Navy Helicopter rescues teen

[beaverslayer]

Just saw this story online: http://www.king5.com/news/steel-bridge-skokomish-river-100949169.html.

Looks like some insane flying!

 

[H60Gunner]

Outstanding job Whidbey SAR folks!

I've been on that bridge. Pretty steep and narrow down there.

 

[GreenLantern330]

Very impressive. Awesome story, thanks for posting, beaverslayer!

 

[rondebmar]

FOX local Miami affiliate gave repeated kudos to USN's helo (cough,cough) pilots out of Whidbey.

 

[PhrogLoop]

FOX local Miami affiliate gave repeated kudos to USN's helo (cough,cough) pilots out of Whidbey.

No coughs about it, that was Shit Hot!

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Just saw this story online: http://www.king5.com/news/steel-bridge-skokomish-river-100949169.html.

Looks like some insane flying!

Here is the follow up.

100818-N-5123P-001 OAK HARBOR, Wash. (Aug. 18, 2010) Seattle KING 5 TV News (NBC) reporter Gary Chittum interviews Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Richmond "Keith" Roy, left, and helicopter aircraft commander, Lt. Brandon Sheets, aboard a U.S. Navy (MH-60S) Sea Hawk search and rescue (SAR) helicopter. Lt. Sheets and Petty Officer Roy are responsible for rescuing a young girl from a ravine on the Skokomish River, in Mason County, Wash., Aug. 17. (U.S. Navy photo by Tony Popp/Released)

 

[Uncle Fester]

Goddamn, now that's some flyin'. Well done to all players.

The best part of any news coverage on a military/aviation/mil aviation story like this is the mouth-breathing commentary from the masses. "It was all done by computers, pilots don't actually fly the planes any more." "The gravity's too strong there." "The pilot should be court-martialed for risking his helicopter".

 

[scoolbubba]

Fester's right. Reading the comments from your run of the mill average 'tard 'Murrican is pretty hilarious, yet disheartening.

Shit hot flying for the rotorheads involved, too!

 

[Gatordev]

Hmm, the HAC's name sounds really familiar...I just can't remember from what.

 

[slug]

Not to be the lone dissenting opinion, but was taking that girl out in the water and having her spin 10-20 times on the way up, while hovering under a bridge the safest way to execute that rescue?

If it was necessary, then kudos to the crew.

 

[beaverslayer]

Not to be the lone dissenting opinion, but was taking that girl out in the water and having her spin 10-20 times on the way up, while hovering under a bridge the safest way to execute that rescue?

If it was necessary, then kudos to the crew.

Probably not the safest, but the fire chief in the video stated that she was becoming hypothermic rapidly and needed to get out of there immediately. So yeah I would guess that it was necessary.

 

[SynixMan]

If it was necessary, then kudos to the crew.

Have you ever been hoisted? You spin a few times.


I imagine: Spinning << Hypothermia/Death

 

[slug]

Have you ever been hoisted? You spin a few times.


I imagine: Spinning << Hypothermia/Death

Answers: Yes.

Not if you use a properly tended trail line. But I guess that is a piece of equipment the Navy doesn't need, want or use regularly.

But hey, I'm just a Monday morning quarterback. And yes, I'm sitting on my couch right now.

 

[Fog]

Hope there's a DFC for the entire crew in this rescue: they earned it.

 

[KCOTT]

there's always a hater out there...

bt123 said on August 19, 2010 at 10:31 AM

Now for the dissenting comment: having worked in and around helicopters for 10 years and in mountain rescue for over two decades, it appears that this rescue was executed very carelessly. Granted the report may not be entirely accurate, but if it is everybody within shrapnel distance of the chopper could easily have been seriously injured or worse. Neither the subject's life nor limb(s) were threatened and the ground crew was already in place to haul the subject with a very safe rigging system. The air crew didn't communicate with the ground team(s) and flew into a "box" with the only exit due aft; completely blind. Any wind shear, up/down drafts or mechanical flight-equipment interruption and this mission could have ended very badly, including the loss of the multimillion dollar helicopter and all of the flight training hours we taxpayers have funded. While in a combat situation such a risk might well be justified, even a very skilled civilian pilot would very likely be grounded