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-   -   Helicopteros Mexicanos (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/425078-helicopteros-mexicanos.html)

Earl of Rochester 24th August 2010 06:57

Helicopteros Mexicanos
 
http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/ie/i...oFlagSmall.jpg

There seem to be quite a number of interesting developments in Mexico's rotary wing industry.

Anyone with up-to-date news and views about helicopters (and the industry) in Mexico .. please contribute!

Satisfechas de volar!

Earl

* * *

http://cdn-www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/aviati.../9/1765957.jpg

Bell 407 XA-SAV of Comision Federal de Electricidad landing at the Bell service centre at Mexico City (MEX) July 2010

http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PPRUNETWO/TaliaFB.jpg

Bell 407 XA-??? PPRuNed from this thread: http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/169562-female-helicopter-pilots-3.html evidently flown by a Capt. Talia Santiago

http://cdn-www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/aviati.../5/1765557.jpg

AS355N 'Twin Squirrel' XA-TAA departs (MEX) August 2010

Question: Is it a requirement that all Mexican helicopters must wear the national flag (as in Switzerland)?

expatron 24th August 2010 17:20

Flag
 
Question: Is it a requirement that all Mexican helicopters must wear the national flag (as in Switzerland)?

Yes it is.

Yellow & Blue Baron 24th August 2010 18:11

Earl of Rochester; here are some more Mexican helicopter:

http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/...helicopter.jpg

Mexican Police AS350 in riot control

http://cdn-www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/aviati.../9/1268993.jpg

Agusta 109E belonging to TV Azteca

YBB
http://www.icelandexpress.is/is/uplo...h-flag-67x.jpg

Gordy 24th August 2010 18:43

Ahhhh the glamor of it all.....In reality, most spots are like this:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ral/mexico.jpg

We are down there on fire contract for about 2 or 3 months each year, and are issued a Government armed guard for the whole time.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...l/IMG_0482.jpg

BlenderPilot 24th August 2010 21:50

I flew that A109 (the one with the colors) for 3 years . . . I fly an A109E in Mexico City now, and also fly for the Mexico City police, what would you like to know?

Here is a video I took recently here in Mexico City only 3 minutes, I especially like the landing part . . . .


BlenderPilot 24th August 2010 22:16

VIP 139
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PPRUNETWO/GIU.jpg

Locals decided to throw rocks at a police helicopter with rotors turning
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PP...O/BladeRoc.jpg

Newest VIP 139
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PPRUNETWO/GSC.jpg

EC-225
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PP.../SuperPuma.jpg*

Veracruz State Bell 430
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PPRUNETWO/XAL.jpg*

Mexico City Police
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PP...Helitanque.jpg*

Skydiving Instructor (real photo taken by me)
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PP...SuperA109E.jpg

Another VIP 139
http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PP...Super139FB.jpg**

Earl of Rochester 25th August 2010 08:09

- BlenderPilot

Thanks for the video and photographs! :ok:

For those uninitiated with Mexican aviation I suppose there is an interest to know something about the statistics; such as the civil helicopter popultion, its distribution among corporate, charter and civil duties etc. There seems to be an appreciable number of high value and/or relatively new helicopters in Mexico.

What are the average distances and which areas of the country see most use. Is there much work around Mexico City and is the ground infrastructure clogged-up with traffic as it is in London? Are there many heliports across Mexico?

Who are the largest operators and in what sectors do they provide services?

What are some of the interesting incidents/events which have happened in recent years in the helicopter industry in Mexico and by how much has the helicopter population increased over the past 5 years?

The rock, in your blade damage photo, seems to have struck square on the leading edge and then bounced off as there is no underscoring - lucky! I don't know what it is about people throwing things at helicopters but I have heard stories of the same from colleagues all around the world! Is there something about helicopters which causes people to thow rocks at them?

The 'man holding the Agusta' is a brillant photo - well done! We shall call him .. Atlas!

- Gordy

Great photos. Thanks.


Thud_and_Blunder 25th August 2010 08:46

Earl,

[Sad spotter mode on]The rifle looks like an early-model HK G3 to me...[Sad spotter mode off]

Earl of Rochester 25th August 2010 09:13

- T&B

{Intrigued PPRuNer Mode On}

I have to admit that it does look like the G3 but .. I was wondering what Mexico are doing with German Heckler & Koch weapons (surely the US would have insisted on supplying them with M16's) then I discovered that H&K developed the G3 in collaboration with the Spanish military supplier CETME and it began to make sense.

Thanks, or should that be gracias!

Earl

http://www.hkpro.com/image/g3-g36.jpg

Heckler & Koch G3 Battle Rifle (top) and G36 (below)

{Intrigued PPRuNer Mode Off}

Hell Man 25th August 2010 11:36

Blender P, you fly like someone with over 3,000 hours but ... did you land into wind? ;)

Thankfully you don't have to do those crazy 'reverse' take offs that some European countries require for rooftop departures - mad!

Safe flyin dude! :ok:

HM

http://www.airguitar.com.au/Devil%20Skull_small2.jpg

XV666 25th August 2010 12:09


Originally Posted by Hell Man
Thankfully you don't have to do those crazy 'reverse' take offs that some European countries require for rooftop departures - mad!

What: the rooftop departures that those crazy American manufacturers certify, and put into their Flight Manuals :rolleyes:

BP,

Great shots :cool:

expatron 25th August 2010 12:12

...I was wondering what Mexico are doing with German Heckler & Koch weapons....

European weapons have been used by the Mexican Army and Air Force for a long time, we like them more than the americans, so I think those weapons are going to be around for a while,

Cheers,

Hell Man 25th August 2010 13:03

Originally Posted By: Heli

"What: the rooftop departures that those crazy American manufacturers certify, and put into their Flight Manuals?"

Yes - those ones.

http://automotivestickers.com/store/...3/Sombrero.jpg

Yellow & Blue Baron 25th August 2010 13:38

Well done Hell Man! They were probably put there because of the European regulations!

To The Earl of Rochester!

Some more Mexican information for you:

http://mypisamba6.com/uploads/speedy...gonzales_0.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/.P...eas/Optima.jpg

Rooftop pad belonging to the Torre Optima building

http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/.P...as/Reforma.jpg

The Torre Mayor Helipad

http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/.P...reas/Adela.jpg

Televista's Bell 407 over the station's headquarters

http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/.P...ProhibidoE.jpg

Single engine Astar lands at a downtown fuel station (Pemex) to uplift an injured policeman. (What great freedom!).

http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/.P...reas/412CU.jpg

Bell 412 belonging to the same organization as the first B407 appearing in your first post - over flying the stadium which hosted the 1968 Olympics

Greetings from a wet Sweden!

YBB
http://www.icelandexpress.is/is/uplo...h-flag-67x.jpg

Earl of Rochester 30th September 2010 06:13

A grey Panther departs a city square in Mexico City after the annual military parade:

http://cdn-www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/aviati.../5/1787533.jpg

AS565MB Panther departs the Zocalo Mexico City Sept 2010

Sebastian-PGP 30th September 2010 08:15


European weapons have been used by the Mexican Army and Air Force for a long time, we like them more than the americans, so I think those weapons are going to be around for a while,
This would explain the proclivity for these firearms to end up in the hands of cartels. Contrary to what the hoplophobes and the media (but I repeat myself) will tell you, they're not coming from Uncle Billy's gun store in AZ. They're coming from the 120K or so deserters from the Mexican armed forces and police depts in the last decade or so who often forget to turn their rifles back in when they decide to quit their $300/month jobs to go work for the cartels for ten times as much. The insanity won't stop until the farcical War on (Some) Drugs comes to a close.

Mexico City looks beautiful from 800ft AGL. A huge, expansive city, the modern looking "downtown" area is far more expansive than I would have thought. Looks lovely.

If you're flying around there, how are the safety concerns vis a vis kidnapping, people shooting at your aircraft? I can see why in the north you'd need an armed guard with you as an ex-pat flyer, how about in Mexico City? Looks pretty docile...

expatron 3rd October 2010 15:01

:ugh:...They're coming from the 120K or so deserters from the Mexican armed forces and police depts in the last decade or so who often forget to turn their rifles back

First at all 95% of the deserters don't take their guns with them, secondly, most of the confiscated "rifles" are AK47, M16 and R15 no FALs or GALs, Mexico City is very safe to fly over, so don't worry nobody will shoot at you :cool:.

BlenderPilot 4th October 2010 17:48


This would explain the proclivity for these firearms to end up in the hands of cartels. Contrary to what the hoplophobes and the media (but I repeat myself) will tell you, they're not coming from Uncle Billy's gun store in AZ. They're coming from the 120K or so deserters from the Mexican armed forces and police depts in the last decade or so who often forget to turn their rifles back in when they decide to quit their $300/month jobs to go work for the cartels for ten times as much. The insanity won't stop until the farcical War on (Some) Drugs comes to a close.

Mexico City looks beautiful from 800ft AGL. A huge, expansive city, the modern looking "downtown" area is far more expansive than I would have thought. Looks lovely.

If you're flying around there, how are the safety concerns vis a vis kidnapping, people shooting at your aircraft? I can see why in the north you'd need an armed guard with you as an ex-pat flyer, how about in Mexico City? Looks pretty docile...
From a Mexico City police Helicopter pilot, Nobody is going to shoot at your helicopter, and the city is pretty safe, just like any other large Megalopolis in the world it has it's quirks, but it's a lot safer than some places like Philadelphia or Camden New Jersey! hahaha! I've lived here for many years and the only time I have been robbed has been in Rome and Africa . . . . .

As for the 120k desserters, they don't take their guns with them, trust me, there are much better guns out there.

Earl of Rochester 4th October 2010 18:33

-Blender Pilot

Do you have any photos of Mexican Police helicopters you can share with us?

Earl

http://images.dailyme.com/assets/2010090200000940.jpg

B206 locating a marijuana field (Additional info welcome)

Sebastian-PGP 4th October 2010 18:47


First at all 95% of the deserters don't take their guns with them
You know this how?

What, you think the way underpaid guy taking off to go work for a drug cartel is going to make sure to sign his rifle back into the quartermaster's supply room on the way out the door?

He probably asks them to forward his mail too. :ugh:


, secondly, most of the confiscated "rifles" are AK47, M16 and R15 no FALs or GALs, Mexico City is very safe to fly over, so don't worry nobody will shoot at you http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ilies/cool.gif.
I'm sure it is safe, but I wonder where people think M16s (and the explosives, anti armor weaponry, and other decidedly military in nature materials they're using that certainly aren't available at Joe's Gun Shop) are coming from if not from deserters from the army. Corruption of that sort is, along with our ridiculous drug prohibitionist policies here in the US, the fuel for the virtual civil war going on south of the border.

ETA: why take them with you when you can just go "shopping" and steal them as you need them?


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