Warbird Information Exchange :: View topic - Med Chopper-Birdstrike Gainesville FL

The pilot is being hailed as a hero, 700 feet is not a lot of room to regain control of an AC after an incident of this nature. Just what is the normal operating altitude for med evacs like this? I know locally they fly low, under the operating airspace of 2 major airports and an AFB, but that must really increase their bird-strike risk, as well as antenna danger. We lost a med chopper a few years ago that drifted on his flight plan and hit an antenna guy wire. Lost with all aboard. A real tragedy.

Author:	Holedigger [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:49 pm ]
Post subject:	Med Chopper-Birdstrike Gainesville FL
Anyone see this one? Make big news locally. Med chopper on final into a hospital with a patient, hit a duck at 160mph at 700 feet. Good thing the pilot had a good helmet on!! Blown windscreen, some damaged instrumentation, and everyone shaken a bit! How many of you low altitude junkies wear brain buckets? article http://www.gainesville.com/article/2009 ... ike-hailed

Author:	RyanShort1 [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:
Looks like another reason to wear that helmet - if you can afford it. Ryan

Author:	Holedigger [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:
The pilot is being hailed as a hero, 700 feet is not a lot of room to regain control of an AC after an incident of this nature. Just what is the normal operating altitude for med evacs like this? I know locally they fly low, under the operating airspace of 2 major airports and an AFB, but that must really increase their bird-strike risk, as well as antenna danger. We lost a med chopper a few years ago that drifted on his flight plan and hit an antenna guy wire. Lost with all aboard. A real tragedy.

Author:	Ztex [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:58 pm ]
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They suspect that that oilfield helo that went down in Louisiana in January was a bird strike..8 killed. These guys sound lucky to be alive.

Author:	retroaviation [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:59 pm ]
Post subject:
RyanShort1 wrote: Looks like another reason to wear that helmet - if you can afford it. Ryan The way I see it, it's more costly to NOT have a helmet. They're cheap compared to the consequences. Gary

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Author:	RyanShort1 [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:01 pm ]
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retroaviation wrote: RyanShort1 wrote: Looks like another reason to wear that helmet - if you can afford it. Ryan The way I see it, it's more costly to NOT have a helmet. They're cheap compared to the consequences. Gary Agreed, but if it costs $600, and you've got $300... and need to fly in order to make the $600. Ryan

Author:	RyanShort1 [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:
Holedigger wrote: The pilot is being hailed as a hero, 700 feet is not a lot of room to regain control of an AC after an incident of this nature. Just what is the normal operating altitude for med evacs like this? I know locally they fly low, under the operating airspace of 2 major airports and an AFB, but that must really increase their bird-strike risk, as well as antenna danger. We lost a med chopper a few years ago that drifted on his flight plan and hit an antenna guy wire. Lost with all aboard. A real tragedy. They can fly pretty low, and do, depending on the weather and the area. At the hangar next door they had an Astar in last week that was having a blade replaced because of a birdstrike. Ryan

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