Best of luck in GOM - Katrina may bite!
Thread Starter
Best of luck in GOM - Katrina may bite!
On behalf of the Australian and New Zealand helicopter communities, I would like to offer our best wishes for all those helicopter people who are based in the Gulf of Mexico awaiting their fate as Hurricane Katrina (now a worst case classification 5) bears down upon your homes and loved ones.
For those not in the GOM, the helicopter fleet supporting the oil fields is probably about the same number as the all of UK or Japan, twice as many as New Zealand and two thirds the Australian number. Over a hundred oil facilities are based off shore, a large number rely on the helicopter industry to move people and urgent freight to the off shore sites.
I have been fortunate to have flown in the area for two years, and I know that Hurricane Katrina is aiming at New Orleans – just under half a million people in the city; however, the extensive coastal areas have a lot more.
To say New Orleans has a problem is an understatement, the place was built in a swamp, and the water table is very close to the surface; that is why they bury people in above ground graves.
The predicted storm surge of about 20 feet is higher than most houses, and I have seen the after effects of these totally underestimated weapons of Mother Nature. A fast moving Tsunami may be a violent end for some; however, a slower storm surge can creep into communities and drown the unprepared.
The Super Dome in New Orleans is rated to 130 mph. Weather men say 165 mph is heading their way. Civil authorities are placing people in the SD for the night. Hope the engineering safety factor is good!
In conclusion, our thoughts are with you aa, and we hope that Mother Nature will turn the helm and send Katrina to somewhere less vulnerable.
We will watch your adventure on the excellent cable TV networks from the USA.
Fly with extra care - or not at all!
Rob Rich
President
Helicopter Association of Australasia
For those not in the GOM, the helicopter fleet supporting the oil fields is probably about the same number as the all of UK or Japan, twice as many as New Zealand and two thirds the Australian number. Over a hundred oil facilities are based off shore, a large number rely on the helicopter industry to move people and urgent freight to the off shore sites.
I have been fortunate to have flown in the area for two years, and I know that Hurricane Katrina is aiming at New Orleans – just under half a million people in the city; however, the extensive coastal areas have a lot more.
To say New Orleans has a problem is an understatement, the place was built in a swamp, and the water table is very close to the surface; that is why they bury people in above ground graves.
The predicted storm surge of about 20 feet is higher than most houses, and I have seen the after effects of these totally underestimated weapons of Mother Nature. A fast moving Tsunami may be a violent end for some; however, a slower storm surge can creep into communities and drown the unprepared.
The Super Dome in New Orleans is rated to 130 mph. Weather men say 165 mph is heading their way. Civil authorities are placing people in the SD for the night. Hope the engineering safety factor is good!
In conclusion, our thoughts are with you aa, and we hope that Mother Nature will turn the helm and send Katrina to somewhere less vulnerable.
We will watch your adventure on the excellent cable TV networks from the USA.
Fly with extra care - or not at all!
Rob Rich
President
Helicopter Association of Australasia
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Robsrich
"Over a hundred oil facilities in the GOM"
Just for your information:
In fact there are around 4000, so over 100, yes.
There are around 600 helicopters supporting the industry at present.
Those platforms or MODUs likely to be affected have been evacuated over the weekend. The aircraft will have been flown from the vulnerable bases to safer areas. PHI will have moved all their aircraft including their S92s from Boothville and all companies have probably evacuated Fourchon and Amelia as well.
You are right, NOLA could get the big one this time.
"Over a hundred oil facilities in the GOM"
Just for your information:
In fact there are around 4000, so over 100, yes.
There are around 600 helicopters supporting the industry at present.
Those platforms or MODUs likely to be affected have been evacuated over the weekend. The aircraft will have been flown from the vulnerable bases to safer areas. PHI will have moved all their aircraft including their S92s from Boothville and all companies have probably evacuated Fourchon and Amelia as well.
You are right, NOLA could get the big one this time.
Thread Starter
Hippolite:
Thanks for the update.
Watching CNN here it seems that the emergency services are doing a good job. Probably due to the pre-disaster planning.
Well done to all, just hope it will not be too miserable!
One weather guy was explaining that Katrina is moving onto warmer water, just what the bitch needs to turn those claws into talons!
Does Bud taste OK when warm?
Thanks for the update.
Watching CNN here it seems that the emergency services are doing a good job. Probably due to the pre-disaster planning.
Well done to all, just hope it will not be too miserable!
One weather guy was explaining that Katrina is moving onto warmer water, just what the bitch needs to turn those claws into talons!
Does Bud taste OK when warm?
Folks...it is an ill wind that blows no good....on the positive side of this...maybe the GOM crews will get some new trailers to live in and the old trashy ones will be replaced by Air Log/PHI/ERA etc.....
Good radar images at wunderground.com and intellicast.com .
Good radar images at wunderground.com and intellicast.com .
Last edited by SASless; 29th Aug 2005 at 06:48.
