Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter
The issue of running along side C and B model gunships to get to translational lift was was debated on a VHFCN blog - there were some interesting exchanges
"It all depended on the wind. Translational lift was about 17 knots which is over 20 miles an hour. No one can run that fast so without a head wind, it is impossible; however, with a strong head wind of 15 or more knots, it is theoretically possible to run along beside a gunship until it hits translational lift. A helicopter can be indicating 20 knots airspeed with no ground speed
if there is a 20 knot head wind. I have been at a hover indicating 50 knots
so I know this is possible"
"Our gunners did not run to translational lift. I would point the UH-1B into
the wind and establish a three or four foot hover depending on what I could
get without settling. The crew chief and door gunner would stand beside
the ship. As I began to move forward they would start to run with the ship.
The aircraft would begin to settle as we picked up speed and the door
gunner and crew chief would jump on board at a point they felt they could no
longer keep up with the aircraft. The trick was to time their boarding in unison with the settling aircraft so when the aircraft hit the ground you would bounce through translational.
You did not want to make any power, cyclic or collective changes once you started forward movement until you were through translational. The copilots job was to pray! It also makes it easier if you have a little down slope to work from. Seemed like a normal take off after doing it a few times"
Posted : 2007-10-03 06:58
E-model
Never ran along side, but did change a fair amount of skid plates
Posted : 2007-10-03 14:41
Never heard of anything like this before. I've got over 3000 hrs in the Huey, one year flying guns in RVN. If you could get it in a 3-4 foot hover, you were fat. Might make more sense to put the c.c. and gunner on bikes with their gunners belts on. Then you could really get into translational lift, climb, lifting them off the bikes and they could crawl in.:rolleyes:
Lanny
Posted : 2007-10-03 16:44
I love it!
Lanny, you are too funny.... a true MARCAD with a sense of humor. 😀
Posted : 2007-10-03 17:02
Maybe the Crew Chief and Gunner could push on the skids on the run too. When it's that critical do what ever you have to do to accomplish the mission! Get the co-pilot out pushing and running too.
S/F
Tim
Posted : 2007-10-03 18:50
Topic starter
The copilots job was to pray!
Posted : 2007-10-03 20:06
This sounds...
...like an Army procedure.
They do everything differently.
For example to exit a helicopter they dismount!
/s/ray
Raymond J. Norton
1513 Bordeaux Place
Norfolk, VA 23509-1313
(757) 623-1644
Posted : 2007-10-04 07:29
Let him pray while he's running and pushing! It will also lighten the load. The pilot can pray that the crew jumps in to cover him on the mission.
S/F
Tim
Posted : 2007-10-04 09:10
Pure B S
I had 400 missions (i know just a rookie) in both "B" & "E" model's with VMO2. My guess would be 15-to-30 out of Khe Sahn between June & Aug. 66. And yes, we drained fuel more than once to get up, but none of our people would have let something that dumb cross their minds. 1st you didn't need to in a slick and 2nd nobody in their right mind would arm the external's and then run in front of them trying to jump in. 3rd our pilots would have grounded anybody dumb enough to even suggest it. That must have come from some army wanna-be because even the army guys wouldn't try that (well i don't think they would anyway)
Posted : 2007-10-16 15:27
Pure B S
I had 400 missions (i know just a rookie) in both "B" & "E" model's with VMO2. My guess would be 15-to-30 out of Khe Sahn between June & Aug. 66. And yes, we drained fuel more than once to get up, but none of our people would have let something that dumb cross their minds. 1st you didn't need to in a slick and 2nd nobody in their right mind would arm the external's and then run in front of them trying to jump in. 3rd our pilots would have grounded anybody dumb enough to even suggest it. That must have come from some army wanna-be because even the army guys wouldn't try that (well i don't think they would anyway)
Posted : 2007-10-16 15:27
