Lifting objects submerged in water
 

Anyone ever lifted a submerged R22 for salvage?
Wondering how heavy it was full of water?
What size machine did you use for the job?
Any advice or experiences on this would be good
Cheers BF

Did that once.....was a hell of a job..

You can easily double the aircraft weight when the helo is completely under water.

Depending upon the time the airframe was submerged, it might have been "sucked" into the muddy underground-and it might be quiet difficult to get it out.

I would go for a Huey (or similar).

Use a boat/barge with a crane?

No access, helicopter only.

Why salavge what started as a heap of junk and now is a corroded heap of junk ???

Hughes500 - you took the words right out of my mouth, sort of!

Am I to understand that someone actually wants to salvage an R22? :E

Everything is worth something to someone, even an R22!

Don´t know about "down under"-but in other parts of this planet it is the responsibility of the owner/company to remove this "environmental hazard"-even when it is a total write-off....

Mmm....

This will be a hellava job .... (if'n its the one I'm thinking of) ...

I would suggest ... divers initially fitting off airbags to the machine interior and gentle inflation to get as much water out of cabin as possible (without damaging the frames) ... this would also float the A/F to the surface ... get it as high as possible possibly supported on the surface by plastic 200l drums ... get as much water out of it as possible ... then you might be able to lift it with a B3 Squirell or similar ...

You might otherwise need a 332 !!

Good luck

Lift bags, then ideally a small floating drydock to put under the thing to drain it. That's how pros do it. Crane? Cable from a helicopter? Bosh. You'll rip bits off of it, most likely. Fill it with water it's going to weigh a large multiple of its empty weight. spinwing's got the idea.

Fly safe on the job BF, take your time.

RIP Angus

Salvage from the Sea - Gerald Forsberg - Google Knjige (p. 109) ... and don't forget to inform us about your result :)

enjoy !!!:ugh:

I get it now - they're just taking it out to deeper water. :D

Haha, seems everyone in here thinks the R22 is a pile of rubbish. How come?

Can you exceed VNE on a helicopter while it is being lifted? :}

I 2nd SPINWING's suggestion

Depending on what altitude it's at will determine the machine needed... But a 407/350 should do... Just make sure you use a long line and take your time on that initial lift from the water so that any excess will drain out... Don't drag it in the water as this will pull you down. Lift it out and clear vertically, which might be a bit of problem if it is in the middle of a lake with no reference like a shore side. If so, anchor a boat/bouy close by for reference od drifting. Had this problem when I initially started with my fire fighting rating until the instructor suggested I go pick up water closer to the side of the lake for reference...

Dragged NSW Polair 206B out of the water at Hunters Bay with a 205 and could just barely lift it even after lifting it slowly to let things drain a bit.

Surprising how much water gets stuck in all sorts of places like the seats and probably the fuel tank etc.

I think we have all guessed (well some of us anyway) what you are up to.

Go safe.

If they are using the R22 for bait....just what are they fishing for?

Bait Sasless? if you believe some there's Barramundi over there with a mouth like a shark on 'em.

Those blue ex chemical drums are definitely the go, easy to carry a heap of them, and you might even be able to borrow a good long windmill rope and single pulley off the station, anchor one end on top of the cliff face and double your slow pull until you maneuver the lashed together drums under it.

I guess they would have fueled up before leaving not far back so it's about 1,000 lbs or a bit less and water plus - a guess - at say 100 litres in the tail if it comes up tail low and say 70 to 80 litres under each seat with say 40 or 50 each side on the floor pan if its reasonably level. And oh yeah, maybe 100 or so under the floor.

Not an altogether great weight done slowly, say twenty minutes on the hook, or an endless chain on your long cable.

But here is the twist, how long have we heard in this great country how pristine are the wild rivers, especially those two big ones in the west, the Margaret and Fitzroy.

Oh no they can't be dammed for extra production or anything can they? if you believe those idiot greenies and self serving interest soul destroying groups. All those people who claim to be stakeholders and don't have an ounce of skin in any of it, get the drift?

It must be just so important to get that six litres of oil and 100 litres of fuel and that nasty contaminating helicopter out of the system that why? you should work out how much it'll cost you with a decent profit, treble that and put it up to those self servers of pristine preservation, why they'll be falling all over themselves to pay you for you to be a good Samaritan in such tough conditions and for all your hard work i am sure.:ugh:

You could start with Federal environment Minister Burke.

All the best