SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10039 posts, RR: 75 Reply 1, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 2998 times:
Without getting too technical here - that was not enough separation.
The only guidance I remember from Army training was, if I recall, about six feet or so in each plane. So I'm flying off someone else, the top of my rotor is six feet below the bottom of his skids. The left edge of my rotor disk is six feet right of his right edge. The forward edge of my rotor disk is six feet aft of the tail edge of his tail rotor disk.
This way if I overrun him, I've still got lateral separation. If he flames out and starts a descent I still have lateral and so on. Later on, when guys got good they would close it in quite a bit. I also never had to get six ships into a little clearing in the jungle.
All midairs are bad, but between helicopters they get ugly quick. I can't recall a midair involving a helicopter where anyone walked away from it.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
Copter808 From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 677 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 2258 times:
As long as the rotors/airframes don't touch it's good enough! I know of several pilots who flew tight formation with overlapping rotors--I was not one of them however.
"Too close" is when parts start flying off both aircraft!
Basically, I think Slamclick is correct. I flew guns so I never had to worry about that tight formation stuff!
They knocked the blade caps off of, I believe, just one blade from each aircraft. Very scary to think what a couple inches difference would have meant. Probably not the best idea, but they also finished the demo routine before landing! Afterwards they were able to find most of the pieces that had come off the blade tips.
The crewmembers are now in what would have to be a pretty exclusive club!
"That's so stupid! If they're so secret, why are they out where everyone can see them?" - my kid
Bsergonomics From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2002, 462 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 2047 times:
Maybe they should remember this with US-101. The EH-101 has special rotor blades (they're called BERP blades), which have specially shaped outboard edges. If you lose those (for example, in mid-air), you are up the proverbial water channel without the provebial propulsion unit...
The definition of a 'Pessimist': an Optimist with experience...
Vzlet From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 806 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 years 3 months 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 1920 times:
Quoting HAWK21M (reply 5): Did they know the Extent of the Damage
I don't see how they could have known for sure at the time. Nor do I know if there was any increased vibration or any other indications of the damage that had already occurred.
"That's so stupid! If they're so secret, why are they out where everyone can see them?" - my kid
HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 30166 posts, RR: 61 Reply 12, posted (7 years 3 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 1848 times:
Quoting Vzlet (reply 10): I don't see how they could have known for sure at the time. Nor do I know if there was any increased vibration or any other indications of the damage that had already occurred
Why did they not land back immedietly,if there was a doubt.
regds
MEL
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