Interesting Videos

[Mike]

it shows the impressibe level of aerodynamics it has.

Areodynamics??? This thing seems to defy all rules of aerodynamics!!
That is the coolest flying I've ever seen! 

If you go with stuck-wing this would be the way to go!!

Thanks for the awesome video!!

[Callisto]

it shows the impressibe level of aerodynamics it has.

Areodynamics??? This thing seems to defy all rules of aerodynamics!!

The thing doesn’t really fly more like the engines just send it places in the sky. I think the plane could have the drag coefficient of a school bus and still do the same maneuvers! 

Very cool vid! Thanks!!!

[Gulfstream Driver]

You know, McDonnel-Douglas proved you could make anything fly if you put a big enough engine on it.

[Frank N. O.]

Speaking of anything flying, am I the only one that wasn't that happy to see the cargo the AS350 decided to give a spin? Mike is that the same as Jane? I think the speaker said it has a 420hp Allisson turbine (I can't remember what thread you wrote about Jane so I thought it might be faster to get you to say it again).
Isn't it also a bit fast to fly with the wire hanging so far out or am I overly nervous?

http://www.flightlevel350.com/video_streaming.php?id=5435

Frank

[Mike]

I think you're overly nervous. We go up to 70kts with the longline and it looks more exciting from the ground when you see us go into a turn with the bucket. That was nice flying the way he brought in his "load" right into the trailer, they do this a lot in the swiss alps (they also fly out a lot of dead horses and cows out of the mountains).
It's kind of the same work I do. I have been flying the bucket on a 50ft and sometimes 100ft line for the last 4 weeks here in Arkansas.

As for the type, it's an AS350B3, the bigger brother of the B2 I am flying but the same airframe, just bigger engine (Turbomeca by the way, not Allison). I can't remember the exact horsepower but it's almost 1000hp (I think 890 or so, but I am sure somebody will find out the correct number, fact is I never look at the HP, only at what it can lift at a certain altitdue....)
I used to fly the B3 and LOVE it! It's the best light single engine helicopter in my mind (in my little world where I am god and everybody loves me) and it flies circles around it's competitor the Bell 407 out here at fires....

Here is a picture of me lifting a 1000lbs bridge part to 10,000ft in Elko, Nevada with a B3 in 2003.
(it's a pretty awesome machine...but I am repeating myself)

[Gulfstream Driver]

It actually looks like that cow had a really nice flight, though I don't know that a helicopter would be the best way to move a cow 200 ft.    

If you think about it, the cow has to swing out like that through a corner because of inertia.  If the load was always perpindicular to the ground, it would be impossible for the pilot to keep the turn coordinated.  The load was always perpindicular to the main rotor, which is where it should be.

[Callisto]

That always amazes me. How you guys (helo pilots that is) can fly with something hanging on such a long line! 
A few months ago there was an A/C unit going on the roof of one of the office buildings near where I work. It was pretty cool to watch, but I didn't think of grabbing a camera  D'OH!

You can tell that air show was not in the US. (you know, other than it’s not in English) No way the P.E.T.A. wackos would have let some cow be hauled around for entertainment purposes 

[fireflyr]

That always amazes me. How you guys (helo pilots that is) can fly with something hanging on such a long line! 
A few months ago there was an A/C unit going on the roof of one of the office buildings near where I work. It was pretty cool to watch, but I didn't think of grabbing a camera  D'OH!

You can tell that air show was not in the US. (you know, other than it’s not in English) No way the P.E.T.A. wackos would have let some cow be hauled around for entertainment purposes 

HEY!!!!!!

I resent that remark!   I belong to P.E.T.A.  (People Eating Tasty Animals) 

[madpilot44]

great video. no wonder why there are mad cows.... 

[Frank N. O.]

I guess I took a game too far. In Search and Rescue I got a warning for flying with the wire down too fast (no manual so I had to test around to find the controls). About the landing then I was almost worried that there was going to be an accident when the wire came right up the roof of the trailer when they were offloading the cow but maybe it is possible to maneuver that precisely in an AS350? Sounds like you miss your B3, I hope you can get to flying one again and in the meantime that the B2 isn't that bad, btw I'd still like some more pictures of Jane if possible.

Frank

[Plthijnx]

here is a video depicting the thnderbirds as well as some "in action" videos. http://www.nellis.af.mil/thunderbirds/06showtime.htm

[Gulfstream Driver]

Does anyone know if the Tunderbirds will be getting new planes next year?  The F-16 is supposed to be decommisioned in '07.  Hope they don't get stuck with Predators or something.

[Frank N. O.]

Wow thanks for the link, I didn't know they had such a video! I didn't know the Thunderbirds had existed for that long either, nor that they actually used a Double Ugly at one time, what a truck to do displayes with! 

Predator? That was a joke right since it's unmanned. The only other predator fighter I found was one from a japanese cartoon that looked a bit like a Berkut, not bad looking though.

Frank

[Gulfstream Driver]

Yeah, that was a joke.  The Air National Guard here in Fargo are getting their F-16's taken away next year.  After that, they'll be flying Predators out of Grand Forks with "operators" in Fargo.  We won't have a fighter presence in ND or MN anymore; the closest ones will be in WI.  Many of the pilots here are looking to move to units with manned airplanes. 

During the last BRAC round, they threatened to close Ellsworth AFB in SD, the 119th ANG Wing in Fargo, and wanted to move all of the nations KC-135's to one east coast location.  That would have meant reducing the size of the Grand Forks AFB and giving them a small number of UAV'sl.  I'm not sure why they thought having all of the tankers in one place was a good idea.  Luckily, the citizens of ND and SD were able to convince the BRAC to keep Ellsworth and Grand Forks open, and actually Grand Forks got the UAV's as well. 

I'm not sure how they're going to deal with unmanned vehicles using the same airspace as GA aircraft, including UND's students.  ATC will probably figure that out when they get conflict circles for the first time.

[Stef]

Cool video! Maybe most amazing: I didn't know the guys from the Air Force could march in file!