Medical Helicopter Crashes

[pcslookout]

link

 

[Fritzo]

Oops...at least nobody was killed.

 

[Tiamat]

wow, i didnt know helicopter crashes were survivable

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
wow, i didnt know helicopter crashes were survivable

It was in this case because they had just taken off moments before.

 

[DrPizza]

A lot of helicopter crashes are survivable. The medical helicopter from the hospital where my wife works crashed a couple years ago, all survived.

 

[paulney]

Yes, helicopter crashes are survivable if the conditions are favorable and the pilot has enough skill to perform autorotation.

 

[DrPizza]

Here's a link as to one reason helicopter crashes are survivable: if the main engine dies, they don't drop like a rock; they glide. Well, depending on the model. (granted, at a steeper angle than planes, but they can be landed safely.)

here

edit: fortunately for one of my wife's friends on board - the nurse, the pilot was skilled enough.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Whoa.

 

[paulney]

There's a very good book "ChickenhawK" by a Vietnam vet who was a helicopter pilot. It describes in full detail how they were trained to perform auto rotation on instinct, at any moment. During their training in the US, an instructor would kill an engine with a flip of the switch at any point in time, and the trainee had to quickly orient the helicopter, chose a favorable spot and perform autorotation. The instructor did it again and again until you were autorotating effortlessly. This skill saved a whole lotta lives.

I would imagine todays helicopter pilots are trained to do this as well, but probably not as rigorously.

 

[JC]

Good thing that the pilot or personnel weren't killed, the traffic accident victim would have been held accountable for their deaths!

 

[benzylic]

Go watch Black Hawk Down. That Michael Durant (sp?) guy survived the crash when his chopper went down, although he did break his back, and I think someone survived the crash of the other black hawk as well.

 

[Shawn]

What's with all these helicopter crashes today?

 

[GoingUp]

Best place to crash one is next to a hospital.

 

[tasmanian]

Originally posted by: Shawn
What's with all these helicopter crashes today?

Yep 3 down in one day.

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: paulney
There's a very good book "ChickenhawK" by a Vietnam vet who was a helicopter pilot. It describes in full detail how they were trained to perform auto rotation on instinct, at any moment. During their training in the US, an instructor would kill an engine with a flip of the switch at any point in time, and the trainee had to quickly orient the helicopter, chose a favorable spot and perform autorotation. The instructor did it again and again until you were autorotating effortlessly. This skill saved a whole lotta lives.

I would imagine todays helicopter pilots are trained to do this as well, but probably not as rigorously.

A friend's mother of all people learned how to fly helicopters twenty-thirty years ago in the Marine Corps (she was a flight surgeon). That's exactly how training went. For safety reasons, the instructor only did it when he/she saw a clearing or other suitable landing spot, but he/she never gave the pilot any warning whatsoever.

 

[effee]

Planes glide when their engine dies too..

 

[Albatross]

probably it collided with an UFO

 

[pcslookout]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
A lot of helicopter crashes are survivable. The medical helicopter from the hospital where my wife works crashed a couple years ago, all survived.

Wow she is lucky! I bet she thanks that pilot everyday.

 

[BHeemsoth]

Grasshopper27 would be so sad

 

[Phokus]

What is 'autorotation'?

And helicopters scare the bejesus out of me.

 

[skyking]

autorotation:
The rotor system of a helicopter has a certain amount of energy in it, providing the RPM or revolutions are maintained above a certain limit.
Once a power loss is detected, the pilot IMMEDIATELY lowers the collective and looks for a good place to land. It can't be far away, because the helicopter is now falling just a bit slower than a rock
Lowering the collective flattens out the pitch of the blades and keeps that precious RPM in the green range.
As he approaches the intended point of landing, he times everything perfectly and increases the collective to halt the descent. He effectively trades that stored up energy in RPM to a cushioned landing.
If he does it right, the landing will be acceptable, IE no damage done to the ship or crew. It won't necessarily be a 'soft' arrival

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Here's a link as to one reason helicopter crashes are survivable: if the main engine dies, they don't drop like a rock; they glide. Well, depending on the model. (granted, at a steeper angle than planes, but they can be landed safely.)

here

edit: fortunately for one of my wife's friends on board - the nurse, the pilot was skilled enough.

A good number of helis can't auto rotate and will drop like rocks... from what I've read, small helis tend to fall in that category, because the rotor head doesn't have enough inertial mass to produce lift when the power cuts.

 

[911paramedic]

Originally posted by: paulney
There's a very good book "ChickenhawK" by a Vietnam vet who was a helicopter pilot. It describes in full detail how they were trained to perform auto rotation on instinct, at any moment. During their training in the US, an instructor would kill an engine with a flip of the switch at any point in time, and the trainee had to quickly orient the helicopter, chose a favorable spot and perform autorotation. The instructor did it again and again until you were autorotating effortlessly. This skill saved a whole lotta lives.

I would imagine todays helicopter pilots are trained to do this as well, but probably not as rigorously.

After my Uncle returned from Vietnam because of injuries, he went on as an instructor. He said that's exactly what they did to trainees, you hit the nail on the head.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Here's a link as to one reason helicopter crashes are survivable: if the main engine dies, they don't drop like a rock; they glide. Well, depending on the model. (granted, at a steeper angle than planes, but they can be landed safely.)

here

edit: fortunately for one of my wife's friends on board - the nurse, the pilot was skilled enough.

A good number of helis can't auto rotate and will drop like rocks... from what I've read, small helis tend to fall in that category, because the rotor head doesn't have enough inertial mass to produce lift when the power cuts.

That is not true. Some have low inertia systems that must be flown precisely to autorotate, but even the r22 will autorotate if flown by the book.