RDAF Merlin getting up close and personal with a fast ferry

[Frank N. O.]

Hi again, after some depressing months I've tried finding something nice (not an easy thing these days), but found this video which just made me go 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eri8_rc4jqE

If I'm not mistaking then that's a catamaran fast ferry sailing between Zealand and middle Juttland (thus bypassing a boring drive over Funen according to their silly tv-ads) so the thing is moving at a fair pace. I wish I'd been aboard that ferry, I haven't been within a km of a Merlin and didn't even manage to get a good picture of one when I saw one last. The comments say that they've been this close to other ferries too.

I must say it looks fantastically stable but then again it is a pretty modern machine as far as I know.

I haven't really read the forum a while, I'll go do that the next few days, I hope I'll read some good news, or at least that things haven't gotten worse 
Frank

P.S. My avatar is gone since it was hosted on my old friend Chey's picture-album and that went 404 earlier this year, probably confirming she's no longer with us (she had health-issue and I haven't heard from her in 2 years). I don't really have another site to upload it to again so I'll have to do without it.

[G-man]

Yo Frankie,

Life is good.....go watch the movie "The big Lebowski".... and then just "abide dude"

Someone should really "moon" than Merlin.... be rude not to....

P.S. RIP Frank N.O.'s avatar.... shots facing west.....

[Mike]

That EH101 is pretty amazing! I'm intrigued by those mainrotor blades. Interesting shape....
You can tell this wasn't a British crew, otherwise mooning would have commenced.

Good to have you back, Franky. RIP Frankie's avatar.
There has been a lot more action on FB than on the forum, so make sure you check that out as well...

And yes, watch "The Big Lebowski" DUDE!

[G-man]

Frank...

Send me your avatar.... I can get it hosted for you....

[Mike]

Frank . . .

go Wang Chung tonight!




(another way to go and have fun)
 

[Oddball]

Nice Vid Frank    Mike/G-Man quick question: would the Merlin get a tow from the slip stream made by the ferry?


P.S Frank go out and smell the AvGas and Jet A1 Dude! 

[Frank N. O.]

Thanks guys, glad to be back and to hear things are still going

I'm working with a multi-talented scott from my sim-racing league on getting into shape with a good diet and exercise that can actually be a permanent part of my life, as opposed to roller-coaster diets and exercises most people do that they then stop and then their health go south again.

I just keep missing good aviation stuff though it seems. Earlier this year when driving towards downtown Odense there was a strange plane circling over town as I drove down a long straight highway, then when I got closer I suddently saw what it was, a LANCASTER!! It was may 5th and I'd forgotten my camera at home 
And now a couple of days ago I found out that on the 26th there was a celebration for the 100th anniversary of the first military aircraft in Denmark. I don't know where to look to find these things, I actually thought the season was over but now I'm sure it is. Several new and old planes and helicopters were assembled on Kløvermarken at Copenhagen where the first air base was. They had old danish KZ planes, old and new RDAF fighter jets, C-130J, Fennec, Lynx and Merlin helicopters etc. etc.
Here's a video which I think is from the official RDAF YouTube channel, wow that view!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhtRdoi1dUE&feature=relmfu

I must say, it's incredible to hear that danes are more polite than the british, something just seems wrong with that 

I think I saw a picture with all kinds of notes on the Merlin, specifically the danish version I think. For instance, it has cable-cutters between the cockpit and the rotorblades. I think the rotor-blade tips are to reduce noise or improve lift, or both.

I'm not sure I've seen the Big Lebowski, at least not the full movie but talking with my scottish friend John I've gotten some further help to try and improve my mind and outlook on life, the financial crisis still puts some hard-to-overcome obstacles. As I think I saw mentioned then an old danish regional airline went belly-up and now the regional airline market is crashing. Prices are heavily increased and routes cut severely and the local Odense Airport is also pretty dead, even when driving by in good flying weather

Wang Chun was a group from one of the most glorious decades of all time, the 1980's, but what exactly it means to "go wang chun" that I have to admit I don't know.

Regarding Oddy's question then I doubt there'd be any help with draft for an aircraft since then it wouldn't have lift or manouverability would it? In the sim-racing league John has calculated the simuilated 1979 F1 cars we drive for downforce from wings and the ground-effect some of the cars have so we've also talked about pros and cons of drafting behind another car, and lack of grip is noticeable, so for an aircraft I doubt it's good. I've also toyed with the ideas of filming a high-speed car-scene using a remote-controlled airplane with a gyro-stabilised camera, but I came to the conclusion it couldn't work behind the cars due to the lack of air, or have I over analysed things?

I was wondering, I took a trip to the Helsingør Technical Museum a little while ago and found a helicopter which looks like a Bell 47 MASH helicopter but not sure, if I posted the pictures could you ID it? I also got a picture of the world's first working helicopter-type aircraft, as well as a couple of other aircraft.

I'll try to dig thrue my old hdd and find my old avatar, thanks for the offer G-Man

Btw, I've tried looking at the links etc. what is the name of the Chicke Wings facebook profile? And is it locked to people who have a profile because I don't.

Frank

[Mike]

Nice Vid Frank    Mike/G-Man quick question: would the Merlin get a tow from the slip stream made by the ferry?

I'm not sure Oddy. Never tried anything like this but I think a helo would make a mess of any slip stream....
Looks like the pilot was just playing and sharpening his skills by exactly matching the speed to put on a show for the boat passengers.

What really works on helicopters though are all my old glider flying tricks.
We have a new pilot on one of our machines and when we switch he always briefs me about "going light" on fuel and water because it's a long way to the top (we were dipping at 5,000ft and dropping on the fire at 9,800ft) and he can only get a 400ft/min climb "out of the old gal" as he called her. I got in with normal fuel and a full bucket and flew the proper side of the ridges and shot on up there with 2000ft/min so fast that my ears popped! What a difference a little knowledge can make.....

[Mike]

@Franky:
Post a picture and I'm sure we can ID the helicopter for you in here. 

FB group is:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/111395638897347/
I think everybody is allowed to see it.

Cable cutters are mandatory for firefighting aircraft. If you look closely, Panaca Jane and LaFonDuh both have them.

PS: If you don't wanna go Wang Chun tonight, try dancing on the ceiling! (I hear it's a great feelin') 

[Oddball]

Frank the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster PA474 did a tour of Holland and Denmark that day before heading back home. http://raf.mod.uk/bbmf/ use that link to keep tabs on them.

[Frank N. O.]

I hope they fly again next year, but with wear and tear and new rules who knows. I just know I was still in the dumps about flying when I saw it and I instantly became sad I missed a chance to photograph or film it, the sound was fantastic as it ended the circles and continue due west which was directly overhead where my mom and I drove.

Btw Oddy, would you know of a place that lists where Red Arrows has flown each year? I'm still trying to confirm that airshow I attended as a kid was in 1989. There was the Red Arrows flying right over our heads (which my mom hated and still remember to this day), I remember that such flights became illegal due to a fatal accident just a few years later in Germany I think. There was also a hovering Harrier and Boing Vertol, most likely also RAF.

Frank

[Mike]

I hope they fly again next year, but with wear and tear and new rules who knows. I just know I was still in the dumps about flying when I saw it and I instantly became sad I missed a chance to photograph or film it, the sound was fantastic as it ended the circles and continue due west which was directly overhead where my mom and I drove.

Frank!

Why are you sad you didn't take a picture?
You should be happy you actually got to see one fly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've never seen one fly ever even though I always wanted to!!

You got to treasure these moments and not fret over missing others.... sometimes it's greater to just experience these things!
I was kinda bummed I watched the MiG21 land through a lens instead of just taking it all in and remembering....

Some of my best moments in life have not been photographed, just remembered.....
(even the non-rated R ones)

[Frank N. O.]

Wise words, although my memory isn't as good as it used to be (and normally I only remember things after having read/learned them over a longer time, although then they're also stuck). I guess the pictures would also be for enabling the sharing of moments with people who weren't there. I must say though, I do still remember the sight of the DC-3 flying right over my backyeard slow and very low! What a breathtaking sight, and I heard it a long time before it came and it was easy to tell it was no Cessna. It could still have been fun if I had my tiny HD video camera at the time. If I ever get up in the air again (it's now 10 years since my last/first time and my signature line still applies), I know I want to have a picture or video memory of it, although I definately want to see things with my own eyes so maybe I need my brother to do the filming/photographing.

My mom surprised me a drive up north to the military museum where they got several ex-RDAF fighters and a lot of other stuff but to our surprise there was a new acquisition at the back being cleaned up. That was a very interesting wreck in more than one way and I think I'll try posting some pictures and hints in the guess-the-plane topic since I think even the resident experts here will have a tough time 

Btw, over the museum I saw a Merlin, you can just hear a long way away it's a big bird!

Frank

[Oddball]

Frank I go to a few airshows and what annoys me most is folk taking pictures of the flying machines through a long lense.  They miss a LOT of the action with their face pressed up to the view finder.  Better off just watching the display, you'll remember it better.

[Frank N. O.]

Yeah, I can understand that actually, taking it all in with your eyes is a lot "bigger" than looking thrue a narrow seeker or monitor.
I've converted the image of the helicopter from the Technical Museum in Helsingør, is it a MASH helicopter?
On the fuel tanks above the engine it says: AVGAS 100LL CAP 47.5 IMP GALS and there's a sticker from "Rotorspan Limited" in  Droitwich Worcestershire, appearently a helicopter maintenance company.
Frank