Radioactive Contamination
Thread Starter
Radioactive Contamination
Must be a dilemma most unique:
I seem to recall we had a thread covering some of the helicopter responses to the earthquake and subsequent power plant damage. Weren't there other helicopters operating in proximity to the plant?
HeliHub has heard that one or more of the current Doctor Heli fleet have become contaminated by radioactive material as a result of flying too close to the Fukushima nuclear plant which had the devastating failure resulting from March’s tsunami.
After being passed as fit-to-fly by the authorities, Doctor Heli (or possibly one of their current operators) purchased a Geiger counter – the equipment to measure radioactivity – and the results they found gave them sufficient concern to immediately condemn the airframe(s).
Industry sources suggest that the affected helicopter(s) are to be buried in concrete.
After being passed as fit-to-fly by the authorities, Doctor Heli (or possibly one of their current operators) purchased a Geiger counter – the equipment to measure radioactivity – and the results they found gave them sufficient concern to immediately condemn the airframe(s).
Industry sources suggest that the affected helicopter(s) are to be buried in concrete.
Avoid imitations
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This happened in Chernobyl too. I remember it being reported that the grass died beneath the aircraft parked up after previously being used to drop sand on the reactor.
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Pity they couldn't park them in a desert somewhere, like the mustangs that were parked at Maralinga after the nuke tests there.
They were pretty much all put back into flying condition and disappeared all over the world to airshows etc.
Well our grandkids could go along and look at the funny helicopters their grandfathers used to fly around in.
They were pretty much all put back into flying condition and disappeared all over the world to airshows etc.
Well our grandkids could go along and look at the funny helicopters their grandfathers used to fly around in.
Thread Starter
This happened in Chernobyl too. I remember it being reported that the grass died beneath the aircraft parked up after previously being used to drop sand on the reactor.
Still know one of Chernobyl drivers in person, he was in early 40-ties, FO on right seat of Mi 6 and Mi 8.... PIC on left seat was in mid 50-ties, dies out of leukemia wirhin 3 y affter 
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Eurocopter Information Notice 2311-I-00
Further to the recent massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan which caused serious damage to a Nuclear power
plant, EUROCOPTER anticipates the concern of operators regarding radioactive contamination that may be
encountered when flying near the area.
Therefore, EUROCOPTER would like to draw your attention to the existing guidelines provided by the following
national and international authorities and by Turbomeca:
- AEA - Association of European Airlines
Radioactive Contamination of Aircraft and Engines
AEA - Publications
- FAA - Federal Aviation Agency
Advisory Circular AC No: 20-48 - Practice Guide for Decontaminating Aircraft
AC 20-48 - Practice Guide for Decontaminating Aircraft - Document Information
- ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization
Doc 9691 AN/954 - Manual on Volcanic Ash, Radioactive Material and Toxic Chemical Clouds
http://www.paris.icao.int/news/pdf/9691.pdf
- TURBOMECA General Service Letter No. 2795/11
The above-mentioned guidelines provide useful information on:
- Procedures and equipment for the measurement of radiation levels.
- Quantification of radioactivity alert levels.
- Areas on aircraft where radioactive contamination accumulates.
- Decontamination.
It is advisable that operators follow the directives from the relevant national and international authorities.
If in doubt, operators should consult the relevant national and international authorities for clarification.
Further to the recent massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan which caused serious damage to a Nuclear power
plant, EUROCOPTER anticipates the concern of operators regarding radioactive contamination that may be
encountered when flying near the area.
Therefore, EUROCOPTER would like to draw your attention to the existing guidelines provided by the following
national and international authorities and by Turbomeca:
- AEA - Association of European Airlines
Radioactive Contamination of Aircraft and Engines
AEA - Publications
- FAA - Federal Aviation Agency
Advisory Circular AC No: 20-48 - Practice Guide for Decontaminating Aircraft
AC 20-48 - Practice Guide for Decontaminating Aircraft - Document Information
- ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization
Doc 9691 AN/954 - Manual on Volcanic Ash, Radioactive Material and Toxic Chemical Clouds
http://www.paris.icao.int/news/pdf/9691.pdf
- TURBOMECA General Service Letter No. 2795/11
The above-mentioned guidelines provide useful information on:
- Procedures and equipment for the measurement of radiation levels.
- Quantification of radioactivity alert levels.
- Areas on aircraft where radioactive contamination accumulates.
- Decontamination.
It is advisable that operators follow the directives from the relevant national and international authorities.
If in doubt, operators should consult the relevant national and international authorities for clarification.
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AgustaWestland GEN-11-021
March 25th, 2011
Please be informed of the following recommendations that shall be followed for AW helicopters in case of operations in or near Radioactive Environments.
1. REFERENCES
EASA SIB 2011-04, issued on 22nd March 2011
2. PRELIMINARY NOTE
Please note that national legislations may require that National Authorities and National Health Organizations be involved, where aircraft radioactive contamination is suspected.
The Operators are requested to ensure that they comply with their national legislation, in particular with respect to National Authorities’ involvement in contaminated aircraft.
3. RECOMMENDATIONS
AgustaWestland (AW) would like to advice the Operators that there are no , to the best of our knowledge, known impacts on aircraft performance as a result of operations in or near Radioactive Environments.
Please also note that, although no specific maintenance action on the aircraft exposed to radiation or radioactive contaminants is requested, AW anyway recommends operating in compliance with National Airworthiness Authority regulations/restrictions that are published in relation to the single events and, if any, with the instructions of the engine manufacturer. Therefore, in case of suspected or ascertained operations in Radioactive Environment, the pertinent National Authority shall be contacted for instructions related to aircraft contamination’s assessment and removal. Any maintenance instructions recommended by National Authority, impacting on the aircraft hardware, shall be shared with AW for evaluation before their use.
March 25th, 2011
Please be informed of the following recommendations that shall be followed for AW helicopters in case of operations in or near Radioactive Environments.
1. REFERENCES
EASA SIB 2011-04, issued on 22nd March 2011
2. PRELIMINARY NOTE
Please note that national legislations may require that National Authorities and National Health Organizations be involved, where aircraft radioactive contamination is suspected.
The Operators are requested to ensure that they comply with their national legislation, in particular with respect to National Authorities’ involvement in contaminated aircraft.
3. RECOMMENDATIONS
AgustaWestland (AW) would like to advice the Operators that there are no , to the best of our knowledge, known impacts on aircraft performance as a result of operations in or near Radioactive Environments.
Please also note that, although no specific maintenance action on the aircraft exposed to radiation or radioactive contaminants is requested, AW anyway recommends operating in compliance with National Airworthiness Authority regulations/restrictions that are published in relation to the single events and, if any, with the instructions of the engine manufacturer. Therefore, in case of suspected or ascertained operations in Radioactive Environment, the pertinent National Authority shall be contacted for instructions related to aircraft contamination’s assessment and removal. Any maintenance instructions recommended by National Authority, impacting on the aircraft hardware, shall be shared with AW for evaluation before their use.
I/C
Really, wow! And what of the drivers?
Thread Starter
212 thank you. It makes for some grim reading though.
I know these are rare occurrences but .. why the heck don't the national aviation authorities insist (perhaps urged by a UN body) on a prescribed radius surrounding leaking (or suspected leaking) reactors within which all persons must don protective clothing (how effective is this protective clothing in any case?). This does seem like an ideal task for UAV's or even remotely-piloted aircraft.
Sad stuff. Let's hope the chaps in Japan will pull through.
I know these are rare occurrences but .. why the heck don't the national aviation authorities insist (perhaps urged by a UN body) on a prescribed radius surrounding leaking (or suspected leaking) reactors within which all persons must don protective clothing (how effective is this protective clothing in any case?). This does seem like an ideal task for UAV's or even remotely-piloted aircraft.
Sad stuff. Let's hope the chaps in Japan will pull through.
As a police pilot, I was asked to participate in a desk top exercise dirty bomb scenario where police helicopters were called to the scene of a small nuclear lap top sized device being detonated in the middle of the city.
Bearing in mind, at the first shout of something like this going off, dozens of police/fire/medical staff would be diverted directly to the scene to attend the injured. The helos would act as comms links / FLIR for heat sources, fire chief taxi's etc etc.
ALL would be contaminated.
Only after all this had happened would someone then realise that a more measured approach would be needed. But of course by then, for those involved it would have been too late.
The general consensus of opinion was that there was no alternative - needs must
I wonder how many 'gold control' supervisors are aware of ESOR's (emergency stand off ranges) and OSOR's (operational)???
When the Berlin Wall came down and the cold war came to an end opening up communist Russia, a part of their military inventory was 21 large lap top hard case sized nuke's. They were designed to be deployed covertly inside a major city centre and detonated by sleepers who would be issued with these weapons. Only 17 have been accounted for to date
Bearing in mind, at the first shout of something like this going off, dozens of police/fire/medical staff would be diverted directly to the scene to attend the injured. The helos would act as comms links / FLIR for heat sources, fire chief taxi's etc etc.
ALL would be contaminated.
Only after all this had happened would someone then realise that a more measured approach would be needed. But of course by then, for those involved it would have been too late.
The general consensus of opinion was that there was no alternative - needs must
I wonder how many 'gold control' supervisors are aware of ESOR's (emergency stand off ranges) and OSOR's (operational)???
When the Berlin Wall came down and the cold war came to an end opening up communist Russia, a part of their military inventory was 21 large lap top hard case sized nuke's. They were designed to be deployed covertly inside a major city centre and detonated by sleepers who would be issued with these weapons. Only 17 have been accounted for to date
