It’s a bit windy out there. Oops!

[Tony1963]

There’ll be repercussions



Glad I’m at Wattisham, and on D models

[RedAndy]

Likely to be expensive? take long to fix? or just pop it back on the wheels and get a touch-up pen?

[Tony1963]

RedAndy said:

Likely to be expensive? take long to fix? or just pop it back on the wheels and get a touch-up pen?

I’m guessing here, but I’d want the main rotor head replacing together with that main rotor blade, at the very least. I wouldn’t be surprised if the main rotor gearbox was replaced as well. And depending on who does the work, that aircraft could be out of action for weeks, especially if they need NDT carrying out.

Edited by Tony1963 on Tuesday 2nd January 18:02

[TTmonkey]

Tony1963 said:

There’ll be repercussions



Glad I’m at Wattisham, and on D models

Wow. Always wondered how they got digital photos off those DSLR cameras. Ingenious.

[Simpo Two]

'Putting the wallop into Wallop'

[hidetheelephants]

TTmonkey said:

Tony1963 said:

There’ll be repercussions



Glad I’m at Wattisham, and on D models

Wow. Always wondered how they got digital photos off those DSLR cameras. Ingenious.

For best results display on a CRT monitor and photograph it again with a potato, ideally with a stray reflection of the photographer.

[Tony1963]

Better?

[Tony1963]

And

[hidetheelephants]

Given the rotor seems intact it's blown over while unoccupied? Interview without tea & biscuits for the duty wallah?

[Tony1963]

hidetheelephants said:

Given the rotor seems intact it's blown over while unoccupied? Interview without tea & biscuits for the duty wallah?

I doubt if it would’ve blown over in flight or while taxiing, as the pilot have full control of it.

It seems like there was a certain amount of bad luck here, as the other aircraft on the same dispersal behaved themselves.

[hidetheelephants]

Don't we tie things down when there's a gale forecast? I imagine we will in future.

[Tony1963]

hidetheelephants said:

Don't we tie things down when there's a gale forecast? I imagine we will in future.

The blades get tied to the tie-down points. Any windier, and they don’t go outside.

I’m guessing that someone made a wrong decision.

[IanH755]

Not the first time its happened to a UK aircraft, won't be the last either.

Wind is a tricky bugger, I don't recall any tie-down points at Benson or Odiham, we just took the aircraft back inside the hangars if we had advanced warnings of wind but we've definitely had parked helicopters on Ops fall over - IIRC we had 3 Pumas blown over in BIAP due to a microburst around '07 or '08 during their TF Black tasking, which obviously caused a little scene in JHF(I) HQ as the SF folks didn't want the bigger, less tactically "flexible" Merlin for the small areas in Baghdad due to its size and single side exit (which was always blocked with extra seats anyway) making the ramp the only exit.

[Jader1973]

Tony1963 said:

Better?

Caption competition?

“Whoa whoa! Don’t tie rope round that!”

[GliderRider]

Tony1963 said:

Better?

Getting the forks of a suitably large telehandler under the righthand wheel and tying the leg to them, to limit movement, would seem like a more controlled method of getting the Apache back on its wheels without further damage.

[Tony1963]

GliderRider said:

Getting the forks of a suitably large telehandler under the righthand wheel and tying the leg to them, to limit movement, would seem like a more controlled method of getting the Apache back on its wheels without further damage.

There will be a procedure somewhere, probably hidden away somewhere. I’m just glad I’m not involved at all. Everyone up the food chain will be wary of making a decision that ends their promotion prospects.

[TTmonkey]

GliderRider said:

Tony1963 said:

Better?

Getting the forks of a suitably large telehandler under the righthand wheel and tying the leg to them, to limit movement, would seem like a more controlled method of getting the Apache back on its wheels without further damage.

I would have thought they would use an air bag system to drop that back to ground level, not just some guys tugging it over.

Edited by TTmonkey on Saturday 6th January 13:46

[Tony1963]

I don’t think they were tugging it. I think they were attaching it to a crash tender to hold it steady while a decision was awaited.

I might be wrong.

[borcy]

Awaiting advice from 71Sqn?