Secret Agent Help Wanted
 

In the novel I'm currently writing, a onetime CIA officer escapes from his cell at a government-run, sort-of secret agent prison/hospital disguised as a hunting and fishing club in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Our man has two things going for him: 1. He is an experienced helicopter pilot. 2. One of the grass tennis courts, some 500 feet from the clubhouse where he was held, is used as a helipad, and on it is a Bell 206/L3 the spooks use for medevac.

Once he escapes, a half-dozen guards with rifles will begin searching the club grounds for him. Once they hear the rotors, they will be able to reach the tennis court in about 20 seconds. My questions to you is: In this scenario, could you plausibly get the ship started and get away, and, if so, how might you do it? Also, what might go wrong?

Thanks.

Given the situation you describe, and assuming he would not be carrying out the normal pre and post start checks, my best estimate from pressing the starter to getting into the air would be 60secs.

If your guards are only 20secs away with rifles I think you can answer your own question with regard to what could go wrong!

Now if it were an R-44....being piston engine and all....hit the tit...roll the throttle...and gone like a rocket in 30 seconds or less.

you could get away pretty quickly in an astar as well but not likely as little as 20 sec. maybe 30-35. (that's ignoring the pre start 30 second fuel system pressurization).

Perhaps the tooled-up guards should be at the far end of the grounds or maybe searching an old boiler house (better as they might not hear initial start up) so that they are at least a minute away.

Cheers

Whirls

Are the blades tied down?

If you could contrive to have the running down from a previous trip, that would help, where the pilot has shut down but left the machine to help with the plasma bottle or something. Otherwise, it takes about 12-15 seconds to flick the switches and get light off in a 206. If it was an L, he would also have to remember to turn the fuel valve on.

A 500 might be better, since the blades won't be tied down and are low intertia, but that might not be used for medevac. Didn't James Bond start one in the back of a transport plane? :) It was in colour, so it must be true.

Dennis Kenyon did a quick start with an Enstrom on a ship in his novel. Took a couple of rounds while it spun up if memory serves.

Sounds like you need a reason for them not to suspect that he is getting away in the helo.

Phil

"Once they hear the rotors"......I suppose it all depends on exactly what stage that means. If you mean "as they hear the engine light up" then no chance.

Actually Bond used a 600 Notar. As I remember it they pushed it out the back and started it as it was falling earthwards. You're right of course that it must be true because it was in colour.

Of course my dear Whirls is thinking about "tooled up" guards....tall leather boots...Sam Brown belt...big Nightsticks....Freudian slip there Mi Lady?

Spooks have medivac
 

No ... bad guys dont have medivac , they only have gun ships , so it is a gun ship and whilst its cranking up , he is on the gun shooting the **** outta them then ...does some fancy seat hopping & takes off.....with fuel.......and a shiny tooth smile LOL.

Sassy dahling! No Freudian slip at all :E I know of what I write! :p

Besides, it wasn't me who mentioned tie-downs :eek:

Cheers

Whirls

"Can always go wrong"...shurely "will go wrong in the most entertaining way"

It was a dark and stormy night...
 

Okay, do the bad guys know he's a helicopter pilot? Do they know he's heading for the medevac ship or have they scattered?

I can start any 206L in under 30 seconds button-push to button-release. Quicker if my life is depending on it, say 20 or 25 if I don't care if it overtemps (and I wouldn't, believe me). Just hope I remember the dang ol' fuel valve. Dang ol' LongRanger pilots like to shut them off so they don't run the dang ol' battery down.

Once I get 40% N1 or so, the throttle goes to full and the collective goes half-way up. Damn the torque/TOT! Total time from button-push to skids getting air underneath, 30 seconds, max.

If they don't hear me until the engine actually lights off and it takes them 20 seconds to get to the helipad, I've got a chance. Slim chance, yeah, but a chance. I'm going to take some rounds, I know, but like I said, it's my life we're talking about here. I'm not on my freakin' Commercial checkride.

Maybe I make it, maybe I don't. But by God, I'll take that chance.

Better put some obstacles in the way of the guards. From above 60 seconds is bare bare min..........20 seconds the guy is toast.......... Give him five minutes and let him rescue the buxom girl, who goes ga ga over helicopter Pilots......
In fact with only 60 seconds hes probably going to be downed by small arms fire anyway........
Rotordog is off a bit on the start thing Im sure, but if Tq and Temp are not an issue, times could change.

Fellas,

Don't let Dog fool you....that was his normal way of doing business in the GOM...no wasting time for him on silly procedures...time is money! We know who you are Dog the Helicopter Pilot.;)

Any idea why that pesky Fuel Valve is such an issue to him?

gusopenshaw

Would it not sound better if he found a hand glider and dodged the bullets? :D

Saves having to do a proper startup eh.. :E

MD ;)

Whirls

Now about that uniform thing :E

what rpm does a 206 need to lift off? 7600? is it the same for all helis?

ball.

Due to the time problem the Hero would have to create a diversion.....maybe said buxom lady who was only issued the Sam Brown Belt and boots slowing down the tooled up gaurds(Which no doubt they would be by then) and a set of tie downs in the boiler room.Plenty of time then to put on that pesky fuel valve,light the fire and get out of Dodge.Ahhh slow Friday afternoons......:ok: :ok:

flawed fantasy
 

You know I think if I ever hit the big time in the future I'd go for one of those coaxial rotored things Sikorsky are workin' on, you know with the pusher at the back.

My female corporate pilot in her tight fitting chauffer's uniform with her long blonde hair tucked up under the little peaked cap could probably get it airborne in no time.

Hang on......I'd want to be flying it! Oh God don't you just hate a flawed fanatsy?

Whirls & SASless, behave yourselves there are young impressionable pilots readin' this forum you know.

I vaguely remember how Roger Moore, in this famous (old !) TV serie, when running away from a bunch of armed bad ones, came to this starting Alouette 2, shouting to the pilot and pushing him away ; "quick, quick.... you are a daddy....it's a son, you wife just gave birth...get away...quick" !!!!