Author Topic: Interesting or unusual planes? (Read 387441 times)

Jurek · « **Reply #1700 on:** 16 July, 2020, 05:29:25 am »

Not jealous.
Not in the slightest.
Probably noisy as well.

JonBuoy · « **Reply #1701 on:** 16 July, 2020, 06:43:57 am »

Built in 1952

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #1702 on:** 16 July, 2020, 11:15:29 am »

Helichopters flies in the face of nature, so they does.

Jakob · « **Reply #1703 on:** 30 July, 2020, 07:08:23 pm »

Well, first solo today:

This time in the much more modern C-FKGU (1956)

spesh · « **Reply #1704 on:** 30 July, 2020, 08:10:50 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 16 July, 2020, 11:15:29 am

Helichopters flies in the face of nature, so they does.

Helicopters can't fly; they just beat the air into submission/they're just so loud and ugly that the earth repels them.

TheLurker · « **Reply #1705 on:** 30 July, 2020, 09:36:02 pm »

Quote from: spesh

...they're just so loud and ugly that the earth repels them.

Noo, noo, no. The earth is so in awe of them it just steps back to admire them.

Canardly · « **Reply #1706 on:** 30 July, 2020, 09:48:02 pm »

In my next life.........

fuzzy · « **Reply #1707 on:** 30 July, 2020, 11:13:56 pm »

Quote from: Jakob on 30 July, 2020, 07:08:23 pm

Well, first solo today:

This time in the much more modern C-FKGU (1956)

The visibility from one of those bubble canopies must be awesome.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #1708 on:** 31 July, 2020, 11:07:36 am »

My Dad went up in one of those when he was in the army in Aden in the early 60s. Scared the crap out of him.

nicknack · « **Reply #1709 on:** 31 July, 2020, 11:17:45 am »

The only whirly thing I've ever been up in was this, way back in 1974. I seem to recall it was fun.

hatler · « **Reply #1710 on:** 31 July, 2020, 11:31:13 am »

Quote from: Jakob on 30 July, 2020, 07:08:23 pm

Well, first solo today:

This time in the much more modern C-FKGU (1956)

Very cool.

I was offered a flight in one of those when I was about four or five, but declined (too scared I think). One of the few regrets I have in life.

fuzzy · « **Reply #1711 on:** 31 July, 2020, 11:44:27 pm »

Spent many happy minutes as a passenger in various helichopters (Wessex, Lynx, Puma, Twin Squirrel), some flying knap of the earth which, if you're not ready for it can be a bit alarming.

Being weightless in a Lynx or looking straight out the side door at the very adjacent surface of a Norn Irish Loch from a Lynx doing low level 90 degree banked (or so it felt) turns are memories I cherish.

Wish I could have sat in the door of a Scout, feet on the skids, over the jungles of Belize though.

TheLurker · « **Reply #1712 on:** 01 August, 2020, 07:30:32 am »

Quote from: fuzzy (retd.)

Spent many happy minutes ....

And countless terrified hours?

There's been what I assume to be a KC-135 Tanker (or something very like) stooging around here the last week or five. Doing circuits & bumps at Fairford the other night.

ElyDave · « **Reply #1713 on:** 01 August, 2020, 09:14:12 am »

I'm glad I've not renewed my offshore training, helicopters were by far the worst part of that job, get dressed in a rubber suit, with a bulky lifejacket and escape set and sit in that for up to two hours sweating your arse off becasue you are wearing 3-layers under it in the winter.

My thoughts on helicopters are also coloured by being on G-REDL the day before it crashed killing 16 people coming back from the Miller platform. Apparently they had already found anomalies in the gearbox, e-mailed Eurocopter adn carried on flying until they got an answer. My dad was on an RAF Puma coming back from the continent. He did an inspection when they landed at Manston and found that one of the blades was about 20 mins from failure. In response he designed a blade-wear indicator (didn't get the patent rights of course).

In terms of stuff round here recently, I think I saw the same Apache activity as above (or similar), two in close proximity over the house. We've also had the usual KC135, Osprey, F-15 action, and yesterday what I think was an RAF C17 (I think I saw roundels)

TimC · « **Reply #1714 on:** 01 August, 2020, 03:00:35 pm »

Helicopters (and their pilots) are offensive to real aviators. Along with beating the air into submission and being rejected by the earth, Bernoullis fall off their rotor blades at the slightest excuse and they singularly fail to glide. And as for explaining retreating-blade stall, several A2 QHIs in the RAF have been reduced to tears in examinations by CFS.

All that said, I have had a hoot in helos from the Gazelle to the HH53 (which was the first helicopter I actually flew and spoiled me for all the others). But, like riding motorbikes, it's best not to think too much about the risks.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #1715 on:** 01 August, 2020, 06:44:18 pm »

Quote from: Jakob on 30 July, 2020, 07:08:23 pm

Well, first solo today:

This time in the much more modern C-FKGU (1956)

Arrival!

andytheflyer · « **Reply #1716 on:** 01 August, 2020, 07:08:47 pm »

Only once been in a helicopter, a Sikorsky about a 6-seater. Clearly not a new one, either. In Nigeria, looking for a site for a new gas-fired power station. I was a geologist, so looking for ground issues.

Due to fly one given day, postponed to the following day.

Took off, and it was sheer noise and vibration, even with headphones on. If my old Triumph motorcycles functioned like that, I'd park them up them until I found out why.

I was not sorry to get back on the ground. Asked why the flight was postponed a day. Needed to change the engine, apparently. Glad about that.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #1717 on:** 01 August, 2020, 08:54:00 pm »

Quote from: TimC on 01 August, 2020, 03:00:35 pm

Helicopters (and their pilots) are offensive to real aviators. Along with beating the air into submission and being rejected by the earth, Bernoullis fall off their rotor blades at the slightest excuse and they singularly fail to glide. And as for explaining retreating-blade stall, several A2 QHIs in the RAF have been reduced to tears in examinations by CFS.

All that said, I have had a hoot in helos from the Gazelle to the HH53 (which was the first helicopter I actually flew and spoiled me for all the others). But, like riding motorbikes, it's best not to think too much about the risks.

My cousin retired from the Army Air Corps as a Colonel a few years ago. He flew helicopters in Afghanistan and Iraq and was an instructor as well as a couple of spells based at Hereford as a taxi driver for those nice chaps in the all black fatigues. So he knows a bit about clanky things with a propeller on the roof.
He is happy to take you up in a light aircraft if you want to hire one for a jolly but refuses point blank to do the same with helicopters. He thinks they are too dangerous.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #1718 on:** 01 August, 2020, 09:38:20 pm »

My chum Bill flew both fixed-wing and helichopters during the SE Asian Police Action, with the added bonus of Charlie shooting at him.

Jaded · « **Reply #1719 on:** 01 August, 2020, 10:42:00 pm »

Speaking of whirlybirds

It's the Coastguard.

Jakob · « **Reply #1720 on:** 02 August, 2020, 04:53:44 am »

Quote from: TimC on 01 August, 2020, 03:00:35 pm

Helicopters (and their pilots) are offensive to real aviators. Along with beating the air into submission and being rejected by the earth, Bernoullis fall off their rotor blades at the slightest excuse and they singularly fail to glide. And as for explaining retreating-blade stall, several A2 QHIs in the RAF have been reduced to tears in examinations by CFS.

Bah, of course they can glide and have far more choice in picking a landing spot than the seized-wing aircrafts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tez1Npd0Gc

Retreating blade stall is fairly straight forward...it's the angle of attack changes during flapping than always gets me. (Yes, helicopter blades flap).

Actually going seized-wing flying tomorrow, in my continued attempt at getting my UK PPL converted.

TheLurker · « **Reply #1721 on:** 02 August, 2020, 09:54:26 am »

I have precisely two significant (to me) helicopter memories.

a) A Bristol Belvedere*/** clattering over the married quarters at Terendak.
b) Father Christmas alighting from a (probably Westland licence built) Sioux likewise.

Other than that they're just clattery things that fly low over the house and are of no interest whatsoever.

*Because of this I have a Type 173 kit waiting its turn in the Lurker Industries Build Programme.
**Mother's reaction every time she sees a Chinook, even unto this day? "Oh, look. A Belvedere."

TimC · « **Reply #1722 on:** 02 August, 2020, 04:58:59 pm »

Quote from: Jakob on 02 August, 2020, 04:53:44 am

Quote from: TimC on 01 August, 2020, 03:00:35 pm
Helicopters (and their pilots) are offensive to real aviators. Along with beating the air into submission and being rejected by the earth, Bernoullis fall off their rotor blades at the slightest excuse and they singularly fail to glide. And as for explaining retreating-blade stall, several A2 QHIs in the RAF have been reduced to tears in examinations by CFS.

Bah, of course they can glide and have far more choice in picking a landing spot than the seized-wing aircrafts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tez1Npd0Gc

Retreating blade stall is fairly straight forward...it's the angle of attack changes during flapping than always gets me. (Yes, helicopter blades flap).

Actually going seized-wing flying tomorrow, in my continued attempt at getting my UK PPL converted.

I was a passenger in a Whirlwind after having been picked up from the water during a sea-survival exercise when I was a baby steely-eyed killer. As we approached Valley, anticipating tea, medals and copious beers, the bloody thing had a major engine issue and we auto-rotated, just making it within the airfield boundary - a bonus, as the terrain around the airfield on the Holyhead side isn't very friendly. Unfortunately, getting it the right side of the fence left very little energy to arrest the descent, and the landing was somewhat firmer than Mr Westland had budgeted for. We all survived with a few bumps and bruises, but the cab was a bit dented. It did fly again a few months later, but the experience did nothing to convince me that helicopters were a good idea.

ElyDave · « **Reply #1723 on:** 03 August, 2020, 07:30:29 am »

Motor glider buzzing about yesterday. No idea what type other than NOT one of those Grob 109 things the Air Cadets adopted.

ElyDave · « **Reply #1724 on:** 05 August, 2020, 07:30:32 am »

No photo as I was on the bike, a 747 in red and white livery (posibly Virgin?) fairly low over Ely and the Fens yesterday. I wonder if it was coming out of Marshalls at Cambridge as we're not routinely on the Stansted flight path