Can any of our Sikorsky folks explain this?

[41magsnub]

Intentional (and really stupid) or a mishap?

http://gawker.com/5647341/navy-helicopter-pilots-caught-hot+doggin-on-youtube

[RocketMan]

Caught being stupid, methinks.

[Gowen]

Wow, that never made it to local news.  The Reno newspapers suck.  I'm impressed with the pilots though.  So, hows a pilots supposed to know what his craft can do unless he tries it out?

[griz]

He (call me a sexist but I'll jump to that conclusion) may have been hot dogging but he didn't mean to dip it.  He is lucky to fly away from that stunt, the chances of catching a rotor in the water are very high, and that can lead to death pretty easily. I don't know anything about that particular helicopter, but I don't think even amphibious helos are rated for submerging anything other than the gear.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KM4zHqQIhE

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

and this guy wasn't holding his mouth right

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMVKEv3jcio&NR=1

[Nitrogen]

I loved this quote from the story:

As for the pilots, we salute you for keeping the hot-dogging tradition alive, even if you are idiots who probably could have hurt someone.

[Bud]

My first thought, having been placed in the same position a numnber of times, is what about the crewmembers?

One of the first things i learned after achieving crew status was that never, ever allow an Army Warrant Officer aviator say, "watch this!".

[280plus]

My first thought, having been placed in the same position a numnber of times, is what about the crewmembers?

One of the first things i learned after achieving crew status was that never, ever allow an Army Warrant Officer aviator say, "watch this!".

Unless he says "Hold my beer" first.  

Reminds me of my late Aussie bud. he was supposed to fly us places "that no white man ever goes" and I jokingly said, "Ok, as long as we won't be flying under any bridges upside down while chugging on a Fosters." To this day I seriously think he was not happy with that restriction. Unfortunately he passed before we could take the trip. 

[Chuck Dye]

Still enjoy the memory of running US-95 in Nevada, doing an honest 75 mph (65 knots) and being paced by a Harrier at eye level 200 yards to my left.

[280plus]

I can recall being at sea and having an F-16 buzz us while the guy was flying upside down and waving.  

Wanted to join so I could be a pilot. Eyes wre no good. Turns out you had to pass the pilot's physical to be on a sub too. I had orders cut to Groton for sub school and the 300 ft tower but they were squelched when my detailer discovered the discrepency with my eyesight. He gave me my choice of commands and I chose a west coast destroyer. My mother was pissed at me, she said I chose the west coast just to stay away from her. She was right.  

No, not really, I mean don't get me wrong, I didn't MIND that we were on opposite coasts but the real reason I stayed out there was because they (.gov) wouldn't pay for me to travel to the east coast and I was too cheap to pay for it myself.  

Funny side note, I took a tour on the USS Caron a while back and I ended up talking to a 2nd class PO (E-5)that had just shipped over. His mother was mad at him too. We laughed.  

[280plus]

I also read a story where the junior pilot in the wing would have to fly from the carrier to shore on booze runs. This one particular guy was telling how he stashed cans of beer in every nook and cranny he could find in the fighter and when he trapped on the carrier all the cans of beer flew forward in plain view of the flight officer above on the bridge. He said the officer just shook his head and never said a word about it to anyone else. 

[French G.]

Still enjoy the memory of running US-95 in Nevada, doing an honest 75 mph (65 knots) and being paced by a Harrier at eye level 200 yards to my left.

It is damn unnerving to be running down the highway is a heat generating vehicle as a couple of Cobras slip in and out of the hills parallel to you. Hope they know the difference between road and hot range all around the road.

To the OP, bring back the H-3, boat hulled helo. 

[Scout26]

Can any of our Sikorsky folks explain this?

Ummm, There's probably a warning sticker or two, or maybe even in the owners manual, I'm pretty sure somewhere in there it says:

"Your New Sikorsky Helicopter is NOT a Submarine."




If it doesn't, I'll bet all the new ones will. 


[Right RevDisk ?!?!?!]

[220_SWIFT]

Looks like he lost tail rotor control, more than likely because of the altitude of lake Tahoe.  Looks like he was just trying to hover, and had not figured in for the thinner air.  That is why he rotated.

It is stupid because it could have been avoided.  But he didn't try to dip it.  He did do a good job of recovery though.

[RevDisk]

Glancing at the video, it did not look intentional. Vortex ring state or failure to calculate accurate density altitude.

I love the comments complaining about the $50k-$500k repair bill (which would depend on how much stuff got broken).  The aircraft should have been destroyed and the entire crew likely killed.  The pilot WAS lucky that he slapped the water belly down.  It saved his life.  At an angle, he'd be dead.  Upon surface contact, it either discontinued VRS or made the pilot realize he just ****ed up. 

Respectfully, he was damn lucky he was in a MH-60R.  There are other helicopters where he would have been theoretically able to do that.  But not that many.

[RevDisk]

Ummm, There's probably a warning sticker or two, or maybe even in the owners manual, I'm pretty sure somewhere in there it says:

"Your New Sikorsky Helicopter is NOT a Submarine."

If it doesn't, I'll bet all the new ones will.  

[Right RevDisk ?!?!?!]

All of our S-70 (Blackhawk, et al) have various specifications for water tolerance.  This covers everything from wiring standards, to "swamp zones" (where liquids drain to), to environmental seals, etc.

We do have procedures and standards for submerged S-70's.  Mostly related to getting the crew out (preferably alive) of the aircraft while it is submerged.  We publish procedures and whatnot for submersion.  Mostly "GTFO" and the proper way to do so.  Lot of engineering does into this.  Contact with water is just one small part, but yes, it is considered.

The aircraft maintenance section will have to rip apart the aircraft to recertify it as airworthy.  That will be expensive and time consuming.

[S. Williamson]

But it gives us something to do for the next few months. 

[BobR]

The MH-60s were flying home from Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento where they had taken part in an air show. Needing to refuel, the pilots were headed to Lemoore Naval Air Station when the incident happened.

I have seen this a few times now.

I just wondered when Lake Tahoe was put between Sacramento and San Diego via NAS Lemoore?

This wasn't just something they decided to do on a whim as they were passing by, it was thought of before they left Mather AFB.

I see a fine job, such as fuels officer on a carrier, awaiting these guys.

bob

[41magsnub]

Verdict:  being stupid.

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20101223/NEWS/101229900/1001

[MillCreek]

So the two instructors had their flight tickets pulled and the two students have to repeat training.  I bet this is pretty much career-ending for the instructors.

[RoadKingLarry]

Wanted to join so I could be a pilot. Eyes wre no good. Turns out you had to pass the pilot's physical to be on a sub too. I had orders cut to Groton for sub school and the 300 ft tower but they were squelched when my detailer discovered the discrepency with my eyesight.

You got screwed. I'm 20/200 or worse uncorrected. Was never an issue for me.

[Tallpine]

You got screwed. I'm 20/200 or worse uncorrected. Was never an issue for me.

Yeah, is there anything in a sub that's more than about four feet away ?   

[280plus]

Don't ask me. All I know is I didn't have to do the tower thing in Groton.  

[Fly320s]

You got screwed. I'm 20/200 or worse uncorrected. Was never an issue for me.

Could be a timing issue, a.k.a. supply and demand.  If the Navy wasn't in need of your MOS, then they could be more selective.