A bit too close for comfort!
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The Enstrom 480 is a very strong aircraft and with the large spread on the skids gives it great stability and makes it very forgiving in the situation in the video. I can think of some aircraft that would of rolled over.
Once again a lucky guy to walk away from that one.
Combine Operations
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It is easily possible for the deck to fall away fast enough at least for the helicopter to become very light on the skids. Then, it does not take much of a lateral movement of the vessel for the helicopter to start skidding across the deck.
That's when the problems start.
That's when the problems start.
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Controller
You must maintain the disc horizontal to the deck - so no, don't chase against the deck pitching or rolling. A multitude of reasons for this!
Having spent a week in the sim doing this excercise many times... He was either very skilled or very lucky (or a combination). It's tough enough trying to keep the aircraft within the confines of a huge runway, let alone a small helideck!
Cheers,
Doc
Having spent a week in the sim doing this excercise many times... He was either very skilled or very lucky (or a combination). It's tough enough trying to keep the aircraft within the confines of a huge runway, let alone a small helideck!
Cheers,
Doc
There's nothing on the NTSB site for N480KP. I wonder how recently this happened?
Lucky, lucky people.
Lucky, lucky people.
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Answering to 'the controllers' question, I think that is safe to cyclic to adjust for pitch and roll to stop or minimize sliding. Adjustments have to be small and you have to over come your tendency to jam the cyclic hard. Though you do have to know yours and the aircraft limits. To much input and you can mast bump, and as the video shows when the ship drops out from under you, you will be heading very quickly in the direction that your cyclic is pointing.
I think that the pilot thought that his rear right strap was still on, and that was why he tried to go backwards, in a very out of controlled way to say the least. Instead of flying away to the safety in wild blue yonder.
But yes a very un-organised situation.
Though I think the pilot did do a good job of keeping it dry, though maybe not his pants.
Wouldn't negative pitch be wonderful in such a situation.
I think that the pilot thought that his rear right strap was still on, and that was why he tried to go backwards, in a very out of controlled way to say the least. Instead of flying away to the safety in wild blue yonder.
But yes a very un-organised situation.
Though I think the pilot did do a good job of keeping it dry, though maybe not his pants.
Wouldn't negative pitch be wonderful in such a situation.
Again! collective power control. ...... how many circles to you think he would have done on the deck if he had overhead throttles
Good pilot skills though, to land safe in that situation
Good pilot skills though, to land safe in that situation
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I vividly remember hovering an E480B for a friend as a favor a couple of years back, I had never been in one and the mechanic walked me thru it, and I remember it had a collective friction lever which if let go completely, the collective would go up by itself since it's spring loaded, I remember loosening that thing and being unable to remove my hand from the collective at all because if I did the collective would come up, nasty design characteristic in my opinion, maybe that friction came off at the wrong time.
Last edited by BlenderPilot; 17th Oct 2006 at 23:12.
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Blender you are so right about the Enstrom collective coming up if the friction is not on TIGHT. Something that only catches you out once and this may very well be one of those occasions.
Who has jurisdiction over this accident? If this accident occurred on the high seas off the coast of Ireland with an N registered aircraft, who or where would you report it to? Is there even a requirement to report it in this instance?
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
Blender and Brian,
No problems with the design of the 480B collective, your aircraft were just misrigged. On a properly rigged a/c, before start, with friction off, the collective will stay full down since the spring will be over center. Lift the lever a few degrees and the spring up-force comes online. With rotors turning the spring is still over center with full down collective, but once raised the spring balances the collective forces very well...when rigged properly.
No problems with the design of the 480B collective, your aircraft were just misrigged. On a properly rigged a/c, before start, with friction off, the collective will stay full down since the spring will be over center. Lift the lever a few degrees and the spring up-force comes online. With rotors turning the spring is still over center with full down collective, but once raised the spring balances the collective forces very well...when rigged properly.
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T. I agree. The design is fine and when rigged right it will fly 'hands off' so you can play with the radio while your left hand holds the cyclic. The collective should stay where you put with no friction applied.
However, I have flown quite a few with collective problems. Its a maintenance issue. The collective spring preload should be checked by flight testing when any adjustment of the control system is performed. It is a quick and simple adjustment that seems to get overlooked and is potentially disastrous. It also makes it most unpleasant to fly.
If you find an Enstrom that does this, get it sorted out. It should have been done before it was released to service.
However, I have flown quite a few with collective problems. Its a maintenance issue. The collective spring preload should be checked by flight testing when any adjustment of the control system is performed. It is a quick and simple adjustment that seems to get overlooked and is potentially disastrous. It also makes it most unpleasant to fly.
If you find an Enstrom that does this, get it sorted out. It should have been done before it was released to service.
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i don't know what severity of accident is required before the ship has that obligation.
The Chicago Convention seems a bit hard to follow, but the definitions in the ICAO agreement might suggest that is the same case or that it would extend to where the helicopters operating base is and or the owner wherever it is registered. if that makes sense.
maybe someone who knows ICAO rules backwards could let us know.
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The description of the video on the youtube website says:
But I can just see the two straps that get removed by the groundcrew.
Maybe the rear end of the right skid was stuck to the net and the ground guy tried to fix that.
What I dont understand is that the engines got started and the disk loaded, before the straps were removed.
What is the "by-the-book" procedure in a deck operation like this?
This is a Turbine Enstrom Helicopter on the Heli Pad of a Greenpeace ship some where off the coast of Ireland. One of the deck straps has not been released correctly, with what was very nearly disastrous consequence. Pilot skill and quick thinking saved the day.
Maybe the rear end of the right skid was stuck to the net and the ground guy tried to fix that.
What I dont understand is that the engines got started and the disk loaded, before the straps were removed.
What is the "by-the-book" procedure in a deck operation like this?