Highest groundspeeds
 

Reading one of the other threads I thought about what the highest groundspeeds others have gotten.

For me, I was flying in a Hu500D (with a long-line door V.N.E. 100kts) with an indicated airspeed of 95 kts. My peak high groundspeed was 177 kts.

I also managed 155 kts in a Bell 205 a few years ago (100 kts IAS).

Cheers

http://randyspics.tripod.ca/gifs/naughty.gif Randy_G

http://randyspics.tripod.ca/gifs/man...ers_sm_wht.gif

Was northbound from Victoria to Vancouver in a 76 several years ago. Turned the corner at East Point, 3500 feet and took a look at the groundspeed indication. Yikes, 212 knots!!!

Big, big, southeast winds blowing that day. Made getting home a quick trip indeed.

I think size matters here. Flying from west to east Falkland in a westland Scout (Queen of the skies) my directional consultant concluded, after a significant amount of time on the whizz wheel, that our G/S was 202 kts.
Not bad for a single engine klingon pursuit ship.:D

Cor...a Scout! I got 4.9hrs on a Scout!

My record was from Soest to Detmold in a Gazelle, according to the minitans we were at it at 204Kts.

I managed 151Kts in a 206 today on an air test! and I was only at 114kts IAS

So far, 205 kts in an S-76 on a modestly breezy day in the N.Sea. However, if there were any decent winds in these parts I would expect to see some really serious speeds.on the EC-155, thus far only seen 196 kts g/s.

This is an a/c that will give you 165 kts TAS at FL90 straight and level. Imagine that with a decent tail wind and in the descent.

Fastest:

Also the Falklands west to east, and 212 kts like the Canadian 76 story. This was in a Chinook.

Slowest:

Close run between 2 Chinook underslung-load trips:

- the trip preceding the above-mentioned fastest was a sortie carrying a load limited to 40kts IAS. Six hours and 2 refuels to move from a certain quarry to a certain hilltop.

- the recovery of a Bristows S61 from N of Ullapool to Aberdeen in 1998. As it had been stripped of everything it was as light as a feather, and refused to go above approx 20kts without trying to join us in the Chinook cockpit. Again, 2 refuels, plus a 17-minute, 11nm (downwind...) diversion to Lossie with a Chip Caption. We arrived at Dyce after 4h30m flying - the Bristows chief engineer had driven back by Mondeo and beaten us by well over an hour.

ATC "Approach" once asked me to confirm my aircraft type...!!!

They couldn't believe that a 76 could track across their patch at 208knts..........as we did'nt have an area nav system or flying directly to a DME we couldn't confirm that.........but I trust them!!

This is bizarre....
I also saw 212kts while offshore in an S76C model.
Thats the highest I have seen but I think other guys in the operation had higher. During a decent frontal change the tailwinds off SE Oz are commonly the in region of 50kts+. Sounds crazy to be out there but at least you have constant Cat A performance:D .
Oh! and absolutely nothing ever stops the oil flowing.....:rolleyes:

Mexico City - Acapulco
 

Bell 230 in a Mexico City to Acapulco flight, I got about 185 KTS GS, thats as high as I've seen, now flying a Beechjet at FL410, Las Vegas to Mexico City I once got 650 KIAS but thats another story.

Steve, down in South Louisiana they have a saying, "It don't rain in the oil patch", meaning about the same thing.

Bell 212 isn't renowned for speed, but a couple of breezy days in the Brent Field saw 170kt or so downwind, with the Decca Danac unwinding at a ridiculous rate ;) Awfully slow trip back into wind, though!

Also got to 199kt G/S in the BK117 in the High Country, IAS wasn't too high as the tailwind was trying to nasty things to the pitch, any faster and it wanted to nose over, or so it seemed :rolleyes:

Abz to Forties, AS365N2, 3000ft, cracking tailwind, 145Kt A/S, 242Kt G/S.

It Bu**ered up our estimates a bit, Deck crew still eating, fortunatley we didn't have to return that day.

212 Man; This is a little off topic but, how does the EC155 compare to the 76 for payload , range, ect??

Would you believe 220 knots with 10 knot quartering headwind in the XH-59A under auxiliary thrust in Melbourne, FL in 1982?

Nick

Nick,

Now why would we ever believe a thing a Cobra Jock had to say.....gunnies reputation for prevarication is well known to all. Guess the next thing you will tell us is that you also got some phenomonenal rate of climb out of that thing too.....unlike any other helicopter flying.....but I bet you will not brag about its fuel economy! Now as I recall....standing there on the ramp with my white shirt wilting into a non-descript shape.....it was impressive when you guys engaged "warp" drive on that thing! Sheeeee-it Doc.....you guys left town in a hurry.....almost like the bride-to-be's father had turned up with the shotgun painted all white!

:)

138kts in an R-22
That was memorable

My mind must work in reverse.....why is it I clearly recall the flight from the Ninian Field to Sumbrugh in an S58T.....where the groundspeed was a whopping 35 knots.......and my fuel reserves disappeared with the onset of those high winds and the intense snow squalls that made the weather zero-zero at the airfield and rigs! Definitely a story I wish to have fabricated!:(

slowest
 

My slowest groundspeed was in a 500D. Slinging some of that plastic portable dock cubes. I only had to move it 2 miles, but it took 20 minutes. The guy who hooked me up, damn near walked to the drop off site before me.

I had to sling a survival tent that was on aluminum skids northeast of Yellowknife. Groundspeed was around 40 kts, but with the quartering tailwind I was having to track backwards in order to get to the spot. Made my neck sore having to look out of the rear door window in order to see where I was going.

Cheers

"138kts in an R-22
That was memorable"

Straight down with the rotor brake on ?? ;) ;)

Falklands '94 Chinook along the Stanley Road: only 200 kts but it was at 50ft so I got to enjoy it!