R22 Beta missing on flight from Nunavut to Greenland
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From: Canada
R22 Beta missing on flight from Nunavut to Greenland
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: All around
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From: St Johns, Newfoundland,Canada
R22 Beta missing on flight from Nunavut to Greenland
I have quite a bit of experience flying in this part of the world. One of the most extreme environments there is. I have done the crossing to Greenland a few times. Mostly in AS350 fully equipped with pop outs, life raft, rifle and all the Arctic survival goodies. You really have to pick the day, weather is a major factor and can/ will change in an instant. I was communicating with an Inuit friend from Arctic Bay only yesterday, he was talking about the WX being crap, bad ice and lots of fog. He was out in the straits after polar bear. I certainly would not attempt that route in an R22, do they come pop out equipped or was it on fixed floats, where would you stow the survival kit and life raft required up there in an R22. Hope it ends well, but having operated up there I fear the worst.
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: All around
Checking the photo in the article, not much room for any survival equipment next the, quit red neck style looking, extra fuel tank.
http://www.skyeagleaviation.com/blog...ent/unnamed-5/
And no, no floats at all on the helicopter.
I have been up north in the same region several times, and no way I would ever attempt something like that in a Robbie.....
http://www.skyeagleaviation.com/blog...ent/unnamed-5/
And no, no floats at all on the helicopter.
I have been up north in the same region several times, and no way I would ever attempt something like that in a Robbie.....
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: ULLI
Saved and safe. Sergey Ananov, that R22 pilot sunk into Davis Strait, saved by Canadian Coast Guard ship "Pierre Radisson".
His R22 got transmission belt broken over waters. He only could take a life raft from the cabin and swam to the nearest iceberg having no communication devices other than 3 signal flares. Third flare was luckily noted from the resque ship.
BTW Sergey was on his world record circumnavigation trip which started from Moscow eastbound.
His R22 got transmission belt broken over waters. He only could take a life raft from the cabin and swam to the nearest iceberg having no communication devices other than 3 signal flares. Third flare was luckily noted from the resque ship.
BTW Sergey was on his world record circumnavigation trip which started from Moscow eastbound.

Joined: Apr 2000
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From: EGDC
Would have been worthy of a Darwin award if he hadn't made it back - it's all very well putting your own life at risk but what about the poor sods who have to come and look for you/rescue you in crap weather?
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From: troposphere
I don´t know what´s good to hear!?
You must be disappointed.Even expensive IFR twins with 2 pilots can suffer mechanical faults and end up in the drink.Just like this R22.Hardly his fault.

Joined: Jan 2005
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From: yorkshire uk
TWT ..... I'm not sure about your logic here . The R22 has everything against it from the engine ( piston ) to the size ( ability to carry survival gear , ability to fly safely in big winds / turbulence etc ) . I think even you can see that a Dauphin might be a tad safer than an R22 ?? A Bell 206 would not be as safe as a Dauphin ...but would be a lot safer than an R22 ...?
A really pointless risk . It's all been done before and the only thing that makes this attempt remarkable ....is that it is being done in a totally unsuitable machine which doesn't make it more difficult but just makes it more dangerous !!
To then have to be saved by someone who may have to risk their lives is just stupid and selfish .
A really pointless risk . It's all been done before and the only thing that makes this attempt remarkable ....is that it is being done in a totally unsuitable machine which doesn't make it more difficult but just makes it more dangerous !!
To then have to be saved by someone who may have to risk their lives is just stupid and selfish .

Joined: Aug 2013
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From: Europe
@TWT
Hardly his fault?
Who started this flight with the least suitable aircraft on the planet (even without floats!) and flew over an area where, in case of failure (as is happened), he had no chance of an auto onto terra firma?
Who do you wanna blame???
Hardly his fault?
Who started this flight with the least suitable aircraft on the planet (even without floats!) and flew over an area where, in case of failure (as is happened), he had no chance of an auto onto terra firma?
Who do you wanna blame???
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Iceland
There was a gyrocopter that did the trip yesterday.
Home page, Autogyro circumnavigation of the globe, Norman Surplus, record attempt
Home page, Autogyro circumnavigation of the globe, Norman Surplus, record attempt

Joined: Jun 2006
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From: In the air with luck
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From: Canada
When I was much younger and serving in the RCAF I almost lost track of the time, energy, costs and fuel we wasted looking for the likes of this guy, our SAR squadrons have better things to do than than go looking for this chap! All the worthwhile long distance flying has already been done long long ago, yes, I hope we do charge him for all the costs of the search and rescue operation.{Clunckdriver, AKA Canadian taxpayer}
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From: St Johns, Newfoundland,Canada
R22 Beta missing on flight from Nunavut to Greenland
Clunk
Agree with what you say, as another Canadian tax payer.
Like I stated earlier I work in the high Arctic lots. The crossings across the straits is an ass puckering experience on a good day in a fully equipped turbine helicopter and loaded for bear. I would not even contemplate it in a R22 let alone a bloody gyro copter. Very lucky the guy didn't freeze to death, or meet a bear, they do tend to hang out on the ice flows.......Glad it ended with the dude surviving, very very lucky indeed.
Agree with what you say, as another Canadian tax payer.
Like I stated earlier I work in the high Arctic lots. The crossings across the straits is an ass puckering experience on a good day in a fully equipped turbine helicopter and loaded for bear. I would not even contemplate it in a R22 let alone a bloody gyro copter. Very lucky the guy didn't freeze to death, or meet a bear, they do tend to hang out on the ice flows.......Glad it ended with the dude surviving, very very lucky indeed.
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: hayling island
Brave or Stupid or maybe both!
No one likes to see anyone hurt, but like the other posts above said don't know if he was brave or stupid, but if it was not for a few brave or stupid people mankind wouldn't be what we are.
As one similar person said "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

As one similar person said "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"
Joined: May 2008
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From: St Johns, Newfoundland,Canada
R22 Beta missing on flight from Nunavut to Greenland
http://www.gofundme.com/5n7ycbhgc
Seems like the guy is stuck in Iqualluit with no money, credit cards etc. Collection going on to get him home......Mmmm seems he encountered icing and fog, airspeed down to zero. No surprise there, guess he didn't check GFA.
Sergey Ananov was making an attempt to be the first R22 to travel around the world. While on his way he encountered icy conditions and fog (all we know) and his tracking indicated zero airspeed. While normally, given those conditions, news is generally not great, Canadian Search & Rescue was able to spot a flare and locate him. He is now en route to Iqaluit but has no clothes, no money, no credit card and most importantly, no papers and needs to reach a Russian Consulate. The closest one is in Montreal or Toronto over 1,275 miles away. A flight alone to Montreal is $2,000.
Seems like the guy is stuck in Iqualluit with no money, credit cards etc. Collection going on to get him home......Mmmm seems he encountered icing and fog, airspeed down to zero. No surprise there, guess he didn't check GFA.
Sergey Ananov was making an attempt to be the first R22 to travel around the world. While on his way he encountered icy conditions and fog (all we know) and his tracking indicated zero airspeed. While normally, given those conditions, news is generally not great, Canadian Search & Rescue was able to spot a flare and locate him. He is now en route to Iqaluit but has no clothes, no money, no credit card and most importantly, no papers and needs to reach a Russian Consulate. The closest one is in Montreal or Toronto over 1,275 miles away. A flight alone to Montreal is $2,000.



