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Random Griz Aviation Musings

Random8145

Registered User
Contributor
Someone was flying a drone over the LA fires and it hit a Canadian Super Scooper plane n loan, so now the plane is grounded for at least three days.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
I was going to ask the same. It that what eventually came after HC-9 (and then HC-85) shut down?

HC-85 was SCORE and was a Reserve squadron. I believe they were right next to HCS-5, if my mind's eye is remembering correctly. They would fly the H-3, flying log runs and pick up torps out at San Clemente. When HCS-5 disestablished, HC-85 eventually became HSC-85 and picked up the SOF support mission. The HC-85 guys bounced around a bit but eventually landed at HSC-21 as an additional Reserve UIC.

No surprise to anyone, HSC-21 didn't play nice with the reservists and started taking the flight hours and giving it to its AC pilots which pretty much pissed off everyone from CNAFR all the way down to the SELRES trying to get their mins.

With HS-10 disestablishing and getting sucked up to HSC-3, the HS-10 SAU closed shop and they moved SCORE over to HSC-3 as a sister UIC to the HSC-3 SAU.

My info on where SCORE is now is pretty time-late, but the last place I knew it was was still at HSC-3.

USN just spent $176M for 32 TH-73A ($5.5M).

(unit cost of the Army's UH-60L Black Hawk is $5.9 million while the Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk has a unit cost of $10.2 million.).
A Romeo is ~$37 million. I take your point, but that's still a significantly cheaper option, and not operating at $4,000+/flight hour (or whatever it is now...I think it was ~$3,000 when I retired).
Why would they be deploying ROMEOs to LA Fire?

I have no idea, but if I had to guess, ISR, possibly command and control of the other Navy assets with the radar (probably doubtful, since the fire guys already have their own FACs), and if it's trucked out, it can still lift ~2,000 pounds (240 gallons) of water with a reduced fuel load. That last one doesn't seem like very much to me, but I guess if 407's help with fires, maybe it's on par.
 

Random8145

Registered User
Contributor
Well we all know that ALL the Part 107 UAS "pilots" have the same understanding and respect for airspace and TFRs as us mere military and FAA certificated Pilots.
Well one would think it would be common sense to know to not fly one's drone in such a situation given there could be everything from police helicopters, news helicopters, medevac helicopters, firefighting aircraft, etc...flying around.
 

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
NTSB prelim is finally out and JB does a good job summarizing initial findings.

Leeward side downdrafts, out of energy and accelerated stall from >45°AOB = bad outcomes. iPhone was key!

My day job is DOD liaison, oversight and administration, of Civil Air Patrol as a Department of the Air Force GS-12.

 

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
Happiness is a working APU pumping out lots of cabin heat on a chilly Washington DC afternoon!

EDIT - it looks like exhaust is coming from both engines - maybe SOP is to have both engines started and at idle with rotor brake engaged?

PXL_20250120_180757750.jpg
 

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Happiness is a working APU pumping out lots of cabin heat on a chilly Washington DC afternoon!

EDIT - it looks like exhaust is coming from both engines - maybe SOP is to have both engines started and at idle with rotor brake engaged?

View attachment 41751
I am a tiny bit surprised that Mr. Biden has landed at Andrews for a ride home on AF One. It is his right, and I won’t argue it isn’t, but Marine One could easily make the flight from DC to Delaware. Maybe he’s heading further afield than his home town?
 

Yardstick

Is The Bottle Ready?!
pilot
I am a tiny bit surprised that Mr. Biden has landed at Andrews for a ride home on AF One. It is his right, and I won’t argue it isn’t, but Marine One could easily make the flight from DC to Delaware. Maybe he’s heading further afield than his home town?
Gotta go check out what his family’s pardons bought him in Ukraine maybe?
 

cfam

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I am a tiny bit surprised that Mr. Biden has landed at Andrews for a ride home on AF One. It is his right, and I won’t argue it isn’t, but Marine One could easily make the flight from DC to Delaware. Maybe he’s heading further afield than his home town?
NYT says he’s going to CA.
 

PhrogPhlyer

Two heads are better than one.
pilot
None
maybe SOP is to have both engines started and at idle with rotor brake engaged?
I can not speak to the VH-3 as I've never flow it nor read the NATOPS, however for the CH-46, the normal start procedure was always to start both engines prior to releasing the rotor brake.
 

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
I am a tiny bit surprised that Mr. Biden has landed at Andrews for a ride home on AF One. It is his right, and I won’t argue it isn’t, but Marine One could easily make the flight from DC to Delaware. Maybe he’s heading further afield than his home town?
Same thought occurred to me as well. I just assumed after the laps around the NCA and WH that they would proceed to Delaware. Nerver saw the gear come up on the VH-3.
 
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