Darwin flying an R44...
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 852
Likes: 3
From: Brum
Darwin flying an R44...
I'm not sure how many will be able to see this, I've tried to find the original video but can only see it on Facebook...
https://www.facebook.com/10000916447...2767739038692/
https://www.facebook.com/10000916447...2767739038692/
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: UK Scotland
Hope he checked hangar for FOD.
Funny looking at guy observing,like he was checking rotor clearance.
HA. If it had hit the roof he would have been eating schrapnel. !
For sure what could possibly go wrong.
Funny looking at guy observing,like he was checking rotor clearance.
HA. If it had hit the roof he would have been eating schrapnel. !
For sure what could possibly go wrong.
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 373
From: PLanet Earth
Paaaah! There was easily 3 ft remaining clearance
Really no idea what could possibly go wrong
.I'm feeling with the other R-44 owners. Chances are at some point in the future they will have to pay for one more written off R-44 via their insurance fees.
Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 201
Likes: 4
From: Back of Bourke
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: S E Asia
As a young engineer in the late 80's, making the transition from the fixed wing to rotary world, I was sent on a field trip to a remote sheep station in QLD to assist with a 100 hour inspection on an R22.
Arriving on site before the R22, I was shown a big empty, open ended shed where we would perform the maintenance, I quickly noticed the step left by the contreate slab floor and went about looking for ground handling wheels and something to make a ramp from.....They wont be required, My senior engineer said, and with that the sound of an approaching R22 could be heard.
The Robbie then appeared at the back end of the shed and proceeded to enter with a hover taxi, Dust and S*#t going everywhere, taking cover behind the shed wall until the machine was in place and shut down without consequence.
At the completion of the job, A ground run and T/R balance was carried out inside the shed, I then asked the foolish question...How are we going to get it out? The answer was "the same way as we got it in"
This time there was a Ford F350 parked at the back of the hangar, Intrigued and suitably impressed by these rotary wing aircraft over what I was used to, I sat in the F350, free from the dust to watch the departure.
A hover taxi was commenced, but as the aircraft approached the exit I thought S*#t! this is going to be close! with that the advancing blade stuck to centre roof support, The aircraft rolled on its side, flung into the ground and was destroyed in seconds.
The pilot sustained only minor injuries but still today I clearly remember the first words out of his mouth...." Do you think you can fix it?"
Arriving on site before the R22, I was shown a big empty, open ended shed where we would perform the maintenance, I quickly noticed the step left by the contreate slab floor and went about looking for ground handling wheels and something to make a ramp from.....They wont be required, My senior engineer said, and with that the sound of an approaching R22 could be heard.
The Robbie then appeared at the back end of the shed and proceeded to enter with a hover taxi, Dust and S*#t going everywhere, taking cover behind the shed wall until the machine was in place and shut down without consequence.
At the completion of the job, A ground run and T/R balance was carried out inside the shed, I then asked the foolish question...How are we going to get it out? The answer was "the same way as we got it in"
This time there was a Ford F350 parked at the back of the hangar, Intrigued and suitably impressed by these rotary wing aircraft over what I was used to, I sat in the F350, free from the dust to watch the departure.
A hover taxi was commenced, but as the aircraft approached the exit I thought S*#t! this is going to be close! with that the advancing blade stuck to centre roof support, The aircraft rolled on its side, flung into the ground and was destroyed in seconds.
The pilot sustained only minor injuries but still today I clearly remember the first words out of his mouth...." Do you think you can fix it?"
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,509
Likes: 14
From: Australia
...would it require extraordinary skill to pull it off?
.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,670
Likes: 1
From: UK
Another one for the Darwin Award, methinks.
A beautiful example of what is wrong with humankind, really. One person comes up with a scatty idea, another person encourages or supports that theory, less authoritative observers nearby toe the line to be accepted by the rest of the 'herd' and voila a hand grenade goes off and kills everyone. Lemming state and all that.
The only goodness that would come of that, of course is the removal of another Robbo, I suppose.
A beautiful example of what is wrong with humankind, really. One person comes up with a scatty idea, another person encourages or supports that theory, less authoritative observers nearby toe the line to be accepted by the rest of the 'herd' and voila a hand grenade goes off and kills everyone. Lemming state and all that.
The only goodness that would come of that, of course is the removal of another Robbo, I suppose.
Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 1,814
From: EGDC
But if you touch the walls or ceiling with a bus, it won't end up in a zillion pieces
As said earlier 'any idiot can do it' you just have to find the right idiot with no sense of self-preservation to give it a go!
As said earlier 'any idiot can do it' you just have to find the right idiot with no sense of self-preservation to give it a go!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: West Sussex
1963, RAF Odiham, the snow was very thick, and had built up in drifts outside the hangers. Helicopters were requested to fly to the west country to help with farm animal feeding. Because it was impossible to tow aircraft out over the snowdrifts, a Whirlwind Mk10 was started in the hangar and air taxied out. I believe the pilot was the squadron CO, but the name escapes me after all these years.
Those hangers were pretty big though.
Those hangers were pretty big though.
