20 minutes ago, AlDente67 said:

 He mentioned to me that a helicopter is "10,000 parts trying to separate from each other"

Indeed. One of those parts is called the Jesus nut, which attaches the main rotor to the mast.   The name arose because of the terrifying consequences of that single point of failure, failing. 

2 minutes ago, 10X said:

Indeed. One of those parts is called the Jesus nut, which attaches the main rotor to the mast.   The name arose because of the terrifying consequences of that single point of failure, failing. 

Sikorsky was a god!!!!

1 hour ago, Zeke said:

Sikorsky was a god!!!!

If you’re ever out in Milford Ct, take the tour, see the museum. 
 

Totally worth it, very educational. 

RIP to the other people on the helicopter that didn’t cheat on their spouse and buy their way out of a rape conviction. 

On 1/26/2020 at 8:54 PM, Handyman said:

Yaa, that's great. Screw yourself into the ground after falling 1000 feet as gracefully as a potato. At least it saves on burial costs. 

auto-rotate is the helo version of gliding. 

 engine failure....lower collective, keep helo under control. as you approach the ground, raise collective. you will create a "cusion" of air, and when done properly, you'll have a perfect engine out landing. 

 

 that said....he didn't have that opportunity. seems that although the pilot was ifr rated, and the helo had the proper equipment, the company didn't have proper certs. seems they flew into the side of a hill or mountain in almost zero vis

On 1/26/2020 at 10:47 PM, Sniper said:

I know, I was referring to Handyman's comment about falling 1000 feet, autorotation or not, hit the ground hard enough and you're dead. I don't think autorotation was a factor in this crash. I appears they might have flew into the mountain or ground at high speed. There have been situations where people die in autorotation crashes too..

means they didn't do it correctly. 

 

 a cfi I had flown with let a student get too far along in a simulated engine failure quite a few years back. didn't lower the collective enough, didn't maintain proper control of the helo…..they crashed. student got pretty fubar. cfi only scratches. 

 

fast forward to about 4:40 to see auto roatation from inside the cockpit. this isn't anyone I know....

 

On 1/27/2020 at 9:25 AM, 10X said:

Kinda.  My favorite description of a helicopter is that it is a 'swirling mass of metal fatigue surrounding an oil leak'.

a helo is thousands of parts flying in tight formation. 

a helo doesn't fly. it is so ugly that the earth repels it. 

 

Some of us have our wings

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  ppl single engine land, vfr only. have the required dual time in ifr simulation though. sadly haven't been up in about 10 years now.

PP ASEL

So, private pilot, single engine fixed wing aircraft.  Not instrument rated.

Co-own an upgraded Cessna Skyhawk with a group based at Morristown. 

24 minutes ago, 10X said:

PP ASEL

So, private pilot, single engine fixed wing aircraft.  Not instrument rated.

Co-own an upgraded Cessna Skyhawk with a group based at Morristown. 

i was set to buy a 85(i think) 172 with 180hp upgrade, less than 100 on engine, less than 2k total on airframe. was a CAP aircraft being auctioned off. coulda got it for less than i paid for my 2012 gt......but i saw this business for sale, and made the grown up decision, rather than th fun decision

Ppl fixed single land ifr written. On my to cfi. Capt of da flight team. Din poof, broke and den 911 and den lost the desire. Also have asthma so had to get a waiver put still could pass class 1 medical. But I think my medical condition would hamper my abilities for gainful commercial employment. I would love to build an amphibious or an ez .

Trying to read this gave me a stroke.

2 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

Trying to read this gave me a stroke.

Just relax and breathe 

10 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

Trying to read this gave me a stroke.

I think I have the same symptoms....

 

And, the thought of Zeke piloting an aircraft scares the crap out of me...

8 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

Trying to read this gave me a stroke.

I think we can assume the "Ppl fixed single land ifr written" didn't require any actual writing?

1 minute ago, Mrs. Peel said:

I think we can assume the "Ppl fixed single land ifr written" didn't require any actual writing?

@njpilot @Kevin125 @10X @1LtCAP all know what I’m sayen 

jus sayen 

… fixed wing, single engine land... yada, yada, yada. Yeah, that's not the issue.

The point is... you make my "inner editor" weep several times a day... nice to know it's not just me. 

1 minute ago, Mrs. Peel said:

… fixed wing, single engine land... yada, yada, yada. Yeah, that's not the issue.

The point is... you make my "inner editor" weep several times a day... nice to know it's not just me. 

Just relax and breathe 

There was no autorotation. Low level scud running into rising terrain. Most likely inadvertent IMC (instrument meteorological conditions), loss of control or CFIT (controlled flight into terrain). Although the pilot had his instrument rating, I’ve read he never flew into a cloud.

As other instrument pilots here know, flying instruments is a very, very perishable skill. Even with experience, regular currency is required. Compare to airplanes, it’s hard to get actual instrument time in a helicopter. 

I have 2000 hours in S76B, C+ & C++ helicopters and they are a good IFR helicopter, but many helicopter pilots who don’t fly in the clouds, will generally do everything they can to stay out of them. This isn’t the first crash for these reasons and unfortunately won’t be the last.

The fact that they were a only approved for VFR operations should’ve had no bearing on declaring an emergency and climbing above the fog and low cloud layer. Better to deal with the consequences of that then ending up dead and killing 8 other people.

 

All this just reaffirms my choice to never get in a helicopter unless it's a life flight and if it's a life flight hopefully I'm unconscious! 

I've flew from Sarasota flordia to west palm beach in a 2 seater plane once......never again. Bag of chips in the cabin popped as we were climbing, I was sure we were going down! 

8 minutes ago, fishnut said:

All this just reaffirms my choice to never get in a helicopter unless it's a life flight and if it's a life flight hopefully I'm unconscious! 

I've flew from Sarasota flordia to west palm beach in a 2 seater plane once......never again. Bag of chips in the cabin popped as we were climbing, I was sure we were going down! 

Wimp

I've seen some scary pilots and read lots of articles that left me shaking my head over my 25+ year career. My motto now is if I don't know the pilot or there isn't a set of controls in front of me, I'm not getting into a sightseeing helicopter.

2 hours ago, Zeke said:

@njpilot @Kevin125 @10X @1LtCAP all know what I’m sayen 

jus sayen 

Actually, we’re all picturing you on the radio talking to the NY controllers and trying to get a clearance through the Bravo airspace.

Its not pretty.

4 minutes ago, 10X said:

Actually, we’re all picturing you on the radio talking to the NY controllers and trying to get a clearance through the Bravo airspace.

Its not pretty.

Foxtrot uniform!

10 minutes ago, 10X said:

Actually, we’re all picturing you on the radio talking to the NY controllers and trying to get a clearance through the Bravo airspace.

Its not pretty.

‘Zeke speak’ for comms....oh hell, what could POSSIBLY go wrong there?!

24 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Wimp

Been called worse by better. 

But yeah flying/some heights are the only thing I've found that scare the crap out of me. I'm thankful for Dr prescribed xanax and the airport bar to get me on airplanes. 

I've turned down helo hog hunting and snowboarding due to my fear 

9 minutes ago, fishnut said:

Been called worse by better. 

But yeah flying/some heights are the only thing I've found that scare the crap out of me. I'm thankful for Dr prescribed xanax and the airport bar to get me on airplanes. 

I've turned down helo hog hunting and snowboarding due to my fear 

Just relax and breathe 

2 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Just relax and breathe 

Do you say that to the air traffic controller when your flying?