Ot: Power down after apache hits wires

[quo vadis]

In the Netherlands a 100.000 people have been without power for 48 hours. An apache helicopter was on a nightflying training and hit the powerlines over a river. The apache landed a couple of km's away in a field. No one was injured.

http://www.nufoto.nl/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/80215ea3a41a8694a4f9baf3475daccf.jpg

http://www.nufoto.nl/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/aa4dced9335e885f4f5a3bc09dc4bb19.jpg

http://www.nrc.nl/multimedia/archive/00204/apache_204812a.jpg

 

Another reminder how challenging nightflying can be.:huh:

(let's hope DCS comes with an 'upgraded' KA50 so we can fly at night. Maybe a KA52 :smilewink:?)

[GGTharos]

There's nightvision goggles...that's it.

[HungaroJET]

Another reminder how challenging nightflying can be.:huh:

 

There's only one solution: don't seek wires...watch the poles/pillars !

 

...& keep the distance !

[Piffer]

There's only one solution: don't seek wires...watch the poles/pillars !

 

...& keep the distance !

 

Or fly exactly above them. The wires never go to up.

 

Any text or article about this Apache collision?

[quo vadis]

Unfortunately every article is in dutch. But someone recorded the radiocontact with his scanner:

 

http://fmc.dotnet-services.nl/waves/redskin_12_hit_cables.mp3

 

"The registration of the Redskin12 is Q-01 (this is the one in problems).

For those interested the reg of the Redskin22 is Q-16. "

[Force_Feedback]

Oh, our media is blowing this one up, the region that is affected is not exactly 'popular', nor is it important for the economy of the country, yet, the media treat it as some kind of 9/11. Things like these happen with helicopters, and people should not whine beause the power masts are still standing (could have collapsed) and the Apache crew and the Ah-64D are all fine (could have been 2 bodies and some metal on the bottom of the river). So seriousely, what's the big deal? Those affected did have power as there were plenty of emergency generators.

 

Only reason I can think of is some kind of new drastic measure (read: it will screw us) from the government, so in 1 or 2 days it will leak out and the whole country will be in awe, just after the final decision has been made by the parliament. That's how things usually go with our 'liberal' media and unfavorable decisions made by our beloved leaders (sarcasm).

[Joe Kurr]

Oh, our media is blowing this one up, the region that is affected is not exactly 'popular', nor is it important for the economy of the country, yet, the media treat it as some kind of 9/11. Things like these happen with helicopters, and people should not whine beause the power masts are still standing (could have collapsed) and the Apache crew and the Ah-64D are all fine (could have been 2 bodies and some metal on the bottom of the river). So seriousely, what's the big deal? Those affected did have power as there were plenty of emergency generators.

 

Only reason I can think of is some kind of new drastic measure (read: it will screw us) from the government, so in 1 or 2 days it will leak out and the whole country will be in awe, just after the final decision has been made by the parliament. That's how things usually go with our 'liberal' media and unfavorable decisions made by our beloved leaders (sarcasm).

 

Thinking in the line of our current government, it will probably be prohibited by law to fly your helicopter against any stationary ground objects :doh:

 

I don't think the AH-64 is OK though, It's been zapped by the power lines, and the pilot had to perform an outside landing.

If the helicopter would be OK, he would have returned to Gilze-Rijen immediately to have it checked.

 

Considering the time it usually takes to put up a power line across a river, the people affected are lucky that they were reconnected after just two days.

This kind of maintenance usually takes months, and usually won't even be attempted with the current high waters in the river.

[Force_Feedback]

Ofcourse they have been zapped slightly, but it's not that bad as they were not grounded at the time (oh, you can make so many jokes on this matter, grounded, lol), and AFAIK they do have cable cutters, that minimised the damage, and judging from a photo in the paper there was no significant rotor damage. From the sound recording it does sound like there was heavy vibration (rotor inbalance?) afterwards.

 

LOL, the part where the ATC asks wether Redskin 12 has a mobile phone on him :p

[Joe Kurr]

They don't have to be grounded to be zapped, just imagine what happens when two of those wires hit the chopper simultaneously.

Although all three wires carry 50 kilovolts, there is a 120 degrees phase shift between each, so you get quite a jolt when you connect two of them, either via a helicopter, a river, or directly :)

 

At the MLM (Dutch Airforce Museum) there is a Bo-105 which hit a power line.

On the outside, the only noticable thing is a big gap in the antenna on top.

But on the inside, all electronics are fried.

That doesn't mean the Apache suffered the same, but there is a big chance it has, considering the damage to those power lines.

[ALDEGA]

http://www.nrc.nl/multimedia/archive/00204/apache_204812a.jpg

Clearly the Apache was shot down by a farmer.

[ALDEGA]

Oh, our media is blowing this one up, the region that is affected is not exactly 'popular', nor is it important for the economy of the country

You obviously don't live in that area :D

 

Those affected did have power as there were plenty of emergency generators.

You mean the lucky few that got first dibs ;)