Impressive Rescue by National Guard

[A Life Aloft]

That looks like some serious talent and skills to me as this pilot balances one wheel on the edge of this mountain surface and balances the weight (rescuers inside leaning out to help the man being recused and then the shifting balance of the pax and crew repositioning themselves inside the chopper.

Sept. 23, 2013 A 59-year-old man had to be rescued by helicopter after falling while descending North Maroon Peak on Saturday. The man fell 50 feet while descending 200 feet below the summit of the technical 14,014-foot peak, according to a Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office press release. The climber suffered numerous injuries, including a possible broken jaw. (turns out he had broken his jaw and back and smashed up his face pretty badly but is home now recuperating after spending a week in the hospital) The helicopter rescue was successful and caught on video. The injured climber was with four other people when the accident occurred.

The helicopter took MRA rescuers and the patient to the Aspen airport, where an ambulance transported him to Aspen Valley Hospital. He was later airlifted to Colorado Springs.

The ground team was from the Mountain Rescue Aspen team. MRA is a volunteer organization that serves as an arm of the sheriff’s office, and does not charge the public for its services.

A Flight for Life helicopter out of Summit County dropped MRA members on the mountain. They met the patient and his party and assisted them to a spot where a HAATS (Colorado Army National Guard’s High Altitude Aviation Training Site) Blackhawk helicopter could reach them. “Stories abound of combat rescue in Afghanistan, by military crews that honed their skills back home."

Maybe @MikeD could comment on this technique and how such a maneuver is accomplished. (since my knowledge of chopper flying is sorely lacking/non-existent)

 

[skypilot6]

Damn! Amazing!

 

[MikeD]

It's dicey, but doable. The pilot's dependance is on the crewmember in the gunner's window, because he can see the main wheel, whereas the pilot can't, as it's behind him. So after locking the parking brakes, a normal approach is started, to a point on very short final where the crewmember in back takes over calling fore/aft left/right calls in order to perfectly plant the single tire on the terra firma. From there, depending on the weight shifts and such, as well as the winds and what they're doing to you next to the mountain like that as well as at an altitude location; and the pilot has his hands full keeping the helo balanced there on what is essentially a pivot point, all the while being kept informed on positioning and whats going on in the back, but the back end crewmembers.

Additionally, with upsloping terrain next to you, rotor blade clearance can become an issue; and as can be seen in this video, even people approaching the helo have to already be in position for the pickup, as you can't approach it from uphill down towards the bird, what with the blades right there.

Remember too that this is a HAATS bird, so while nearly any Blackhawk pilot should be able to do this; this kind of stuff is what the HAATS guys do as the boring part of their day.

 

[A Life Aloft]

It's dicey, but doable. The pilot's dependance is on the crewmember in the gunner's window, because he can see the main wheel, whereas the pilot can't, as it's behind him. So after locking the parking brakes, a normal approach is started, to a point on very short final where the crewmember in back takes over calling fore/aft left/right calls in order to perfectly plant the single tire on the terra firma. From there, depending on the weight shifts and such, as well as the winds and what they're doing to you next to the mountain like that as well as at an altitude location; and the pilot has his hands full keeping the helo balanced there on what is essentially a pivot point, all the while being kept informed on positioning and whats going on in the back, but the back end crewmembers.

Additionally, with upsloping terrain next to you, rotor blade clearance can become an issue; and as can be seen in this video, even people approaching the helo have to already be in position for the pickup, as you can't approach it from uphill down towards the bird, what with the blades right there.

I was going to ask about that because it looks exactly like the crew member in the opening/door just behind the cockpit is leaning out and guiding the pilot where to place the wheel. Stupid question because I know almost nothing about choppers, but is the parking brake the same as on a plane pretty much and this is done so that the wheel does not move when they put it in position then? The brake keeps the wheel from rotating. The blades look so close to the top of the terrain and the people. The pilot seemed to keep the chopper so damn steady the entire time, I was really impressed with this. Some wind and direction of the wind might have changed that all rather quickly. Very hairy, IMO. Plus some of that rock looked like it could just start sliding around/shifting at any time.

I didn't even realize/think about them needing to be in position beforehand for the pick up or why. Thanks, for the explanation.

 

[MikeD]

I was going to ask about that because it looks exactly like the crew member in the opening/door just behind the cockpit is leaning out and guiding the pilot where to place the wheel. Stupid question because I know almost nothing about choppers, but how does the parking brake physically work on them? Is it the same as a plane pretty much and this is done so that the wheel does not move when they put it in position then? The brake keeps the wheel from rotating. The blades look so close to the top of the terrain and the people. The pilot seemed to keep the chopper so damn steady the entire time, I was really impressed with this. Some wind and direction of the wind might have changed that all rather quickly. Very hairy, IMO. Plus some of that rock looked like it could just start sliding around/shifting at any time.

I didn't even realize/think about them needing to be in position beforehand for the pick up or why. Thanks, for the explanation.

Parking brake same as wheel brakes for any other aircraft. Wheeled helos generally have toe brakes like an airplane, and same parking brake system.....press down on brakes, pull up on handle, release brake pedal pressure, and the brakes are engaged. Press the brakes again to release.

 

[atracnitrix]

Some true talent right there!

 

[USMCmech]

I was going to ask about that because it looks exactly like the crew member in the opening/door just behind the cockpit is leaning out and guiding the pilot where to place the wheel. Stupid question because I know almost nothing about choppers, but is the parking brake the same as on a plane pretty much and this is done so that the wheel does not move when they put it in position then? The brake keeps the wheel from rotating.

Other large helos can do this as well in what we called a "main mount" landing. That takes a LOT of trust by the pilots because they are hanging off into space while the crew talks them backwards to the LZ.

The parking brake is also kept on for all shipboard operations since the pilot does not want the aircraft to roll anywhere upon touchdown.

 

[MikeD]

Other large helos can do this as well in what we called a "main mount" landing. That takes a LOT of trust by the pilots because they are hanging off into space while the crew talks them backwards to the LZ.

The parking brake is also kept on for all shipboard operations since the pilot does not want the aircraft to roll anywhere upon touchdown.

Yes. Similar doings by CH-47s and CH-46s are what I've seen in that regard, with the mainmounts and ramp on a hilltop PZ, and the rest of the helo hanging out in space.

 

[A Life Aloft]

Parking brake same as wheel brakes for any other aircraft. Wheeled helos generally have toe brakes like an airplane, and same parking brake system.....press down on brakes, pull up on handle, release brake pedal pressure, and the brakes are engaged. Press the brakes again to release.

Thanks!

 

[A Life Aloft]

Other large helos can do this as well in what we called a "main mount" landing. That takes a LOT of trust by the pilots because they are hanging off into space while the crew talks them backwards to the LZ.

The parking brake is also kept on for all shipboard operations since the pilot does not want the aircraft to roll anywhere upon touchdown.

Interesting. Like I said, I know really very very little about choppers.If it's not too much trouble could you find/post a video that shows this? I am off for work (flying the things with wings - all I know about lol) but will check back when I get in this evening. Thanks.

 

[mshunter]

What a bad ass!

 

[USMCmech]

 

[deadstick]

Helicopters with training wheels.

Some guys from my unit went to HAATS for the UH1. There was this rock that was the width and length of the skids. It was a sheer drop and all the pilots saw in the chin bubble was the drop -- there was no other reference. The crew chief had to talk them in. If the numbers didn't work for that time, they couldn't land because they were OGE on the rock. There were some crazy stories coming out of HAATS.

 

[Flymh47]

We took some D model Chinooks to HAATS back in early 2001. Was a great for their staff and us, as they didn't have a lot of experience with Chinooks at the time. They have some great confined areas and pinnacles out there in the training areas.


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[BobDDuck]

Interesting that the guy who fell seemed to have no problems climbing up into the helo. Obviously climbing up 5 feet is very different than down climbing 13,000 feet, but it seems fortunate that they could have him self rescue a little bit. Can they do a hoist operation at that altitude if they have to?

 

[MikeD]

Can they do a hoist operation at that altitude if they have to?

Depends on the varied performance factors. But yes, if those check out.

 

[Ian_J]

Max torque at 14,000 ft and -15 is 70%. Max gross weight is 14,300. Hope they were in a Lima!

81% and 15,100 for a Lima... Not too bad.

 

[Firebird2XC]

It's dicey, but doable. .

Remember too that this is a HAATS bird, so while nearly any Blackhawk pilot should be able to do this; this kind of stuff is what the HAATS guys do as the boring part of their day.

When I was with the 54th Air Med that was our bread and butter up in the Cascades. Granted, no matter how badass you feel after a successful hoist mission it all falls flat when you jump out on the ground and forget to unhook your monkey harness. Everybody did it once, I think...

We did it in hand-me-down old A models, too. I gotta say- we had a few hacks, but the majority of our pilots were top shelf.

 

[A Life Aloft]

Oh for craps sake! I have never seen anything like that before. He is just perched on his ass and unloading troops. Can you or Mike explain how this is accomplished? How do you train for this kind of maneuver? How common of a procedure is this? Looks so steady too. Wow. I imagine (I know nothing) that a huge concern is the back slope/up slope of the terrain behind you and the rear rotor? That just impresses the pants off me.

 

[Ian_J]

The pilot seemed to keep the chopper so damn steady the entire time, I was really impressed with this. Some wind and direction of the wind might have changed that all rather quickly. Very hairy, IMO.

While I can't argue blackhawk pilots are steely eyed killers with nerves of steel, the helicopter has a lot of computerized stability systems that really help out the pilots if they let the system do its job.