Heavy snow was probably a blessing

Redoverfarm · February 21, 2010, 12:05:59 PM

I guess the 17 members of a Navy blackhawk helicopter were glad of the heavy snow based mountains in the north end of the county. One individual had made the comment that it made the landing a little softer in the rugid terrain. This was about 30 air miles north of the house. The area that they went down is "Gods Country".

http://wvgazette.com/News/201002180482

glenn kangiser · February 21, 2010, 01:01:59 PM

Even those little hills back east can be quite rough in the winter.

Autorotation to the ground is sometimes only a bit softer than a crash especially in trees. My old flight instructor is a former USAF military pilot - one of the best and we discussed differences in planes and choppers in emergency landings.

He always said that in the night if you looked at the ground during a forced landing, and did not like what you saw, close your eyes and land controlled as it was better than an uncontrolled landing.

February 21, 2010, 01:10:09 PM

Yes Glenn they were quite lucky. I have been on two previous search & rescue of two of my Departments helicopters in the past in similar conditions. The results were not as favorable. I hated to fly in those. TOOOO many moving parts to go wrong.

glenn kangiser · February 21, 2010, 01:16:28 PM

I agree... they need nearly all of them to stay up too.

Bob S. · February 22, 2010, 01:00:13 AM

Glen: As a old flight instructor I can tell you that the proper night forest landing instruction is--
(1) Decend till you think you are close to the ground.
(2) Then turn on your landing light.
(3) If you like what you see leave it on.
(4) If you not like what you see- turn it off.
works every time

February 25, 2010, 12:55:53 AM

Quote from: Bob S. on February 22, 2010, 01:00:13 AM
Glen: As a old flight instructor I can tell you that the proper night forest landing instruction is--
(1) Decend till you think you are close to the ground.
(2) Then turn on your landing light.
(3) If you like what you see leave it on.
(4) If you not like what you see- turn it off.
works every time

It was quite a while ago, and that sounds exactly like the way he said it. He even made me land with no runway lights at night. I was glad to have a great instructor. I made lots of trips over the Sierra Nevada's at night..

He knew I would do it so he wanted to teach me all he could.

Steve Fosset bought it in areas I knew were treacherous. Too bad he had not had my instructors.

n74tg · February 25, 2010, 08:08:22 AM

My flight instructor (fixed wing) made me land at night (once) with no runway/taxiway lights, AND no inside lights in the cockpit or instrument panel. And no, he wouldn't let me use the flashlight either. Now, in all fairness, I think there was a little moonlight that night.

Granted I wasn't emergency landing in a forest, but it wasn't hard. We all pretty much know what 1500 rpm sounds like on an aircraft engine, and I think most of us can sense what normal approach speed feels like. It's just that coffin-corner turn from base to final that we have to pay attention to.

Now, what would have been kinda exciting (though possibly pretty dangerous) would have been a steep angle, side slip approach, at night, in the dark, no lights.

glenn kangiser · February 26, 2010, 12:15:15 AM

I did similar - that was fun stuff.

My first instructor was not good - she forgot all she knew about instructing and retired shortly thereafter. When the Air Force crazy guy took over he had to straighten me out.

Rudder control - about 100 feet above the ground following fences in cow pastures - without using the instruments and as much bank angle and rudder as needed to stay on the fence during the 90 degree turns. I think we went 90 degrees bank angle too. [ouch]

JR was rough but fun and I really learned under him.

He encouraged me to practice vertical take-offs during a windstorm when I expressed interest in it. 40 degrees of flaps at partial throttle with about 45 mph wind down the runway makes a Cessna climb straight up and never leave the runway. I had to move out of my vertical hold pattern to allow others to land. I was of course announcing my position and activity during the practice.

I'm a bit off on terms now as I haven't flown in about 8 years.

peternap · February 27, 2010, 06:09:36 PM

Looks like you're getting dumped on John. Everything OK?

February 27, 2010, 06:17:03 PM

Yep everythings fine except this snow is getting pretty old. Plowed again today to the cabin. Only about 6" overnight. I was telling Glenn that the area that the chopper went down is close to Snowshoe and they said this year they have had 210" of natural snow. Higher in elevation than me but I have had all that I want. Did you get anything out of the last couple of days?

peternap · February 27, 2010, 06:47:56 PM

Quote from: Redoverfarm on February 27, 2010, 06:17:03 PM
Yep everythings fine except this snow is getting pretty old. Plowed again today to the cabin. Only about 6" overnight. I was telling Glenn that the area that the chopper went down is close to Snowshoe and they said this year they have had 210" of natural snow. Higher in elevation than me but I have had all that I want. Did you get anything out of the last couple of days?

Not a thing...thank the Lord. We still have some drifts 4 feet high.
Next week, I'm going to take a day or two off and get all my farm equipment ready to plant.

glenn kangiser · February 27, 2010, 09:05:51 PM

Quote from: Redoverfarm on February 27, 2010, 06:17:03 PM
Yep everythings fine except this snow is getting pretty old. Plowed again today to the cabin. Only about 6" overnight. I was telling Glenn that the area that the chopper went down is close to Snowshoe and they said this year they have had 210" of natural snow. Higher in elevation than me but I have had all that I want. Did you get anything out of the last couple of days?

Old snow, eh John? I'm almost sure some new snow is headed your way...