".
I only know him and one other SR-71 troop, and will not comment about that aspect of his career. According to an NTSB tweet, the airship that crashed was a Gefa Flug GmbH AS-105GD blimp [sic]. Here is a description of the AS-105GD from another aerial advertising company website: Gefa-Flug AS 105 GD Our Gefa-Flug thermal airship is a four seat design and is 135 ft long (nearly half of a football field). It has full aircraft communications capability including a Mode C transponder, which will allow it to operate in and around congested, tower controlled airspace such as Sacramento, Oakland, even Los Angeles. The Envelope The AS 105 GD envelope (inflated part) has a volume of 105,943 cu.ft. and is capable of carrying two specially fitted main banners which provide an advertising area of nearly 4000 square feet. Our envelope is also set up for rare "chin" banners up front and there are smaller advertising areas available on the envelope for sewn banners or artwork. The combined banner area is nearly 5000 square feet, more than SEVEN standard highway billboards. The use of banners allows a one day change out for special promotions. Cheers Over California, Inc - GEFA-FLUG AS105GD Thermal Airship - Specifications/Technical |
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