Helicopter down off Aberdeen

[DanClews]

That's what she said.

I did realise what I said was laced with innuendo.

heh, heh, in your endo.

[Scootray]

I read that one of the guys on the chopper was saying that he saw oil streaming down the window before the pilots performed the ditch. Christ.

[Teabags]

One worrying thing about the new super Pumas that Bond (and others) use, is the fact they felt it necessary to fit a floatation device for water landings! Great idea though, as proven in this case!

How is that in any way worrying? Would you be put off buying a car because it had airbags?

[Guest davetherave]

I didnt word it very well, but I guess I was trying to say that the floats were fitted as if they expected the aircraft to come down in water?

[The Milner]

Not expected too, but incase they do, they are flying guys to rigs over the sea constantly, unfortunately at some point something is going to go wrong, they have to take as many measures as possible to minimise the potential for a complete disaster. Much like airbags in your car, they are not there because your expected to crash, they are there incase you crash.

[Teabags]

Like Milner said, it's a precaution, since they fly over water an awful lot. Given what's happened recently, would you not now be more put off knowing the helicopter you were flying offshore on DIDN'T have flotation devices?

[Skacel]

Not expected too, but incase they do, they are flying guys to rigs over the sea constantly, unfortunately at some point something is going to go wrong, they have to take as many measures as possible to minimise the potential for a complete disaster. Much like airbags in your car, they are not there because your expected to crash, they are there incase you crash.

Exactly. That's why you have to wear a survival suit and life jacket too.

Apparently in the early days you didn't even get a survival suit. Fuck that.

[Guest davetherave]

Good comparison with the airbags and stuff, and yep, if I was flying offshore I'd rather have the flotation devices, dry suit, etc.

I suppose another way to compare it would be if airlines issued everyone with a parachute when they boarded the plane. It might suggest that they expected the aircraft to be unreliable?

[The Milner]

I think there were big changes after the Piper Alpha disaster and things like life jackets, and survival suits were introduced as a standard. Also im sure these helicopters have had flotation devices attached for a long time now, it would surprise me if this was a new addition in only the last few years.

A few guys i know are currently in limbo, they are due to go offshore but bond have grounded all helicopters for right now, despite Eurocopter deeming the helicopters safe to fly. I've said for years i would have hated working offshore and this has completely re-affirmed this in my head, fuck that right off.

[The Milner]

Good comparison with the airbags and stuff, and yep, if I was flying offshore I'd rather have the flotation devices, dry suit, etc.

I suppose another way to compare it would be if airlines issued everyone with a parachute when they boarded the plane. It might suggest that they expected the aircraft to be unreliable?

There's a difference tho, if you were to get a parachute on a plane it would be given purely to ease your fears, much like sticking your head between your legs is, and why most of the pictures of what to do in an emergency have happy faces on them, you have almost no chance of surviving a jump out of a 747 after it gets into trouble, but as shown last week, a helicopter can use these flotation devices to save lives.

[Guest davetherave]

I always thought the sticking your head between your legs thing was purely so you can kiss your arse goodbye

[Teabags]

You might be able to jump out of A 747. Jumping out of a crashing 747/any crashing place is a different story entirely.

I don't know much about it, but think about it logically. It's going down. Nose-diving most likely. Where do you jump out from? Can't out the front doors, you might go straight into an engine. Can't out the back, might go straight into the tail wings plus if its nose-diving, how you getting to the back doors through 300 screaming cunts? Over-wing exits the best bet, but how you getting to them? Also, do you jump straight out the door or try and walk out onto the wing?

This is a fun game.

[Jaaakkkeee]

Out of interest what are the implications of jumping out of a 747?

You'd probably land on a mysterious island...

[The Milner]

Out of interest what are the implications of jumping out of a 747? Altitude, air pressure, all that jazz, why such a slim chance?

Altitude is one of the main ones, your so far up you wont be able to breath, speed the plane is going as well, your likely to be thrown around like a rag doll when you try and jump out, the chances of you snapping your neck are quite high and thats not taking into account the plane would most likely be out of control before it came to that decision so the likely hood of it plummeting towards the ground is quite high, its also not a plane designed to have people jumping out of it, the engines are in a very dangerous place for anyone to attempt it.

Dont get me wrong, it can and i think has been done before, but by highly trained experts, chumps like me and you would be better off taking our chances in our seats, you never know you may end up as lucky as that little girl from last year i think.

[Teabags]

[Guest davetherave]

Speaking of parachutes and jumping from a high altitude, this guy must be nuts 120,000ft up and he is likely to break the speed of sound on his way down!

[kybosh]

Life jackets and survival suits have been in regular use since long before piper alpha , helicopters used for regularly flying over water all have flotation devices and have been fitted with them as long as I have been going offshore (1980) , they also have to have two engines but be able to fly using only one.

As for the controlled landing , even if both engine lose power so long as the gearbox is not jammed or seized all helicopters can autogyrate to a safe landing on the sea so long as conditions are not too rough , the pilot still did a great job but I would expect anyone flying in the north sea to be able to do the same thing in the same circumstances

[Scootray]

I always thought the sticking your head between your legs thing was purely so you can kiss your arse goodbye

Is it not to keep your shit together in one place as best as possible? ie. your teeth, so they can identify the remains?

[Jaaakkkeee]

the pilot still did a great job but I would expect anyone flying in the north sea to be able to do the same thing in the same circumstances

I agree.

[Teabags]

Speaking of parachutes and jumping from a high altitude, this guy must be nuts 120,000ft up and he is likely to break the speed of sound on his way down!

If I'm not mistaken, he should have died, but his hand swelling up so much plugged a rip in his suit.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Two facts (probably myths) I have heard about a crashing aeroplane:

1- the 'brace' position (i.e. head between your legs) is designed to snap your neck so that you don't suffer a horrifically long and painful death

2- the reason you have to open the window shutters at take-off and landing is because this it the DANGER ZONE (my term for the most likely time a plane will encounter problems) and if the plane crashes then open windows mean people with torches outside the aircraft post-crash can count bodies easier

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Heard both of those before as well. Pretty grim.

Also more than likely untrue. The first one anyway.

[Scootray]

Like I said earlier, I think the brace position is keep your teeth with your body/seat.

EDIT: But that's no doubt a myth too.

[The Milner]

Yeah i had heard the head between the legs was for dental records, so hopefully your head would still be attached to your body or at least beside it. Grim stuff, but the reality of flying really.

[Skacel]

Sooooo....

Anyone away on a plane or a chopper soon?