NEWS STORY
QuadA/AUSA: Brown Out Toll In Iraq Outlined
Defence Helicopter (Jan 06)
07 January
Washington, DC: Brown-outs are a menace in Iraq, causing half of all serious helicopter accidents, the Quad A/AUSA meeting here heard.
Some 28 US Army helicopters – fairly even distributed among the fleet of –60s,-64s, -47s and –58s – have crashed since operations began last year.
Brown—outs – dust blowing up to obscure pilots’ view is staggering towards some type of technical solution – but it’s not moving fast.
Gen Dick Cody, the Army’s G3 said, in fact, he doubted a really effective solution could be obtained until aircraft go to digital ‘fly by wire’ flight systems.
‘We could have invested in it and the cost would have been saved by not having these accidents,’ he said.
Currently, no Army aircraft have fly-by-wire flight control systems – and none are planned. Comanche will be the first when it’s introduced later this decade.
But others say existing flight control systems are adequate to deal with the problem.
‘What you’ve basically got is a training problem,’ an attendee said.
- David S. Harvey
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This item was compliments of Rotor Hub and Defence Helicopters.
My personal preference was treat every landing as pinnacle landing when operating in dustyand /or snow conditions. Zero airspeed and minimum collective at touchdown.
I've flown 500C,500D,206A,B,111, 204B and 212 under those conditions and never had a problem. Training and common sence helps .
Cheers Don
QuadA/AUSA: Brown Out Toll In Iraq Outlined
Defence Helicopter (Jan 06)
07 January
Washington, DC: Brown-outs are a menace in Iraq, causing half of all serious helicopter accidents, the Quad A/AUSA meeting here heard.
Some 28 US Army helicopters – fairly even distributed among the fleet of –60s,-64s, -47s and –58s – have crashed since operations began last year.
Brown—outs – dust blowing up to obscure pilots’ view is staggering towards some type of technical solution – but it’s not moving fast.
Gen Dick Cody, the Army’s G3 said, in fact, he doubted a really effective solution could be obtained until aircraft go to digital ‘fly by wire’ flight systems.
‘We could have invested in it and the cost would have been saved by not having these accidents,’ he said.
Currently, no Army aircraft have fly-by-wire flight control systems – and none are planned. Comanche will be the first when it’s introduced later this decade.
But others say existing flight control systems are adequate to deal with the problem.
‘What you’ve basically got is a training problem,’ an attendee said.
- David S. Harvey
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This item was compliments of Rotor Hub and Defence Helicopters.
My personal preference was treat every landing as pinnacle landing when operating in dustyand /or snow conditions. Zero airspeed and minimum collective at touchdown.
I've flown 500C,500D,206A,B,111, 204B and 212 under those conditions and never had a problem. Training and common sence helps .
Cheers Don
