If you read the post you'll see what i mean about the civvies. As for the helis, they have been here for about 6 months. As for heli ops, ask the wing, artillery and infantry just how much assistance they get from the fly boys. You'll find a common thread of thought about the AC. Like I said top down, they're just grunts at the end of the day, they do what they're told.
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Originally posted by SaracenIf you read the post you'll see what i mean about the civvies.
You've said that the AC won't be flying at night & won't be carrying anything over 300kg, where are you getting this info from? No one else, including the AC contributors to this board, has mentioned this before.
Originally posted by SaracenAs for the helis, they have been here for about 6 months.
Originally posted by SaracenAs for heli ops, ask the wing, artillery and infantry just how much assistance they get from the fly boys.
Originally posted by SaracenYou'll find a common thread of thought about the AC. Like I said top down, they're just grunts at the end of the day, they do what they're told."The dolphins were monkeys that didn't like the land, walked back to the water, went back from the sand."
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Originally posted by VmaxThe orange marking around the windows are there to identify the emergency exits and will be permanent as I understand it. The orange frisbee type object to the rear of the heli is an Emergency Locator Transmitter.Dr. Venture: Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?
Dr. Venture: Dean, you smell like a whore
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Its was quoted in the indo article about "the new AW139 that has capabaility to be armed with Two x FN GPMG Machine Gunsaswell as other weapons"
Does anybody what other types of weapons the aircraft are able/wired to carry?
Are refering like of 12.7mm HMG Gun Pods or rocket pods etc??British officer: You're seven minutes late, Mr. Collins.
Michael Collins: You've kept us waiting 700 years. You can have your seven minutes.
[As the British flag comes down]
Michael Collins: So that's what all the bother was about.
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F Molloy, firstly, the purpose of the post was to highlight the growing frustration with some aspects of the Air Corp, not to piss people off. I apologise for that.
Second, I'm sorry for not being clearer in my posts but I'm working and can only view the site for five or ten minutes at time so I'm rushing.
Flight operation parameters are determined by senior officers so I'm not ragging on the pilots.
Comparing civvies is valid because they conduct the flight operations with underslung loads and night time flights.
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Before delivery of any aircraft, personnel are sent on conversion/familarisation courses.
The RAF were in Baldonnel two months ago running a training course on underslung loads. After the training was completed the AC were asked to do some runs with underslung loads. The most they would fly with was 300kg in which case they were told don't bother.
In a recent exercise the AC were asked would they do a night time extraction involving simulated medivac and hostage rescue. The answer was no.
Ask the ack ack boys what they think of the target towing provided by the AC. I hear its so bad they're looking at a civilian contractor.
Now I could go on but I won't. I know the AC perform a hell of a lot of work that is generally unseen (and unappreciated) but in the main are seen as been generally unco-operative when it comes to military ops/exercises.
I speak from personal experience. I hope that answers your questions.Once more unto the breach, dear friends
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Originally posted by Saracen
The RAF were in Baldonnel two months ago running a training course on underslung loads. After the training was completed the AC were asked to do some runs with underslung loads. The most they would fly with was 300kg in which case they were told don't bother.
Originally posted by SaracenIn a recent exercise the AC were asked would they do a night time extraction involving simulated medivac and hostage rescue. The answer was no.
Originally posted by SaracenAsk the ack ack boys what they think of the target towing provided by the AC. I hear its so bad they're looking at a civilian contractor.
Originally posted by SaracenNow I could go on but I won't. I know the AC perform a hell of a lot of work that is generally unseen (and unappreciated) but in the main are seen as been generally unco-operative when it comes to military ops/exercises.
I speak from personal experience. I hope that answers your questions.
Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.
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Fair point, but I doubt that two months is dated.
The EC-135 MTOW "notional" external load is 1500kg. 20% is a very low lift factor.
The Night Ex in question, as I wasn't the SO3 involved so I don't know what tasking was given to the AC, I just know that there was a lot of unhappy bunnies when the answer came back.
I appreciate Night flying requires a lot of training. The AC is a military organisation.
As for other units experience with the PDF/AC, I can't comment. I can only make the points based on my experiences this year.Once more unto the breach, dear friends
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Give them time and i'm sure they will provide the service required of them.These type of operations are quite complex in nature, something the aer corp probobly hasn't done for some time, I'm sure some crew members are still getting use to their new heli's.You have to learn to walk before you can run.
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The skills being asked of the AC's helicopter pilots cannot just appear overnight, they've got to get used to the new aircraft before they can use them to their full potential. AC pilots want this as much as anyone, have a look for recent posts from Scorpy & this is obvious.
Like I said, give them a chance before dissing them."The dolphins were monkeys that didn't like the land, walked back to the water, went back from the sand."
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MTOW is 2778kg but as any pilot will tell you they will never be close to that.
AW 139 should be capable of lifting the 105mm light artillery gun, 1858kg, plus crew and ammo.
I believe this was one of the criteria in selecting this type of helicopter.Once more unto the breach, dear friends
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The criteria (not like they were buried under 2 years of posts or anything)
22. External Load Lifting Equipment
The helicopter must be capable of being fitted with an external load lifting system and should be capable of lifting a minimum external load of 1000 kgs. Such an external load lifting system must be part of the tendered helicopter package. Weights of fixed provisions required for this system must be provided in the tender response.
Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.
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Originally posted by Saracen View PostMTOW is 2778kg but as any pilot will tell you they will never be close to that.
AW 139 should be capable of lifting the 105mm light artillery gun, 1858kg, plus crew and ammo.
I believe this was one of the criteria in selecting this type of helicopter.
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Hi all
A lot of noise is being made here about what can or cannot fly at night or what can or cannot be lifted....Alouettes can fly at night, perfectly well, as the aircraft is unable to tell the time of day. Alouettes cannot fly in conditions of known icing, especially not at night and are not equipped for flight in Instrument conditions. the instruments on the Alouette's panel are not NVG-compatible. The EC and AWs, on the other hand, are fully IFR-capable but, like many,many other helicopters, are not allowed to fly in potential icing conditions because they do not have de-icing/anti-icing equipment on their rotor blades.A helicopter with ice on it's rotors is doomed, therefore helicopter pilots do not fly in such conditions.That's not an Air Corps limitation, it's a world-wide limitation.... As for the request for a night extraction exercise, if it was ad-hoc and unplanned and the route in and out was unfamiliar, forget it. No heli pilot would risk it.... As for civvie load-lifting, you'll find that they strip out the seats,etc and fly with minimum fuel for the job. Incidentally, the Alouettes were used to carry the 120mm mortar. How much do they weigh?. I'd give the AW crews a bit more time to get familiar with their aircraft before risking them on heavy loads...as regards the target-tugging, give the Donners a more powerful aircraft or else hire in civvies. The 172 was always limited and the pilots hated it's sluggish behaviour with the drogue equipment aboard.....I agree that there are many things that civvies do better than the military and that the military are slow to learn, but it cuts across all Services. If you want to waste your breath, I suggest you try bringing civvie ideas into the DF. Unless you're an Officer and you can absolutely prove that it will save money, you haven't a prayer.
regards
GttC
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Originally posted by The Blue Max View PostIts was quoted in the indo article about "the new AW139 that has capabaility to be armed with Two x FN GPMG Machine Gunsaswell as other weapons"
Does anybody what other types of weapons the aircraft are able/wired to carry?
Are refering like of 12.7mm HMG Gun Pods or rocket pods etc??
The helicopter should be armed with two crew operated mini guns. A GPMG is not sufficent
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