Another chopper ditching

[Stuart]

yesterday, thankfully everyone got out ok, conflicting stories about what had happened tho but I see the news are reporting 'fuel contamination from the rig'

EDIT: now heard that someone on the chopper mentioned a gearbox issue, going to have to wait n see with this one.

 

[Andi9386]

Aye heard about that from a friend on FB, who's Lifebaot Crew.
That's now 3rd or 4th one that's gone down in the sea?? Thought they'd resolved the problems with the Bond Choppers...
Just glad everyone got out alive.

 

[Stuart]

Wasnt a Bond this time Andi, it was a CHC Scotia chopper

 

[Andi9386]

Aaah right.
Seen pics of it on another forum (non car realtet) almost looks like there'd been an engine fire at some point, very charcoled just below the rotas.

 

[msb89]

different company, but crucially SAME helicopters....

Id heard ALL companies had grounded their choppers, but saw one overhead today...

 

[lkc]

Probably a different type of craft.

I'm guessing some were flying today as it wasn't commented on at work and we always notice when they're halted. I know that sounds backwards but we're right next to the airport and it gets to the point where incoming flights and helicopters are just background noise.

The silence when volcanic ash halted everything was very eerie

Anyways, beeb are reporting this ditching was due to a failure in the lubrication system (naturally I have no idea what that is) and that a more serious incident was narrowly averted. I'm glad no-one was hurt however this will probably lead to all Super Puma's being grounded which is going to cause serious problems to the industry. Still, better some chaos now than devastation later

Hope you get home soon Stuart but

 

[Andi9386]

I'll try & make this sound simple for you Katie.
The Lubrication system is like the oil in your engine, if it fails, bang goes your engine.
In a car it's expencive enough, in a Helicopter it's bloody expencive.

As for Helicopters, I've grown used to the sound of a Sea King Helicopter buzzing around, as I'm only 4 miles from RNAS (Royal Navy Air Support) Prestwick, sosee & hear rescue 177 flying over the house pretty much every day.

 

[lkc]

Well that's a great sodding start to the morning - getting patronised by Andi :rollseyes:

Mind you, I did ask for it by assuming something capable of hovering and flying might just be more complex than a car.

I'm shocked to discover they're more expensive to fix though

 

[Stuart]

different company, but crucially SAME helicopters....

Id heard ALL companies had grounded their choppers, but saw one overhead today...

nah, although it was a super puma, it was a different model to what was prone to going down before although Im sure they would have common parts.

Scotia and Bristows cancelled flights with that type of choper, Bond only showing delays

 

[Stuart]

Heard that it wasnt a lubrication issue, noise was heard by the passengers and the pilots decided it was best to ditch. Apon inspection of the gearbox, a 360 degree crack was found on one of the gears on the shaft that drives the rotors. Great decision by the pilots to ditch IMHO.

And a seized gearbox on a chopper would be a lot more than expensive, its fatal!

AAAAANNNNYYYYHOOOOOOOO

Might be getting off by boat on monday which will be fun, google 'billy pew' and see how its done lol

 

[Andi9386]

*shudders* sod that.... fookin dangerous looking that...
And so it was a Gearbox Failure, OUCH that's gonna cost to repair, but yeah very wise decision of the pilot, to land the chopper on it's belly.

 

[lkc]

Heard that it wasnt a lubrication issue, noise was heard by the passengers and the pilots decided it was best to ditch. Apon inspection of the gearbox, a 360 degree crack was found on one of the gears on the shaft that drives the rotors. Great decision by the pilots to ditch IMHO.

And a seized gearbox on a chopper would be a lot more than expensive, its fatal!

AAAAANNNNYYYYHOOOOOOOO

Might be getting off by boat on monday which will be fun, google 'billy pew' and see how its done lol

Report here http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/S6-2012 G-CHCN.pdf


Good luck getting home by boat - I've heard some great stories about that

 

[Andi9386]

Bloody hell that's some serious failure

 

[Stuart]

Report here http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/S6-2012%20G-CHCN.pdf


Good luck getting home by boat - I've heard some great stories about that

cheers for that link, made some interesting reading, didnt know they made the report public and certainly not as quick as this.

 

[msb89]

latest news this morning in our local paper - choppers been banned from flying over water!

http://www.eveningexpress.com/Article.aspx/2987192

 

[Stuart]

yeah heard something about that and had to laugh, i mean, if it breaks over land, will it be any safer? lol

 

[Andi9386]

That's a good point Stu.
If the chopper breaksdown over the sea, they may be a chance that a merchant ship is near enough to aid their rescue.
if the chopper breaksdown over land, then there's a 50/50 chance of survivors, depending on the terrain.

Still think I'd prefer the Billy Pew method.

 

[Stuart]

was thinking more along the lines of:

if a chopper breaks down at normal flying height over water, 100% chance of death
If a chopper breaks down at normal flying height over land, 100% chance of death.

Its not the fall that'll kill, its the sudden stop at the bottom

 

[Andi9386]

True, very true.