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Super Puma down central North Sea Feb 2009

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Super Puma down central North Sea Feb 2009

Old 20th Feb 2009, 18:33
  #141 (permalink)  
 
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Watched Grampian TV news at 1800. Still no news....!!
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Old 20th Feb 2009, 19:06
  #142 (permalink)  
 
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Jeffrey Archer probably still has Max's telephone number. Hi, Geoffers, how's Italy?
P.
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Old 20th Feb 2009, 22:57
  #143 (permalink)  
 
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Caracal et al...

Apologies for the thread creep but all this talk of the Caracal warranted a quick search. Check out Caracal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia if your like me and learn what little French you know vicariously through the Eurocopter naming system. Handsome devil the Caracal me thinks...

Now that I think about it, I'd know all about North American Indians if it wasn't for Bell helicopters.

Back to topic, I do think it rather curious that no public acknowledgment of the crews efforts has been forthcoming (apart from within this forum) and the EC225 fleet has not been grounded. Make of that as you will...

Regardless, much good has or will come of it. It will provide a gentle reminder of the inherent dangers involved and give a much needed nudge towards ever improving safety measures such as Jigsaw etc. The MAIN thing of course is the passengers and crew all made it out without loss of life or limb. For that, we should grateful.

P68
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Old 20th Feb 2009, 22:59
  #144 (permalink)  
 
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Papa,

It is the US Army that names all of its helicopters after Native American Nations (PC for Indian Tribes!).
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 00:12
  #145 (permalink)  
 
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I stand corrected

SASless,

You're absolutely correct. Given I flew a Black Hawk for few years, you'd think I would remember. Perhaps I'm trying to block out my time with the ADF.

Read into that what you will...

P68
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 01:04
  #146 (permalink)  

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I'm just back from a few days hols in Edinburgh, during which all of this drama unfolded. As already said, very well done to the crew and rescuers.
What really chocked me off was that as the event became less and less of a disaster, the t.v. companies were getting more and more desperate for an angle on it, and yesterday one of the regional companies actually had the widow of a Piper Alpha victim, against a backdrop of footage of Piper Alpha as it burned, asking her what this latest incident made her feel like.
How sick is that?
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 03:50
  #147 (permalink)  
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Where are the CVR/FDR/HUMS ( or whatever it is called in this a/c ) fitted?
Hopefully not the tail boom!
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 04:03
  #148 (permalink)  
 
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The CVR & FDR are in the tailboom.
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 04:05
  #149 (permalink)  
 
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Earlier on in the thread it was stated that the CVR/FDR are in the tailboom which, presumably is on the sea bed. It surely can't be that difficult to recover though, there must be ROVs or divers that can operate at that depth. The name of the captain is now public knowledge as he has been named by the newspapers.
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 05:01
  #150 (permalink)  
 
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Malabo,
I have edited my post to remove the untimely speculation that I included. Regarding the training question, I do feel that the type and quality of training provided to flight crews has improved over the years, the use of simulation has allowed a greater exposure to crews and a chance to experience situations that previously were not possible in the training environment. Has it kept up with today’s needs, I leave others to answer that one.
Outhouse.
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 06:15
  #151 (permalink)  
 
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MSN news are now reporting that the aircraft hit something in the fog:

Crash copter 'hit something in fog' - , - Latest news & weather forecasts - MSN News UK
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 07:01
  #152 (permalink)  
 
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That'll be the water I guess......:
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 07:53
  #153 (permalink)  
 
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I think a long time ago there was another 225 ditching in Malaysia...?
I remember something about an hyd. leak into the cockpit...

CAN'T FIND THE THREAD

Regards
Aser
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 08:27
  #154 (permalink)  
 
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aser, that was a 332L2 with a hydraulic fire.
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 10:09
  #155 (permalink)  
 
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Mitchaa,

Far too many assumptions there.

Jim
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 10:26
  #156 (permalink)  
 
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The press have now named one of the pilots involved, including his address.
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 10:59
  #157 (permalink)  
 
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Another report from BBC:

BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Helicopter survivor recalls crash
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 11:06
  #158 (permalink)  
 
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Mitchaa

Why would the CVR part of the CVFDR be of no use? The voice recording will be of what was actually said rather than what the pilots recall being said during what must have been a stressful experience. It may also be of use to determine other info such as engine and rotor speeds. It's also possible that the hums data may be corrupted; how 'crashworthy' is the hums system?

Last edited by the beater; 21st Feb 2009 at 12:57. Reason: To add: yes, my favourite aviation expert has been on TV.
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 12:58
  #159 (permalink)  
 
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I think the fact that on the 4th day after the event all EC225s are still flying as normal and AAIB/Type Certificate holder on scene and on the case it is a fair assumption to rule out a mechanical failure!!!!!

Listening/reading to all eyewitness accounts I for one have not lost any faith in the machine I operate for the moment.

This is not just about rumours, its about making a valued judgement to continue as normal pending the outcome of the inquiry.

The HUMs system has done a fairly robust job in erradicating in-service rotable component failures. It is downloaded and analysed after each and every flight.

Whatever happend that night the crew should be commended for their safe and successful evacuation in what all of us who operate over the sea know... is the ultimate nightmare scenario!!

I just hope the aim is not to BLAME.....but to learn as much as we can from the incident.
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Old 21st Feb 2009, 14:13
  #160 (permalink)  
 
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A Deafining Wall Of Silence

Am I alone left wondering how it can be that 4 days after the event, with 2 walking talking flight crew, the deafining silence from across the runway at ABZ is utterly astounding.

I suspect that the Management of that AOC are doing their utmost to "protect/hide" someone or something.

I have no idea who/what it can be that they are trying to protect. But I will tell you that its is not me, the 500 other flight crew who are beating up the HMRs across the NS at night in ****e WX, or the passengers that we have been flying over the past 4 days.

We all have a moral obligation to release information in interests of other peoples safety.

I fully accept where the crew have been lost that the investigators will at times have a devil of a job coming to the correct conclusions, but in this case they must surely know whether it was a controlled ditching in response to a malfunction....or otherwise.

As they have chosen to remain silent I will reach my own intermidiate conclusions but if it becomes clear they have hidden something for the past 4 days that may impact on my safety, the safety of other crews and our passengers - it is utterly unforgivable.

For the touchy-touchy-feely-feely amongst you who think speaking the unspoken is not fair or right at this time this post is simply not for you.

The truth may be painful....but it will only come out in the end!!!!!
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