Super Puma down central North Sea Feb 2009
No, my wife's too titty to be a preacher
(with apologies to the Two Ronnies and their spoonerism sketch)
Good result all round - nice FLIR footage.
(with apologies to the Two Ronnies and their spoonerism sketch)Good result all round - nice FLIR footage.
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Crab
does that make you a shining wit? (Sorry, couldn't resist it).
As someone currently on 225s I wait with bated breath to see what put them in the North Sea.
Meanwhile congratulations to the crew and to the rescue services. Good job.
does that make you a shining wit? (Sorry, couldn't resist it).
As someone currently on 225s I wait with bated breath to see what put them in the North Sea.
Meanwhile congratulations to the crew and to the rescue services. Good job.
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Seems like an expertly well done job by all involved. Well done, and all the best to crew / pax / emergency services.
Be interested to know how The AAIB / Bond will get the machine back. I presume if it hasn't yet sank they will lift it onto a boat? If it has sank, does anybody know how they will go about getting it back up?
Be interested to know how The AAIB / Bond will get the machine back. I presume if it hasn't yet sank they will lift it onto a boat? If it has sank, does anybody know how they will go about getting it back up?
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Good outcome...
Happen to know the Co-Pilot very well, we learnt to fly together in the mis 90's at Liverpool, then he worked for me for a brief period to relieve the excess workload I was suffering from in 2007. A top bloke, and someone you would want around you in a tight situation!
I'll be up to Aberdeen to have a pint with you soon mate!
I'll be up to Aberdeen to have a pint with you soon mate!
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Northsound radio reported this morning that a stricken 'Sea Puma' was down in the North Sea 
....... The spoilers probably didn't auotmatically deploy whilst attempting to land......
....... The spoilers probably didn't auotmatically deploy whilst attempting to land......
EC225, MTOW about 10.300-10.500kg ?
So without payload and perhaps low on fuel 6-7tons?
We had one Superpuma ditch in sweden 2005, it floated for almost one whole day until it was lifted. The floats seems to keep the air so I guess it would continue to float for a long time, at least as long as the sea wont turn it upside down.
So without payload and perhaps low on fuel 6-7tons?
We had one Superpuma ditch in sweden 2005, it floated for almost one whole day until it was lifted. The floats seems to keep the air so I guess it would continue to float for a long time, at least as long as the sea wont turn it upside down.
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Well, the TV reports couldn't use their full repertoire of air crash adjectives this time, but I noticed that at least one station managed to get 'plunge' into their headlines.
Again, well done to all.
Again, well done to all.
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Good job by all, especially at night.
Just thinking on a what would I do basis, if conducting an ARA they would have been at 300ft and would have completed Finals checks, hence landing gear would be down.
Procedure for water landing would be gear up floats inflated. So if time was of the essence what would be the implications if any of firing the floats with gear down. Would it be imperitive to get gear up before firing the floats. Or would it be feasable to raise the gear once the floats have inflated.
Also what actually are the implications of landing on water with gear down, other than drag on the water.
Once again good job by all the pilots, safety crew and pax
Just thinking on a what would I do basis, if conducting an ARA they would have been at 300ft and would have completed Finals checks, hence landing gear would be down.
Procedure for water landing would be gear up floats inflated. So if time was of the essence what would be the implications if any of firing the floats with gear down. Would it be imperitive to get gear up before firing the floats. Or would it be feasable to raise the gear once the floats have inflated.
Also what actually are the implications of landing on water with gear down, other than drag on the water.
Once again good job by all the pilots, safety crew and pax
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Sky News
In one sentence it's 3 crew, 15 pax, next sentence it's 2 crew 16 pax. Great start!
"....could ultimately be a criminal investigtion....."
Ex navy pilot thinks "it was probably mechanical"
BP head of flying ops apparently speaking to Sky at 11.30 GMT
Glad all are safe & well
In one sentence it's 3 crew, 15 pax, next sentence it's 2 crew 16 pax. Great start!
"....could ultimately be a criminal investigtion....."
Ex navy pilot thinks "it was probably mechanical"
BP head of flying ops apparently speaking to Sky at 11.30 GMT
Glad all are safe & well
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Jemax,
Floats can be inflated with gear up or down on the AS332/EC225. Some will argue that gear down in the water may help with stability but I can't see it making a material difference.
I will be interested to see if the crew inflated the floats before hitting the water or if they were inflated by the automatic inflation system on contact with water.
Shame the tail boom broke off as it will have sunk and that is where the CVR/FDR is located. Hope the weather stays calm enough over the next few days to recover the aircraft and tailboom.
Best wishes to the crew who will be going through lengthy debriefings by all and sundry.
Floats can be inflated with gear up or down on the AS332/EC225. Some will argue that gear down in the water may help with stability but I can't see it making a material difference.
I will be interested to see if the crew inflated the floats before hitting the water or if they were inflated by the automatic inflation system on contact with water.
Shame the tail boom broke off as it will have sunk and that is where the CVR/FDR is located. Hope the weather stays calm enough over the next few days to recover the aircraft and tailboom.
Best wishes to the crew who will be going through lengthy debriefings by all and sundry.
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Just thinking on a what would I do basis, if conducting an ARA they would have been at 300ft and would have completed Finals checks, hence landing gear would be down.
Procedure for water landing would be gear up floats inflated. So if time was of the essence what would be the implications if any of firing the floats with gear down. Would it be imperitive to get gear up before firing the floats. Or would it be feasable to raise the gear once the floats have inflated.
Also what actually are the implications of landing on water with gear down, other than drag on the water.
Procedure for water landing would be gear up floats inflated. So if time was of the essence what would be the implications if any of firing the floats with gear down. Would it be imperitive to get gear up before firing the floats. Or would it be feasable to raise the gear once the floats have inflated.
Also what actually are the implications of landing on water with gear down, other than drag on the water.
If i remember correctly, and it was a little while ago now, on the Puma you could certainly fire the floats with the gear down, without any drama. In fact chances are that is exactly what you would do. When shuttling around our procedure is with the gear remaining down, so in the event of a ditching you are probably not going to take it up. I don't remember the procedure even involving raising the gear before ditching in the Puma, but I maybe wrong. Certainly in the S92 SOP's you leave the gear well alone. It states that operation of the gear (up or down) can damage the floats, although you are not supposed to inflate the floats until on the water, so leave well alone. So answer - probably not imperative to get the gear up. Raising gear while floats inflated - i would advise against it. Implications of landing on water, gear down - few. Yes a bit more drag, but probably not a huge amount, and the main wheels are aft of the CG (hopefully!), so shouldn't cause any pitch fwd issues. Actually may even stabilise things a bit.
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Who is "Capt. Pete Thomas", wheeled out by Sky as an "expert"?
He is described as "ex-Navy". How much North Sea/ 225 flying has he done?
He shares with us his "gut feeling" about what happened. How dare he. I hope Rotorheads who know him will make him feel suitably embarrassed.
He is described as "ex-Navy". How much North Sea/ 225 flying has he done?
He shares with us his "gut feeling" about what happened. How dare he. I hope Rotorheads who know him will make him feel suitably embarrassed.
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Standing by for salvage
The dive support vessel CSO Wellservicer is currently standing by to possibly salvage the "ditched" aircraft, which is still floating at the moment but now upside down. Apparently an expert is due to fly out to the vessel to assist.
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Who is "Capt. Pete Thomas", wheeled out by Sky as an "expert"?
He is quoted here:
"Capt Thomas added that while he did not want to speculate on causes, there must have been good reason for putting the craft down on the sea"
and about the pilot:
"He would have utilised the whole crew"
What - the co-pilot as well?
Wonderful.
Just found this from him:
"It was a controlled ditching - more controlled than the recent Hudson River landing.
"It was an informed decision."
So the Hudson ditching was neither under control or an 'informed decision'.
Eh?
Last edited by TRC; 19th Feb 2009 at 11:01. Reason: Found even more stuff from him