As a Helo tech...is this scary?

I'm glad I don't have to work on that monster.
mark956

Talk about a logistics nightmare! I 2nd mark's statement...

demono69

Hmmm, Lets see. . .
All that "stuff" on a rotor head spinning almost out of control providing lift, I'd say yep, lots of chances for a thing or a few hundred to go wrong. That's why we have our enlisted guys fix them and officers just fly 'em.

Don

Don,
Amen brother; your right on the money.

QUOTE: Originally posted by dkmacin That's why we have our enlisted guys fix them and officers just fly 'em. Don

LOL!!

As a former mechanic (aircraft not chopper), I can tell you areas like this are inspected before and after flight. Any sign of a leak or any other problem is fixed right away. Mechanics take great pride in their work and the crew chief in his aircraft. He may have the worst flying bird in the outfit, but to him (or her) it is the best in the outfit.

Tell it like it is brother!.....you won't get any arguments from this crowd

HOLY , that thing has more cables and servos than my computer.
gotta be atleast 1 maintence person per blade


blessed be the maintence people - the designers savior

That looks like a head on collision between the aerospace and pasta industries!

Spaghetti sculpture takes flight.

the only thing scarier would be accurately recreating it in 1/72! [:0]

And then people wonders why I like the infantry better!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone ever take a look at the Main Rotor Hub Assembly of a CH-53D or CH-53E...looks about as bad, but I'd fly in them any day of the week and twice on Sundays (spent over 9 hours in a CH-53E over Pakistan and Afghanistan).

Carl

QUOTE: Originally posted by dkmacin ... That's why we have our enlisted guys fix them and officers just fly 'em. Don

We used to say, "It takes a college education to break them, and a High school education to fix them."

And I may step on a few toes here, but I always thought enlisted Air Force were the smartest guys and gals in the world. While other enlisted folk are running off to do battle, "us" AF enlisted folk sent our officers off to do battle and then we ran off to the NCO club to do shots.

Don

We recieved a BIG box the Friday from Mark956....and I can't open it till XMAS.....gee I wonder what it is....maybe a 1/35 Super frelon??...

Thanks MARK!

Paraclete1,
As a USAF PJ I gotta tell ya there's a few of us USAF enlisted folks who head on into battle as well. If you're a USAF enlisted member, I'm sure you'll agree. How about CCT members, TACP, and the various enlisted crewmembers. I've got boddies right now sittin over in K-2 getting mortared every other day, and occasionally getting ground fire (HH-60 FE, Gunners, and PJs). They're giving as good or better than they're gettin with the GAU-2, but make no mistake, there's quite a few USAF enlisted members in harms way.
Not trying to get on a rant here but just struck a chord with me. One thing's for sure (at least in my 13 years experience). In the Helo community, rank really doesn't come into question too much. We're all part of the crew and it only takes one guy to say "Boss, I don't know about this" to make an imput on a mission.
Hey Don, was it the same for USCG Helo crewdogs or what. I'm pretty confident that it probably was.
Salbando

I'd take the designer and smack him about a bit and tell him to stick it on the bit that stays (relatively) still..

Salbando,

I spent 7 years in the Army Reserve crewing UH-1H Medevac's and you are right about rank didn't mean squat when you were in the middle of a mission and someone came up with a legitimate question or solution. I used my "180" card in really bad weather more than once! Everyone was thinking it, just took one to say it out loud.

Roger that!!!

Papa-Echo:
LOL !!!
that just about defines the phrase "can of worms", i'd say !!!
haven't seen anything like it since an illustration of Medusa's hairdo !

Prince of Styrene II:
no doubt about that !

looks like the boys r due 4 some overtime in the maintenance shed !!!

frosty

That's the difference between aircrew and combat experienced aircrew! Been there! Done that!

A Nam UH1-D Pilot I know says that in the country around 68-69 the 'maintenance time' was not always as full as it should have been...due to HQ telling them to keep the birds in the air and last minute missions.

sounds about right.

......but then again I have spoke to others who say HELL NO! ....they did not fly with out a full report!

So I wonder if it was just a matter of command or what?

Papa-Echo-64,

I'm not sure of what you mean by "maintenace time was not alwasy as full" and "did not fly with a full report". I know our Unit kept the best and most experienced people in Maintenace and if it wasn't cleared to fly by the Maint Test Pilot, it didn't fly. The line pilots, crew chiefs, and Tech Insp all could Red X and ground a bird. So, I guess the answer to your question is it probably varied Unit to Unit. There was always some sort of deficiency (write ups) on the -13's that were not items that pertained to safety of flight. Hope that helps.

Thanks......I think your right about 'unit to unit'

QUOTE: Originally posted by salbando Paraclete1, As a USAF PJ I gotta tell ya there's a few of us USAF enlisted folks who head on into battle as well...Not trying to get on a rant here but just struck a chord with me... Salbando

Come on guys, I didn't think I needed to explain that it was just a joke! I didn't hear all the Army, Marine, and Navy officers saying anything about them going into battle with their enlisted. I worked with the Air Force Special Ops folks who flew AC-130 Gunships, MH-53J Pave Low III Helos and my niece's husband was a crewmember with the MC-130 Talons, all of which are manned with enlisted, so yes, I know there are a few USAF enlisted folk who head into battle. However, I do apologize to anyone who really was offended by my comments, but it really was just a joke.

Don

Don
Same joke used in the RAF all the time.
My favourite is an NCO who was once called 'Sir' by a young recruit.
He screamed back at the top of his voice ''SIR?, how dare you, I work for a living!''

If a job has to be done right first time, get an Airman to do it !

That is why I'm heavy artillery and have my feet planted on the ground or in my Paladin.

QUOTE: Originally posted by oggy4624 Don Same joke used in the RAF all the time. My favourite is an NCO who was once called 'Sir' by a young recruit. He screamed back at the top of his voice ''SIR?, how dare you, I work for a living!'' If a job has to be done right first time, get an Airman to do it !

I knew I couldn't be the only one who had heard it. And come to think of it, England was the first place I heard it used. Your remark about "getting an airman to do it" reminded me of an exercise we had at RAF Lakenheath. We were sitting in the Harden Avionics Facility when the command came down to select an expendable person to go out for possible lethal radiation exposure checks. A young LT was sitting in the office and made the remark. "That's why I'm glad I'm an officer." The Capt asked the LT who he would select to send out. The Lt rattled off, "The lowest ranking Airman." Without missing a beat, the Capt looked at him and said. LT, the lowest ranking Airman here is trained to maintain the Wings fighting assets and does the majority of all jobs here. If it comes down to it, Lt, "You" are the most expendable person here so I hope you will is in order." The Lt's attitude change about Airmen from that moment on.

Don

Don,
I realize it was a joke, and didn't realy mean to send any shots across your bow. It might have been that I just did a recent interview with some local news folks where the topic sort of came up. In this case it was one of our Majors (HH-60 pilot) who set the lady straight that at least in our squadron (CSAR) we all go into battle together.
Please excuse the momentary sensativity (my wife always wants me to get in touch with my sensative side, heh, heh) and keep 'em comin.
Hell...I think I even used the same joke in the NCO club back in NCO Academy.
Back to the topic...in our crew, the FE is always the go to guy as to the condition of the bird. He's the first one to show up at the aircraft, and the last one to leave (except of course for the maintenance troops).
Salbando

QUOTE: Originally posted by salbando ...Please excuse the momentary sensativity (my wife always wants me to get in touch with my sensative side, heh, heh) and keep 'em comin...Salbando

Glad to hear you're not to upset. I do fully realize the role the enlisted folk do play. And as for PJ's, These are the guys who go in to get the elite guys, when things go bad. You can't get much tougher. I got to hang with a few of them while I was TDY in Kuwait. They were a great bunch of guys and told me a lot about what they do and work with, just before they had to killed me. My biggest regret was not trying to Fast Rope with them. The were training in the Hanger and had safety harnesses for those who wanted to try, but fear of falling about 40 feet can be a powerful deterrent.

I also got to go on a check ride on one of the Mh-53s after some engine repairs while TDY in Nevada. I loved it. Even when the Co Pilot was flying it and the FE made the comment to the Pilot, "The Rotors are falling off." That woke up the pilot, he took control and asked the FE what he meant, all the while, checking gauges. The FE said, "the RPM's are dropping a little. " The Pilot looked at him and said, "that's not exactly the same thing Chief!" We continued on to Death Valley where we flew 200 feet below sea level. Unfortunately, the pilot didn't bring his camera and so we didn't get a photo of the altimeter. Later on that same TDY I got to go on an actual training mission where I saw things I'd only heard about before. I asked one of the gunners, how we did, the next day and he just laughed and said we got killed about 8 times. It was an TDY I'll never forget. And even when you think about the only thing holding that helo up is some screws and or a hollow pipe, I never felt any fear. Of course, I never felt any fear with any of the Military crews I flew with. Blind faith I guess.

Man, I'm homesick for the flightline now. Gotta go to a military website for a fix. Later.

Don

Oh well, maybe in my next life.