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AH-1 Brownout Crash

Cant view the link on a deployed computer but mishaps will not be discussed. If you want to talk about the generic challenges of brown out landings, we are more than willing.
 
Well, for one thing, I'm not sure it's a Marine Cobra. A few things look off to me about the aircraft and the first responders. I'm thinking another country because the responding vehicles appear to be of Russian design.
 
skidkid said:
Cant view the link on a deployed computer but mishaps will not be discussed. If you want to talk about the generic challenges of brown out landings, we are more than willing.
Click to expand...
Just watched the video, looks Army (single engine and boxy windscreen) and relatively old. Brownout wasn't on landing, but on takeoff.

Big lesson to learn for young helo guys - ITO in a dusty environment.
 
Insturment Take Off, you are pretty much on the guages from the initial pull of power until you escape the dust cloud or realize that maybe using your special cloud card wasnt so good of an idea.
 
With the available AFCS stuff in SAR helos that can bring the aircraft to a stable hover hands-off, I would think that it would be a relatively simple upgrade to have an Auto-takeoff to a stable flight profile for brown-out conditions. Any thoughts? :confused:
 
Too heavy and too expensive for most helos. I will take a well trained pilot and more ordnance over a black box any day.
 
The initial pull off the ground may get dicey.. Knowing how the 60Bs AFCS worked, it COULD be done, but if it does not pull off smoothly, I'd be concerned about dynamic rollover, or possibly ground resonance.

When I have taken off/landed when brownout was a possibility/certainty, I brought up the "Doppler Needles" that showed me how I was moving in relation to the ground. Not perfect, never had to use them, but if I got "surprised" and the cloud caught me before I got down/into forward flight it was another SA tool in my toolbox.
 
I noticed the windows blew out. Is there a quick out handle in the cobra or was that the pilot employing other means?
 
The AFCS in the -60 can handle it once it is off the ground and can do ok down to about 5-10' on landing. The legacy aircraft will just need a solid doppler return to make this happen.

The biggest problem is clearing the dust -- Takeoffs aren't as demanding as the landings, as you quickly outrun the dustcloud in a takeoff, but the dustcloud catches you on a landing.
 
The video was from the Israelis, based on what I saw from another website. Um, guys, anyone want to turn off the engines?
 
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