Vortex Ring State Versus Settling With Power.

[splitpin]

Splitpin

Don't know if you were in the RCN when they still had S-55's, but if you were you'll apprecaite this even more.

Yup, I was in when they had the 55's and the 47D-1. Another funny story that directly concerns yours truly. It's 1959 and I am fresh out of N.A.M.S. (Naval Aircraft Maintenance School) with a fresh S-55 endorsement under my belt. I'm posted to HU-21 squadron at Shearwater, Nova Scotia. The very first day there I'm told to do a quick walkaround on that there 55 over there. Well, I took that to mean do a daily inspection, so I grab the daily inspection sheets and fly at it.

As we all know, a Military D.I. is almost the equivalent of our 600 Hr. inspections. I've got panels off, cowling's wide open, tailboom and fin totally exposed, grease gun justa pumping (56 nipples on a 55 head) and oil cans juata gushin.

I'm so darn proud of myself I was ready to burst. Seventeen years old and all this responsibility, that the Navy would actually trust me to do such a complicated job. My Daddy would be proud!

All of a sudden I hear a blood curdling roar from the other side of the hangar. "Ordinary Seaman Nxxxx, what the h-ll do you think you're doing you arsehole!!" I answer, doing a D.I Chief, just like you told me Sir. You effing moron, that machine is the "Angel" The what?, I mumble. "The Angel" you fool! "And?", I mumble again. The rescue ship you idiot, it's on 2 minute standby.

My highly analytical bean sized brain kicked in as I realized that this ship would not be ready to fly for at least 45 minutes let alone 2. Well, I'm here to tell you, I have never seen so many people appear from nowhere all franticly putting the machine back together. Could have been a lot worse I guess, there was no callout during the 'reassembly'. We seemed to average about 6-7 callouts a day. Just thought I would share.

 

P.S. Remind me sometime to relate my HUP-3/Greasgun story someday. I can share all my little stories now that I am retired because I don't give a Royal Canadian Shyte anymore. (As if I ever did!!) :up: :up: :up:

[Guest plumber]

Yup, I was in when they had the 55's and the 47D-1. Another funny story that directly concerns yours truly. It's 1959 and I am fresh out of N.A.M.S. (Naval Aircraft Maintenance School) with a fresh S-55 endorsement under my belt. I'm posted to HU-21 squadron at Shearwater, Nova Scotia. The very first day there I'm told to do a quick walkaround on that there 55 over there. Well, I took that to mean do a daily inspection, so I grab the daily inspection sheets and fly at it.

As we all know, a Military D.I. is almost the equivalent of our 600 Hr. inspections. I've got panels off, cowling's wide open, tailboom and fin totally exposed, grease gun justa pumping (56 nipples on a 55 head) and oil cans juata gushin.

I'm so darn proud of myself I was ready to burst. Seventeen years old and all this responsibility, that the Navy would actually trust me to do such a complicated job. My Daddy would be proud!

All of a sudden I hear a blood curdling roar from the other side of the hangar. "Ordinary Seaman Nxxxx, what the h-ll do you think you're doing you arsehole!!" I answer, doing a D.I Chief, just like you told me Sir. You effing moron, that machine is the "Angel" The what?, I mumble. "The Angel" you fool! "And?", I mumble again. The rescue ship you idiot, it's on 2 minute standby.

My highly analytical bean sized brain kicked in as I realized that this ship would not be ready to fly for at least 45 minutes let alone 2. Well, I'm here to tell you, I have never seen so many people appear from nowhere all franticly putting the machine back together. Could have been a lot worse I guess, there was no callout during the 'reassembly'. We seemed to average about 6-7 callouts a day. Just thought I would share.

 

P.S. Remind me sometime to relate my HUP-3/Greasgun story someday. I can share all my little stories now that I am retired because I don't give a Royal Canadian Shyte anymore. (As if I ever did!!) :up: :up: :up:

 

Nice!

 

[cap]

jacdor ------------ AND don't YOU misunderstsnd me either. No offense was taken and none meant in my reply. So there!

 

Splitpin -------- yeah, let's not get started. As I finished reading your story I remembered being sent to the a/c by the Crew Chief to get "the sky hook" and "don't return without it because we need it badly". Five hours is a long time looking for something that doesn't exist and gets darn expensive buying booze for a week for a Crew Chief that has a hollow leg and a very large belly laugh.

[Ryan]

**** Plumber... you're a legend! Pretty sure we've never met, but I've heard that story almost word for word from one of the witnesses. Small world

[splitpin]

jacdor ------------ AND don't YOU misunderstsnd me either. No offense was taken and none meant in my reply. So there!

 

Splitpin -------- yeah, let's not get started. As I finished reading your story I remembered being sent to the a/c by the Crew Chief to get "the sky hook" and "don't return without it because we need it badly". Five hours is a long time looking for something that doesn't exist and gets darn expensive buying booze for a week for a Crew Chief that has a hollow leg and a very large belly laugh.

 

Have you ever been sent for a 5 oz. bottle of Mag Drops, or a 5 Gallon bucket of Propwash??

[Phil Croucher]

I've been sent for a long weight.

 

Phil

[Skids Up]

Or told to stir aluminum lacquer paint until the lines disappear...?

[cap]

Splitpin -------Yeah, my dad sent me for the 'propwash' gig, but started that crap on me at a very young age (11), so momma stepped-in and saved my young heinie on that one. I was left to 'flounder' on the rest of those and no motherly love came to save me again.......except a lot of head-shaking by her.     Years later I was sent to a auto junk yard to get a set of old points from a 1948 International 1/2T and I said......."Not this time baby. Get another fool". Had an old engineer years later that went and got the EXACT same thing to replace a set of points we didn't have in spares for a Bell 47G4A. They didn't quite fit inside and the points hung on the outside of the mags and 'clapped away', but they did the job for sure. So much for being a smart*ss one time too .

[Hello-bird]

I think I'm in love.

 

[Guest jacdor]

I think I'm in love.

 

With who or with what?

 

JD