Oh to be a helicopter pilot ....!
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 850
Likes: 0
From: USA
You know, you think you are in rarefied territory as a helicopter pilot, and then you see something like that.
The US has a population of around 325 million, of which a mere 15,000 or so are helicopter pilots (.005%, yes, five one thousandths of one percent!)
Out of 15,000 helicopter pilots in the US, how many are doing this kind of work? 5? 10?
The US has a population of around 325 million, of which a mere 15,000 or so are helicopter pilots (.005%, yes, five one thousandths of one percent!)
Out of 15,000 helicopter pilots in the US, how many are doing this kind of work? 5? 10?
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 18,633
Likes: 1,072
From: Downeast
They are welcome to it!
Too much risk for the return for this old dog!
I did some of this in my wild youth....much simpler level of work than what is in the video....and that was enough for me.
All I did was string some rope over the Pully at each tower which was easy enough to do so long the Winch was paying out the rope properly and nothing got hung up or the engine quit or any kind of control malfunction happened....or the rope broke.
I admire their skill at what they do....as it is a top tier level of work which not many can do.....far better than me by far.
Too much risk for the return for this old dog!
I did some of this in my wild youth....much simpler level of work than what is in the video....and that was enough for me.
All I did was string some rope over the Pully at each tower which was easy enough to do so long the Winch was paying out the rope properly and nothing got hung up or the engine quit or any kind of control malfunction happened....or the rope broke.
I admire their skill at what they do....as it is a top tier level of work which not many can do.....far better than me by far.
Joined: Sep 2002
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 4,721
Likes: 636
From: Great South East, tired and retired
Getting the friction right on the payout drum is the key - too little, and the cable will run out into the valley you are crossing. Too much and it jerks you out of the sky.
One group I worked with had a drum with a broken brake, so they grabbed a lump of 4x2 and jammed it against the drum, with a man leaning harder or less against the end of it. He let it go when it caught on fire...
One group I worked with had a drum with a broken brake, so they grabbed a lump of 4x2 and jammed it against the drum, with a man leaning harder or less against the end of it. He let it go when it caught on fire...
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 557
Likes: 27
From: At home
Getting the friction right on the payout drum is the key - too little, and the cable will run out into the valley you are crossing. Too much and it jerks you out of the sky.
One group I worked with had a drum with a broken brake, so they grabbed a lump of 4x2 and jammed it against the drum, with a man leaning harder or less against the end of it. He let it go when it caught on fire...
One group I worked with had a drum with a broken brake, so they grabbed a lump of 4x2 and jammed it against the drum, with a man leaning harder or less against the end of it. He let it go when it caught on fire...
