Cyclone Debbie

General discussion from the very important bit between the carpark and the flight line.
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aaron
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Cyclone Debbie

Postby aaron » Sat Mar 25 2017, 14:34

Hey peeps.
At what wind strengths would you no longer fly?
Park up and hide away?
Cheers
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Eric Hunt
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby Eric Hunt » Sat Mar 25 2017, 19:01

Depends on the task and the machine - if teaching a student to hover - 15-20 kt
Going to rescue somebody - forecast of severe turbulence
Been airborne in a 72kt wind, wasn't much fun.
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Helicoil
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby Helicoil » Sat Mar 25 2017, 20:29

Also depends on the terrain you're flying over - a 30knot wind over a flat surface like the sea is not the same as a 30knot wind approaching at 90 degrees to a mountain range at 7500 feet...
NZHelo
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby NZHelo » Sat Mar 25 2017, 21:36

FEW @ 3500
Heliduck
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby Heliduck » Sun Mar 26 2017, 04:22

It's not the flying that worries me, it's the start up & shut down. As a Squirrel driver around 30 knots or more you need to be on the ball, lots of people have the rotor blade strike the tail boom. Gusty conditions like those experienced with an approaching cyclone are particularly troublesome.
"Plan twice...Fly once"
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rotors99
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby rotors99 » Sun Mar 26 2017, 13:30

Not a biggy, shut a Squirrel down in 40-45knots many a times, land with the wind at 11 o'clock with loads of forward cyclic on shut down & be sure your rotor brake is well adjusted :D
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Yankee
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby Yankee » Mon Mar 27 2017, 04:11

Heard from an old codger about a time when he was doing hurricane evac from production platforms in the GOM. He said he would have to land at the front edge of he helipad and one or two rig monkeys would try jumping in before he was pushed off the back of the helideck by the wind. He would pull pitch and land back on the front of the helipad while another two would try getting in.

Sometimes It wasn't unheard of to come out and have only three broken tiedowns securely attached to the deck and absolutely no sign of a helicopter...

Fun times in the GOM.... Don't miss the work but sure do miss the fishing.
Don't think of yourself as and ugly person. Think of yourself as a beautiful monkey.
zzodr
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby zzodr » Tue Mar 28 2017, 00:11

You would start flying without cranking the engine at Hamilton Island right now.

SPECI YBHM 280008Z AUTO 29092G118KT 0200 // OVC004 35/35 Q0967
RMK RF01.6/012.8
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FerrariFlyer
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby FerrariFlyer » Tue Mar 28 2017, 01:42

zzodr wrote:You would start flying without cranking the engine at Hamilton Island right now.

SPECI YBHM 280008Z AUTO 29092G118KT 0200 // OVC004 35/35 Q0967
RMK RF01.6/012.8


Might need to use the strong wind start procedure for that...
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Capt Hollywood
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby Capt Hollywood » Tue Mar 28 2017, 02:21

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
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Twistgrip
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby Twistgrip » Tue Mar 28 2017, 04:31

And even better goto the local establishment :)

All the best to everyone up that way.
"You can watch things happen, you can make things happen or you can wonder what happened"
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Pepi
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Re: Cyclone Debbie

Postby Pepi » Wed Mar 29 2017, 00:20

An interesting take on Debbie's arrival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrJSPIQv7o8

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