Puddle Jumper

[Puddle Jumper]

Here's a link to a helicopter video that a friend sent me. Take a look, I will warn you that it takes some time to download. I myself find this type of flying completely stupid! I fear for any individual who ever steps inside this aircraft in the future. I can only imagine the stress and overtorqing that this machine must have went through to make this. No wonder aircraft insurance is so high! :down:

 

Here is the link:

http://libra.technology.users.btopenworld.com/DRKJ2002.WMV

[highbladedown]

Reminds me of Dini Petty when she flew the "Pink Dink" Hughes 269 in Toronto for one of the radio stations, round and round and those run on landings on the tarmack at the foot of Spadina where nothing short of price less!!

 

HBD

[Guest bag swinnger]

The first time that I saw this one I thought it was suppose to be crash footage, and I kept thinking, oh here it comes. but it never did and I was almost dissapionted that it didnt because he is sooo asking for it!

which leads me to the question what is a good pilot?

Is this a good pilot because of what he can do?

or is it a good pilot to be considerd safe, and to never attempt anything considerd risky?

[highbladedown]

There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but no old bold pilots. Testicles, specticles, wallet and watch..........blast off!!

[Seismic Pilot]

Obviously Puddle Jumper has never been to an Airshow or the races in Nevada....and saying this is the reason insurance is so high is lame I guess my car Insurance must be high as well due to those iresponsible Nascar guys, Come on don't take it so seriously enjoy it for what it is.

[highbladedown]

Remember 269 models were used as training aircraft for UH1 and UH1H models in "NAM".......get the picture.

[Randy_G]

There was less stress put on that aircraft than a spray cycle, logging, seismic, or any production long-line job. Many of the maneuvers he performed are low stress (1-1.5G), and he looks to not be at max gross weight. Repetitive heavy lifting is far more "abusive" on an airframe/engine/rotating bits than what this guy is doing. Heck a properly co-ordinated 45 degree banked turn loads ~1.5G and you do that in training. He looks to be practicing for an airshow. I have no problem with what the guy is doing, if he's performing at airshows, and is on top of the maintenance.

 

Let's assume that he's an airshow pilot who's practicing, he isn't why insurance is so high. Guys pushing bad weather (and it pushes back ), flying beyond the a/c's, or your own capabilities, not performing a decent D.I., pushing fuel, etc. Yes there are accidents when people "hot-dog", but every year more a/c are damaged because of the reasons (and others) mentioned here. These are some of the reasons that insurance rates are high.

 

Cheers

[Puddle Jumper]

..................

[Puddle Jumper]

Point made.

[ChairmanoftheBORED]

Get a grip PJ,

 

Like RandyG says logging causes more damage than this....there are more issues with basically incompetent pilots driving up insurance issues than these guys doing the airshow routines.

 

You assume all the manouvers resulted in an overtorque or excessive G loading. I don't really think the helo knows whether it is upside down or not. As long as the pilot is not pulling excessive pitch to droop the rotor, and maintains moderate positive G, then this flying is adventureous but safe.

Remember, helicopters were never certified to do continuous autorotations either. Most of the training machines have done 1000's of hours of "test flying" beyond the parameters of the initial manufacturers limits for that exercise.

 

The flying in this video is interesting but repeditive. What I find most interesting is that DK couldn't land at the end accurately..........now that's dumb.

 

This video has been out on PPRUNE for a couple of weeks now and there was little negative comment from the rest of the world.