PPRuNe Forums - Tsunami Disaster Relief

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Quote:

Pilots in all of Canada represent the best of the world

Are you serious??

I have enjoyed your input over the years Steve76, but you just lost me with that comment, there are thousands of excellent pilots from all over the world mate!! not just Canada,,Ahh...

Its an interesting observation, and i wonder why they are not slinging the loads in also! but maybe its for reasons we dont; understand because we are not there!

most of these poor people are starving and thirsty,, i can also understand why the helicopters get rushed in the crowd..
Instead of being so critical Steve try coming up with a tangable solution.................................................... ..................................

Show some compassion!

:(

Gabra1,
Sorry mate, I didn't discover that the action was in here !

I'd like to know the flights you and Phoenix are doing.

Regarding the slot madness, well, it is mad. There would be little help to improve from my end regarding to assistance and pushing... Foreign aircraft already have priority on the slots... I'm already hearing that us locals are having to "pay" HUGE for "2nd tier" slots. Confirm Ramp Slot being the problem?

If you guys at any time require help give me a shout at my number, especially for Medan. If you need ramp space I can call a few numbers to check if Ramp D (I think... well the one off Txy D) can slot you in since it is/should be a private ramp. I know one of the operators on that ramp.

Tell Phoenix if he can't get comms in BTJ to get a Simpati prepaid GSM, coz I hear roaming in BTJ is a bit unstable at the moment. Hell, patch messages through SMS through me if need be! It'll be the least I can do to help.

If possible, there's the local av mag and my forum would be interested to cover you guys on a short article.
---

Steven76,
Every machine I have seen, is being hand loaded and then manually unloaded by the military and volunteers.

The equipment is used to off load planes and send those planes out due to ramp shortage... Looks odd and timewasting, but then again, what to do and hell, what do I know? :( I hope more ground equipment will get there in Banda Aceh.

What is wrong with the military that they are not slinging in these supplies?
The distances involved may have something to do with it... besides, are the Sea Hawks sling capable? I know the Blackhawks are...

Deeko,
Frightening watching how close the people affected by this disaster get to the tail rotor of the aircraft seems like a bit of a free for all

USN crew have said that it happened on the first few days only... Locals "get the message" that they should wait for the stuff to be off loaded first, then go and upload the injured, then back off again. Heli departs, then the free for all begins :(

PK-KAR

Interesting comments on the sling load action. Seahawks can lift 6000 lbs on the hook if it is installed. If the distances are relatively short, sling loading is a good option. If distances are greater, or if you want to get the materials in fast, then sling loading becomes less of an option due to reduced airspeed and higher fuel usage. There may also be a problem with the amount of gear available, availability of people to unload nets and reconfigure them to be transported back to base...any one of a number of reasons I guess. But I'm not there making decisions or observing the decision-making so I can't comment accurately on why.

Following an incident involving a USMC CH-46 a number of days ago during which sling-loaded relief supplies were accidentally dropped onto an Indonesian (?) car park (with no casualties), local politicians requested that sling-load ops be suspended. Can't confirm though whether or not this provides the answer to Steve's question.

Cheers.
I/C

Couldn't agree more with Sikhorsey.
Steve 76, your post reeks of arrogance and ignorance. What makes you think you know better than the crews on scene as to the best method to deliver aid under the circumstances? You obviously know very little of military flying if you think they are not capable of slinging loads. "... let us pro's in" ?! As Sikhorsey says, try a dose of humility.

Many of the missions don't just have one stop, but many. A bit hard to control who gets what if you sling-load.

S76, not your finest hour.......

At the risk of being accused of "jumping on the band wagon" Steve76 try and think at least 2 words ahead of what you type!

You are never that stupid with your remarks when we meet you for real (except when you have been drinking) so let us hope you were in from a hard night on the town when you wrote that one.

GT

Be kind, Guys!

Steve76 made his observations, got his butt kicked, can we all just get along?

I sympathise with steve76 also, probably said with frustration as much as anything else but lets face it guys the logistics out there must be a bit of a nightmare.
Say again slowly is right, multiple drops are needed and lots of them.I too was frustrated hearing in the last couple of days that aid is getting to centres but people are still having to walk 5 or 6km to get to them.
Why not have the heavy lift machines pull the aid into a feeder sites then have smaller machines AS350's or 407's distribute on shorter runs out into the field.
Don't use nets use disposable bags fill them with water /food/medical supplies,use a self releasing hook,drop the load and back for the next one to a different area.Quick turnarounds.1 ac could do 60 - 70 drops a day.
Its just a thought, I'm not there on the ground.
Keep the info and pictures coming.

Seahawk Accident - Tsunami relief

Guys, just read on the wires that a a US navy Seahawk had an accident on approach to land at Aceh, about 500 short of the pad. Ended up in a rice paddy on its side, nil injuries I understand. Anyone know what happened?

Cheers

Hueywsh

From the ABC News here

Quote:

US helicopter crashes in Aceh

The United States has indefinitely suspended helicopter aid operations in Indonesia's tsunami-hit Aceh province, after a Seahawk chopper went down during relief work.

Aid and military officials say four people were slightly injured in the crash.

The helicopter with a crew of 10 was flying from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to Banda Aceh to begin relief sorties when it came down in a rice paddy.

Colonel David Kelley, a marine officer in charge of the US contingent in Banda Aceh, said it was "hard to tell" the condition of the crew but aid workers told US officers that four were injured.

The helicopter landed on its right-hand side in a rice paddy close to its usual landing site on a football field.

The rotors were smashed and dented, with some missing, and the tail had nearly snapped off, according to reporters at the scene.

A foreign aid official said the injured crew members had been taken by stretcher to a field hospital at the airport.

Lieutenant-Commander John Bernard says the US has now suspended its helicopter operations in the area, which have been the backbone of the aid flow to Aceh's devastated west coast.

"Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the form of helicopter deliveries of essential supplies has temporarily and indefinitely been suspended," Lt Commander Bernard said.

More than 100,000 Indonesians were killed in the December 26 quake and tsunami disaster which has prompted a massive international relief operation.

Ship-based US helicopters land at the airport to pick up aid to ferry around Aceh.

-AFP/Reuters

Here is a summary of what I have seen so far at Bander Achey.

There are basically a number of operations running at the same time. You have the US Navy helos running out of the football field. That is a clockwork operation, as it should be. All the USAID pallets that come in on the C-130s, C-17s, IL76s etc etc are offloaded on their pallets. They are then transferred to the back of trucks, said trucks then back up to the football oval where a chain gang of personnel load each helo in a very very short time. They usually load two helos at a time, and as those two depart the two sitting on the other side of the oval slide over and the process begins. Yesterday there were 15 Seahawks allocated to the USAID effort. The freight that comes in from USAID has, from what I have seen, only been delivered via these helos and a couple of USMC CH-53E models.

Now there are also some civilian helicopters running from the terminal side of the airport, not sure what exactly they are doing as never got around there but have seen the Indonesian Police BO-105s, some Bell 412s, 212 and Bell 427 there.

Back on the mil side there is another operation involving the military helos, and Rahmats S-61N coupled with Sabah Airs 212 and an NUH 212. Rahmats 61 is dedicated only to the IRC (Intl Red Cross) and its efforts, as is the Sabah Air 212. The other 212 is being used on contract for AUSAID and NZAID and is also an exclusive use machine for them. The military machines are primarily carting both freight and pax anywhere and everywhere. A lot of different countries have delivered aid and this is distributed as quickly as possible. Rahmats 61 is primarily moving between Meaulabah (pardon spelling) and Bander Achey. Yesterday the loads were medical supplies from the Japanese Red Cross to go to the field hospital in Meaulabah and some French doctors who were needed at the hospital. The extra freight was also loaded on the 212 and sent south.

Now someone below made a point of using the smaller machines to ferry aid around from staging points. Well that is hard because apart from Meaulabah there are now NO villages down the coast as nearly all of them have been erased from the face of the earth. We flew for 45 mins yday heading down south and I counted 12 villages that didnt have one single building standing, the only remnants were the concrete foundation of what used to be someones house. The height of the waves down there would have been well over 150ft high and this is evidenced by the marks on side of the hills where it stopped and receeded.

The other problem is getting fuel for the smaller machines. At Bander Achey its absolutely pathetic that their is only ONE fuel tanker to cater for all of the fixed wing and helos. The Aussie Huey crews waited over four hours yday for fuel. And if you are not Indonesian then be prepared to wait for quite a while to get fuel. I found that paying a few $50,000 rupiahs to the fuel driver was a good way to get him to attend to you, but depends how many other backhanders he gets also. Now further down the coast there is no way you could leave fuel there. The US Navy are running some Vertols and other machines off their ships but the chances they would supply fuel for civil machines would slim to none. When we landed at Meaulabah it was eye opening. The Tsunami had come across the airport and there were massive big cracks in the runway and a King Air of some sort wrecked on the side of the runway. The distance to Meaulabah from Bander Achey is about 1.4 flying time in the 61 so its quite a ways down there.

At this stage also there are no smaller machines operating down in the disaster area from what I have seen.

Will add some more to this post later.

Ned

P.S. Have got many more pics to add which will give you a real idea of what its like there.

Thanks Ned
Keep the updates and pictures coming when you have the time.

Heliport

All U.S Military Helicopter Operations have resumed, after a brief suspension...:ok:

Great Work Guys
----------------------

To ALL of you who are there from all of us who want to be there with you, you're doing a great job. The information flow is also brilliant as it slightly lessens the frustrations of those of us still waiting; thanks for taking the time to explain the logistics to us even after a shattering days work. We understand, so please keep up the good work.

You are a credit to our profession.

The fuel would have to be from 45 gallon drums with the ac carrying there own fuel pumps. 1 drum is an hours flying time for an as350, and even in the heat/humidity should still lift 700-800kgs external payload.
Ned you say 12 villages wiped out to the south,are there any survivors expected down there?

Helicopter crash in Sumatra

Monday January 10, 4:14 PM
Helicopter crash, aftershock rock tsunami aid effort

A US helicopter crashed and a strong aftershock struck off Indonesia's traumatised Sumatra island as aid groups struggled to reach survivors of the tsunamis that killed more than 156,000 people around Asia, while rich countries promised debt relief.

At least four crew were injured when a US navy Sea Hawk helicopter carrying aid crashed into a paddy field shortly after dawn as it flew from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier moored off the Sumatra coast, officials said.

Navy relief operations on the northern tip of Sumatra, where more than 100,000 people were killed in last month's disaster, were briefly suspended following the crash, the cause of which was not immediately known.

US navy spokesman John Bernard said all 10 people on board survived and had been returned to the Lincoln for medical attention.

Dozens of US military aircraft and vessels were rushed to Indonesia, the country worst affected by the December 26 catastrophe, to take part in one of the largest ever international humanitarian operations.

The helicopters have been a lifeline for many people trapped in isolated stretches of coastline obliterated by the full force of the onrushing water.

Despite the unprecedented aid effort, rescue workers fear some survivors in more isolated parts of Aceh may still be awaiting help.

The first United Nations team -- totalling five people -- arrived in the remote west coast town of Meulaboh on Sumatra two weeks after it was almost totally destroyed by the tsunami.

The UN, racing to prevent outbreaks of disease, said it was rushing vaccines to Aceh after confirming a case of measles.

"Vaccinations against measles are a priority," said Shannon Strother of the UN's Children's Fund. "We have already one case of measles confirmed here.

In an ominous reminder of the trigger of the tragedy, a strong earthquake was recorded off Sumatra at 6:18 am (2218 GMT Sunday) close to the site of the massive quake that unleashed the tsunamis, the Hong Kong Observatory said.

The earthquake, with its epicentre initially determined to be at sea about 60 kilometres (40 miles) southwest of Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province, was estimated to measure 6.2 on the Richter scale, the observatory said in a statement.

Meanwhile, with billions of dollars already promised in aid, French Finance Minister Herve Gaymard said the Paris Club of creditor nations had also agreed on a moratorium on debt repayments for countries hit by the tsunami.

For a country such as Indonesia, a freeze on its debt payments for 2005 would give Jakarta additional resources for relief and reconstruction "to the tune of three billion dollars, that's not negligible," said the minister.

But shattered survivors said that cash needs to start filtering through to them now, if people are to be able to rebuild their torn lives.

Despite the global outpouring of funds, questions of distribution, logistical coordination and even politics continue to hang over recovery efforts expected to last years.

Local insurgencies also continue to be serious complications in efforts to help Indonesia, where the government said 77,000 people remain missing on Sumatra island, and Sri Lanka.

Rights groups have warned Jakarta's military campaign to crush a long-running rebellion in Aceh and restrictions on aid groups were hindering relief efforts.

But Indonesia's military has made fresh accusations against the separatist rebels, saying they had attempted to interfere with humanitarian efforts.

Colonel Geerhan Lantara, army chief for west Aceh, said a state of emergency declared before the disaster was still needed because the rebels were continuing to fight.

In Sri Lanka where at least 30,718 people died, a bitter row erupted over aid distribution, with Tamil Tiger rebels accusing government soldiers of diverting relief away from the north and eastern areas they control. The government denies the charge.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga acknowledged, however, that she had blocked UN chief Kofi Annan's tour to rebel strongholds over the weekend.

Annan was in the Maldives Monday to see firsthand the damage there, where nine islands have become uninhabitable since the disaster which killed 82 people and left 26 missing.

Annan said in Male that infrastructure destroyed in the tsunami-ravaged regions should not merely be replaced but also improved in what he called "recovery plus".

Malaysia and India announced plans to establish tsunami early warning systems, while Thailand called a regional ministerial meeting to discuss the issue later this month.

Information and technology ministers from all nations affected by the tsunamis would be invited, along with countries such as Japan and the United States which have offered technical expertise, the foreign ministry said.

India, meanwhile, lifted its confirmed death toll by 114 to 10,136 with 5,630 still missing and feared dead.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/050110/1/3pr5r.html

Hi Guys

Well, I'm also off to do my bit. Going to Sri Lanka on Thursday.

What's the situation like over there??

Will post some photo's when I get there.

Cheers

DD