Hong Kong GFS Superpuma ditches in Reservoir after engine failure
Avoid imitations
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The height of arrogance there captain Shyte Talk. There are plenty of pro pilots reading and contributing to this forum that have not progressed/upgraded/transcended ( delete as appropriate ) to multi ships and still have much to offer. Maybe a new years resolution is order ? I doubt it though.
Of course other "pro pilots" have a lot to offer. However, back stabbing other crews after an flying accident isn't a professional way to go about it.
The crew in this incident did a very good job in saving the aircraft, thankfully without it resulting in loss of life or causing damage.
I do have some understanding of the often very difficult multi-role job the GFS crews have, quite a bit more than others here have demonstrated. I also know that GFS crews have been told in the past not to post on this forum and so are unable to stand up to the unfair criticism for themselves.
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handbag
Pleased to see you've withdrawn your unjustified personal attack.
Genuine questions are answered, usually patiently and politely. However, there's a big difference between asking genuine questions and making sweeping ill-informed assertions.
When people do the latter they are, not surprisingly, likely to be shot down by experienced pilots - whose understandable exasperation sometimes shows.
H.
Pleased to see you've withdrawn your unjustified personal attack.
Genuine questions are answered, usually patiently and politely. However, there's a big difference between asking genuine questions and making sweeping ill-informed assertions.
When people do the latter they are, not surprisingly, likely to be shot down by experienced pilots - whose understandable exasperation sometimes shows.
H.
bigskyheli,
Not too nitpick too much, but I guess you're referring to a R-22 ending up in the frontseat of the bus, not a 44 (unless this is a regular occurance of course)
And not to de-rail the thread further, what does the Hong Kong flying Club have to do with a L2 Superpuma ditching while on fire-ops??
As for your consern of downwind approaches, it's up to you (captain) to decide what you want to do. (within your and a/c's capabilities, and feeling)
As for twins OEI capabilities, comment's like,
most likely come from people that don't have experience with twin-ops.
Almost NO twins(few exceptions though) are able to fly away from that scenario with a reasonable workingload of fuel and OGE hover (not high enough!!) I guess the outcome would have been different if the bucket was at the end of a longline, but then again it wasn't....
Not too nitpick too much, but I guess you're referring to a R-22 ending up in the frontseat of the bus, not a 44 (unless this is a regular occurance of course)
And not to de-rail the thread further, what does the Hong Kong flying Club have to do with a L2 Superpuma ditching while on fire-ops??
As for your consern of downwind approaches, it's up to you (captain) to decide what you want to do. (within your and a/c's capabilities, and feeling)
As for twins OEI capabilities, comment's like,
surely the aircraft could have flown away on one engine
Almost NO twins(few exceptions though) are able to fly away from that scenario with a reasonable workingload of fuel and OGE hover (not high enough!!) I guess the outcome would have been different if the bucket was at the end of a longline, but then again it wasn't....
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Yes, then they would have had to use the small bucket...... 
But not enough fuel to take it anywhere useful
We did a lot of firebucketing in Cyprus on Mk5s converted to Mk 2 spec and fuel was always the big issue, especially if you were using a reservoir in the hills.
At least you never needed to worry about getting a good overhead when lifting the bucket, just pull 3200lbsft and wait - the load brought the aircraft to the overhead and you gradually staggered airborne
Even with the Wessex's enviable SE performance, an engine fail in the hover with a full bucket would have meant getting wet!
We did a lot of firebucketing in Cyprus on Mk5s converted to Mk 2 spec and fuel was always the big issue, especially if you were using a reservoir in the hills.
At least you never needed to worry about getting a good overhead when lifting the bucket, just pull 3200lbsft and wait - the load brought the aircraft to the overhead and you gradually staggered airborne
Even with the Wessex's enviable SE performance, an engine fail in the hover with a full bucket would have meant getting wet!
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I think the GFS firebucket bucket weighs more than 4000 lbs.
Of course there is always black and white in these situations, those that defend and those that attack for whatever reason....
Personally, I think it went beep beeep beeeep beeeeeep splosh
The crew probably did a good job in doing nothing, other than recognising the noise and hitting the release button.....
Happy new year and safe flying......
GTF.
Personally, I think it went beep beeep beeeep beeeeeep splosh
The crew probably did a good job in doing nothing, other than recognising the noise and hitting the release button.....
Happy new year and safe flying......
GTF.
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Link to images
A link to some very clear images of the Super Puma involved:
JetPhotos.Net Aviation Photos-Registration Search: B-HRN
JetPhotos.Net Aviation Photos-Registration Search: B-HRN
Thread Starter
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Thanks for the images. I was up at the reservoir for a hike on Friday but they were already gone (I watched a monkey steal a DSLR camera instead, sadly it went up on a tree with it and dropped it on a stone 
).
It has been reported that the remaining two Superpumas at the GFS are now back in service.
I am with you that this one and only approach procedure is BS and I am not here to defend the HKAC or the HKCAD and this is still off-topic, but you clearly need a new pair of glasses. In the report there is a whole paragraph about this limitation. What surprised me more is that there is no mention that downwind approaches are normally avoided like the plague.
I've actually seen your AS355N turning into the wind above Olympic Ave and coming in from the other direction, and that was prior the R22 accident. Clearly somebody at your company (or MFW) knows what they are doing
Anyways... back to topic.
).It has been reported that the remaining two Superpumas at the GFS are now back in service.
Unfortunately in the case of the HKFC you were not allowed to fly there unless you followed the one and only landing procedure, regardless of the wind. This policy was guaranteed to result in an accident. The CAD report on that accident never mentioned the club's policy on the mandatory landing direction, surprise.
I've actually seen your AS355N turning into the wind above Olympic Ave and coming in from the other direction, and that was prior the R22 accident. Clearly somebody at your company (or MFW) knows what they are doing
Anyways... back to topic.
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Good pics
Goodness, how much does a Mk2 weigh? They have it suspended from that rather thin branch on the tree
Now come on lads, get that tank flushed out and those floats re-packed, we need it flying first thing tomorrow
Just kidding of course
Now come on lads, get that tank flushed out and those floats re-packed, we need it flying first thing tomorrow
Just kidding of course
Nige Osborn,
We used the 1200lb firebucket on the Mk2 Wessie on 28; occasionally effective, but then again so is getting the crewman to p1ss into the chrome-plated receptacle. Was once tasked to assist in quelling a disturbance at Stanley prison by firebucketing the prisoners but I refused - half a ton of water delivered from the hover (as requested) would've been 'excessive force'.
If only they had a Wessex Mk5!!!
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what is the capacity in litres of the buckets they use?
Rock Ape - From memory the bucket holds between 800 and 500 US gallons depending on how many bungs were inserted. That's roughly about 3,300 Kgs and 2000 kgs respectively. The bucket itself weighed in at about 275 Kgs, internally there were also a couple of tanks holding foaming fluid.
Oldbeefer - GFS still have regular visits from the RAF SAR Standards Unit and CoSARM, they have also had RN fixed wing standards in to look at the Jetstream operations. They are still a top class outfit.
Oldbeefer - GFS still have regular visits from the RAF SAR Standards Unit and CoSARM, they have also had RN fixed wing standards in to look at the Jetstream operations. They are still a top class outfit.
Thud - I know someone who firebucketed a passing out parade at the HK police HQ!!!
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The belly tank needs time to fit, especially if the aircraft is previously roled for SAR. A bucket can be picked up on the USL hook far more quickly.