Bucketing Hazards

[hybrid]

A very worthy pilot gave me some good advise that paid off almost immediately for me. Once you do your pick-up and head to the drop, don't assume it will release as you might not be able to hover out of ground effect over the drop. Not good if you are below translation......

 

When using a line, if time permits I do a drop over the ground where I just picked up, that way if new to the machine you can confirm the correct buttons to push, also confirms the bucket is operational.

 

Good Thread

[rainman]

A very worthy pilot gave me some good advise that paid off almost immediately for me. Once you do your pick-up and head to the drop, don't assume it will release as you might not be able to hover out of ground effect over the drop. Not good if you are below translation......

 

When using a line, if time permits I do a drop over the ground where I just picked up, that way if new to the machine you can confirm the correct buttons to push, also confirms the bucket is operational.

 

Good Thread

 

I concur 100%, I do this every time I get on a new machine or it's been a few days since I've used the bucket.

On the longline, I also drift with the current in faster moving sources. I wear a life vest whenever the potential for drowning is there. Most situations with lakes as opposed to IA targets when you are using tiny deep puddles within a swamp.

[SuddenStop]

I wear a life vest whenever the potential for drowning is there.

 

I know most use inflatables, but some may not.

So lets be clear Inflatable life jacket = good, inflate it after you safely exit the aircraft.

[sirlandsalot]

Great thread....

 

 

I find that the most important factor is....which ever way the wind is coming! departing outand climbing up a mountain valley trying to get to the top of the hill, wind would be far more important to me than current. In BC it is very fround upon to bucket without a longline. The ground crews demand a longline or go home.

[Daz]

Awesome thread - this is why I love this forum. :up: :punk:

[Over-Talk]

If you are in a 'daisy chain' with a bunch of other ships........

 

-Speak-up and suggest a change to the pattern if things aren't smooth, i.e. a wind change etc.

-Don't try to keep-up with the hot-shots if you are still learning. Just let one go by and then take your dip.

-Be aware of the wind at the dip pond....downwind approaches with an empty long-line can lead to Vortex Ring State (with little room to recover).....especially with two-bladed ships.

-In smoky conditions, call "Yankee Zulu off the pond" or "Copter 27 off the drop" so that everyone in the chain gets some situational awareness of who is where.

-If you want to abort your drop....firstly, announce you are going around (don't just do it), and secondly, check where there is a space in the chain for you to merge back in (don't just barge-in).

 

Enjoy it. It may not always be 'fun' in some conditions, but at least enjoy it.

Flying buckets in a chain can be some of the most satisfying work you will do. It's a bunch of friends (some old, some new) trying to put out a fire with helicopters.....how cool is that??

A lot of people would 'die' to have our jobs, but the sad truth is that several of our brothers have literally died doing our jobs, so turn-down the 'pressure-gauge' by a notch or two, and enjoy it.

 

Try not to sweat-it if the guys around you aren't a bucketing God like you, or the ground crew aren't great at describing targets.....lighten-up, have a chuckle, pull back on the cyclic a little, look around and enjoy it. One day, it'll be a funny story to tell to your grand-kids.

 

Your job is not to put out the fire. Your plan is only to help put out the fire.

Your job is to get you and your ship safely back to the heli-base at the end of the fuel cycle...hopefully with a grin on your face.

Well done, Captain. How cool was that??

[skullcap]

Great thread....

 

 

I find that the most important factor is....which ever way the wind is coming! departing outand climbing up a mountain valley trying to get to the top of the hill, wind would be far more important to me than current. In BC it is very fround upon to bucket without a longline. The ground crews demand a longline or go home.

 

 

Have seen that first hand the demanding demeanor birddog telling a pilot to put the bucket on the longline or go home. Was very interesting flying the birddog around watching the now longlined bucket being released of water from 30-40 feet above the trees and picking water up out of the lake and the birdog being happy.....weird. Oh, well. I kind of do what is being done and if too many machines in the circuit find a puddle and longline the bucket out of that and eases the stress and is usually quieter. With the smaller machines you need to be accurate and can also work with crews very close, ie lower the bucket to them and they will put it where needed on stump or hotspot and not get soaked all without blowing the fire everywhere. IA is definetly the place to get familiar with bucket on longline and intermediate machine. But don't sweat the longline bucket thing,,,many many pilots have flown for many years and did a fantastic job of fire fighting without the bucket on the longline. Just do what you can while being comfortable.

[Grasshopper]

Right on, 'ewa!' Transport's requirement to have it 'accessible' is VERY old hat, having been published in the days of the cumbersome 'Mae West' long before the sleek, close-fitting AVIATION-APPROVED types now available. I know there are folks still wearing the 'marine-approved' models and, while I'm sure they're more than likely perfectly safe, the liability factor undoubtedly could come into play, and it's likely to be a loser if you're 'ramped,' too.

 

The moving water rule that seems to have served me well - 'belly bucket, into current - longline, into wind.'

[John Deer]

What a great thread!! Lots of good info. Especially for this time in the season!!

[dimit]

I'm sold on the belly bucket into current, and if-and-when I have the chance to try it I'll be starting in a spot with gentle current. Thanks for the great thread!

 

DM