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Unreal rescue by Chopper

Gliderman8

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I saw it on the news a few days ago and my first thought was that he was putting other people in danger. Glad it worked out but it could have easily ended differently.
 
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Basil

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I saw it on the news a few days ago and my first thought was that he was putting other people in danger. Glad it worked out but it could have easily end differently.

I had the same thought, but the circumstances may have been such the he either took the risk or the rescue could not happen. I dunno.
 

NutmegCT

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Agreed! That is extraordinary piloting. Wow, controlling that machine so close to the snow.

Wondering however, why the pilot didn't just lower the rescue crew and equipment to the snow, instead of actually touching the snow to let them off. Same for the rescue pickup.

Anyway, brave people all.
 
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Basil

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Definitely do not exit and run forward of the helo to get out of the way.

When I was doing site surveys in Nova Scotia, Labrador and Baffin Island back in the 80s to determine optimal locations for radar sites for the North Warning System we had to fly to many remote mountain top locations by Helicopter. I remember one location on Baffin Island where there simply was no reasonable place for our pilot, Ed, to land. So, he found a bit of a flat area on the side a couple hundred feet from the summit and hovered about 3 feet from the surface while we all jumped out. It was not nearly as dramatic as the above video, but it was still a bit unnerving On the return trip he landed much further down the mountain in a good landing area and we hiked down at the end of the survey.

Baffin Island 9.jpg

Baffin Island-0709.jpg
 

JPSmit

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what I don't understand is why no snow was blowing from the blade?
 

NutmegCT

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Look at the video again. The blades are only rotating like 3 RPM. Not nearly enough to kick up snow, or leaves, or soap bubbles, or...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagon-wheel_effect

Back to an earlier question: why didn't the helicopter just hover and drop a line with the rescuers? Then pull the injured person up in a basket? Sure seems that being so close to the surface was a huge risk. Sticking that forward probe into the snow was a stabilizing technique; the probe wasn't holding the full weight of the helicopter.
 

PAUL161

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Been watching this with interest, the pilot was a nut case, :wink-new:, but had a lot of guts! Snow hides a multitude of sins (very close to the surface) and putting a rotating blade in it is inviting a disaster! Every rule in the book says to drop the rescuer down on a line. I've got a few hours in one of those things and what that guy was trying to prove could have destroyed the aircraft and possibly killed a few people, breaking every rule in the book, he and the one he was trying to save were very lucky, sorry not impressed.
 

DrEntropy

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No experience with a rescue in Arctic conditions, but that seems contrary to all the SAR missions I've ever been on in HH53's (Jolly Green Giant) in jungle or water pickups. But that was forty-plus years ago and military.

If on that bird, would have to ask the AC: "You're gonna do WHAT?!?!" :scared:
 
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