For you Medevac helicopter pilots I have a question.

Bud01

Bud01

Welcome to the Jungle.
Okay so a little back drop to this. The state of Michigan has done away with the helmet law for motorcyclist. In my home town we already had an accident. they needed to immediately medevac the guy to the hospital because of his injuries. instead of transporting him less than a mile to the high school ball field they had the helicopter land in downtown. in the process the wake ripped off awnings from a couple of businesses. the picture it looks deceiving that there is plenty of room but it had to be tight. I was wondering what your thoughts are? would you put down in the middle of two story tall buildings to collect the victim or have him transported to a wide open ball field?

http://www.lenconnect.com/news/x1018072261/Car-hits-motorcycle-in-Tecumseh?photo=0
 
Thats not a call (regarding victim transport) that can be made by the helo crew, unless there was a safety issue for the helo itself in landing in the selected LZ. If the helo crew feel the landing can't be made safely, they can say so. Injuries or time or street traffic, or a host of other factors, may have made the ground commander not want to move the victim by ground, even for a mile.
 
Alright i understand that. My town is 7000 strong so traffic wouldnt be a problem. Being in between two story structures like f you guys up?
 
Two stories?

How about six and trees?



This appears to be routine for the London HEMS.

ETA: They are also, largely a charity-funded operation. Virgin Group are a major contributor, hence why it's painted on the side. Virgin doesn't run an EMS company!
 
Bud01 said:
Alright i understand that. My town is 7000 strong so traffic wouldnt be a problem. Being in between two story structures like f you guys up?
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Nope. Just judging from the pic it looks like a pretty easy landing.
 
That's not tight - here are a couple ones I think I would be holding on for.

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I am pleased to hear about the no helmet law - good for business, good for people awaiting transplants.
 
From the person who knows next to nothing about helicopters, how the heck do you balance the skids (well the chopper itself) like that on a narrow wall (or on anything for that matter) and keep the chopper stable? Is that a "normal" or routine procedure? That retaining/guard wall doesn't look wide enough to park my butt on.
 
A Life Aloft said:
From the person who know next to nothing about helicopters, how the heck do you balance the skids (well the chopper itself) like that on a narrow wall (or on anything for that matter) and keep the chopper stable? Is that a "normal" or routine procedure? That retaining wall doesn't look wide enough to park my butt on.
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It's not normally done, but not too tough either....just takes some cyclic finesse, as well as the helo likely not being full-weight on the structure (kept light on the skids). However, winds and other phenomenon will make it more dicey of a proposition.
 
MikeD said:
It's not normally done, but not too tough either....just takes some cyclic finesse, as well as the helo likely not being full-weight on the structure (kept light on the skids). However, winds and other phenomenon will make it more dicey of a proposition.
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I just can't imagine balancing like that on such a narrow surface. Seems impressive to me. How is the pilot manipulating the controls, (and what controls) if you don't mind explaining to me and have time. If not you could send me a pm at some point.
 
A Life Aloft said:
I just can't imagine balancing like that on such a narrow surface. Seems impressive to me. How is the pilot manipulating the controls, (and what controls) if you don't mind explaining to me and have time. If not you could send me a pm at some point.
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Cyclic. Controls the tilt of the rotor disc spinning above. Moves helo forward, aft, side/side. Finesse in keeping the bird balanced.

Collective. Controls the angle of the main rotor blades and thus the power utilized from the engines. In order to keep the aircraft "light" on the skids and thus on the wall, a certain amount of collective is kept pulled (weight dependant) so the helo is fairly firm on the wall there, but not resting it's full weight on it. The rotor system is still bearing some weight of the helicopter.
 
Okay, thank you, I can understand that. And when he lifts off, would he have to move up and back or up and to the side, considering the power lines and the mountain in front of him then as opposed to lifting straight up?
 
Up and back, and one way or another down the river, winds and obstructions dependant.

Lifting straight up is only if absolutely necessary, as the whole helo is "hanging" on the rotor system versus in any kind of foward flight where the rotor system is now more efficient and taking advantage of aerodnamics, like an aircraft. Plus, in the event of an engine failure, straight up will leave you with nothing but straight down....much more difficult of an autorotation in that instance..
 
Thanks. I still think the operation/flying of a helicopter seems terribly difficult to me. Entire other skill set, controls, equipment and mindset depending on the type of flying also. Fixed wing just seems so much easier and so different from copters. Thanks for the answers, trying to pick up bits and pieces of info here and there when I can.
 
A Life Aloft said:
Thanks. I still think the operation/flying of a helicopter seems terribly difficult to me. Entire other skill set, controls, equipment and mindset depending on the type of flying also. Fixed wing just seems so much easier and so different from copters. Thanks for the answers, trying to pick up bits and pieces of info here and there when I can.
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The difference is, fixed-wing inherently want to fly. You trim them out, they want to stay aloft, soaring along.

Rotary wing inherently want to crash. No matter how much you trim the cyclic or collective; if you let go for just a bit too long, the bird wants to roll/yaw this way or that, and kill itself......and you. :)
 
MikeD said:
The difference is, fixed-wing inherently want to fly. You trim them out, they want to stay aloft, soaring along.

Rotary wing inherently want to crash. No matter how much you trim the cyclic or collective; if you let go for just a bit too long, the bird wants to roll/yaw this way or that, and kill itself......and you. :)
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It's no wonder I have never worked up the courage (much to the amusement of my friends) to even ride in one yet, let alone take a lesson on one. lmao I rather enjoy the flying along part better. As I have said before, circumnavigating typhoons at night across the Pacific, no biggie. Trying to even comprehend the controls of a helicopter, not so much. lol

BTW did Obama make it near your neck of the woods....errrr the sand, over there?
 
MikeD said:
He's 300 miles away over near Kabul. I think his speech concluded a bit ago.
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Meh, you probably didn't miss much, I guess. I don't imagine he brought any "goodies" of any sort over there to the troops to share, which would have been nice. I only had one flight today and only briefly heard before I had left, that he was over there, had no clue where. But I am not going to side track the discussion here with any politics, so I won't. Back to the chopper. lol
 
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