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Watkinsdw
Joined: 15 Mar 2009
Posts: 138
Location: Deerfield Beach, FL
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 Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:59 am Post subject: Jump start! |
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This is an issue that is relevant for those who land at GA airports, and may be only an interesting story for those of us who primarily fly off "unimproved" airstrips (my favorite, but not very available around here.)
Jeff and I flew up the coast from KPMP to KFPR (Ft. Pierce, FL) for breakfast last Sunday. The ramp is usually filled with light singles and some twins, and no shortage of Homebuilts (lots of RV's). There are no tiedowns on the ramp, and we usually bring little tiny chocks.
We forgot them this trip, but they wouldn't have done any good...
After breakfast, we topped off with 7 gallons of fuel, bringing our total load to 18 gallons (108 lbs). We were inside the cockpit, running our pre-start checklist, when a thunderous noise approached from our right quarter. Did I mention that the U.S. Navy has space on the North side of the airport? The noise was a Sikorsky SH-60 "Seahawk" (we think,) helicopter, "hover-taxiing" at about 20 ft. agl over taxiway "Charlie" along the North edge of the ramp. Our Kolb shudderred and wagged quite a bit, and when the helocopter passed beyond us, we breathed a sigh of relief, saying "Maybe we should have jumped out and held her down by the wing struts!"
Just then, the second Sikorsky (oops, flight of two,) passed by a little closer, and we really started dancing. We bounced off the ground repeatedly, and weathervaned 90 degrees into the prop wash before we finally stopped moving.
Needless to say, we re-did our pre-flight very carefully, and were fortunate to find no damage. Had we still been in the restaurant when the Sikorsky's went by, we'd probably have had to go up to the roof of the building and retrieve what was left of our Kolb. Fortunately, we were aboard, and the extra 42 lbs of fuel also helped provide ballast.
This is a heads up to those of us who may encounter prop wash from other aircraft. By the way, a 172 was also bounced out of it's chocks nearby.
I confronted the Navy pilot, and his initial response was, "That's what the Tower instructed us to do." After I reminded him that he's responsible for his prop wash, and not obligated to accept an unsafe clearance, he apologized.
I'm just glad I didn't have to end up trying to sue the Navy to get our Kolb rebuilt!
Here's a link to the helicopter we're pretty sure we encountered:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SH-60_Seahawk
Let's be careful out there!
Dave and Jeff
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NeilsenRM(at)comcast.net
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| Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:52 pm Post subject: Jump start! |
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Dave & Jeff
I have had a similar encounter with a Blackhawk at a local airport. I was
taxiing to the grass runway when a pair of Blackhawks did a simulated fixed
wing take off down the runway. I didn't actually get bounced around like you
did but it was touch and go as they went buy. I did my take off on a
perpendicular runway and got bounced around by the churned up air they left
behind but I knew it was going to happen.
I took my flight training at a strip where guard helicopters were based and
they were very aware of there impact on fixed wing aircraft. More than once
they would land and flatten the pitch for me on the rotors to avoid
problems.
It was a great thing to give them some input.
I'm in Venice FL for the winter with my MKIIIC. Wow just as the winter was
closing in, in Michigan, I moved to summer flying weather in Florida.
Planning to join a bunch of Kolb flyers at a Arcadia FL flyin, Dec 5th.
Rick Neilsen
Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC
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