Helicopter and Elk

[Yachter Yat]

    Hey Greg;  Did you see this one?  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/elk-helicopter-crash-mountains-wasatch-county-utah-deer-research-wild-animals-a8209526.html   See.....you don't need a gun!

Yat

[GregE]

Yep.
there was another helo crash that killed two while doing aerial surveys this winter. 

Not many places to land safely in a lot of the steep canyons.

2 engines are important for logging.  Only lost an engine once in 3 years but we dropped the 150 ' cable and logs and flew back to the maintenance pad with the good engine.

Feb 1988 near Mt St Helens

[Tom Mac]

Greg, what types of helicopters did you fly? 20 years ago I quit rigging and cutting as a salvage logger on the west coast of Vancouver Island, we used light and med. lift machines to get our wood to the landings. Had lots of friends that worked under the Ericson Air Cranes, now that's a cool machine! if I remember correctly it could lift close to 20,000 lbs.

[GregE]

In the Army I flew mainly UH-1 Hueys and OH-58 Kiowas ( Jet Rangers ) along with a lot of smaller birds for training.  IN 20 years I had about 8000 hours flight time.

The Columbia Helo in the picture is the BV 107 civilian model of the CH 46 Sea Knight the US Navy and Marines used until lately.  twin GEs  Rated for 11000 # on the hook.  I ended up as the4 small bird pilot and instructor in a 1950's designed Hiller 12 E with a turbine engine conversion.  I ferried the cutters and choker setters into the woods,  flew the boss and Forest Service for surveys and some long line work taking chokers, long bar saws when they had to rip a log to get it light enough for the tandem rotor 107.  We were salvaging bug killed Sugar Pines near the Sequoia National Forest and used an 8' bar to rip the but sections into 4 pieces.  Handing the saw Handle first to the cutter standing on the log was fun with a 100' line. 


I could also hire myself to take family and friends on flights @ $ 60 and hour   :biggrin:

[Yachter Yat]

   Impressive career Greg.

Yat

[finfinn]

Yep. Pretty impressive life, Greg. Almost like a kid in a candy store with the amazing machines. Well, maybe the early service time was not so much fun. Appreciate your contribution to our collective safety. By the way - who is the fellow by the helicopter? Could not be you, I mean the color of the hair and such..... 

[GregE]

Did a lot of interesting things in some beautiful places.  Two years in Viet Nam,  tours in Germany and Korea.  Small deck landings were always challenging-  if the boat was floating the rotor wash would move it away.  If on the bank the deck was sloped

By the way - who is the fellow by the helicopter? Could not be you, I mean the color of the hair and such..... 


Yeah, the synthetic fur on the jacket must have gotten on my head .....
At least we're in this together.......  Thanks to you and Kim for stoking my TUNA addiction

[Mooch]

Greg, ever considered a helipad for the Osprey?

Seems like a great way to resupply live bait.  Be a good spotter too.  😉