TFOA in Okinawa

[nittany03]

Just when you thought the perpetual political spool-ex about us having forces in Okinawa was spooling back down again . . . a shitter loses a cockpit window, and it falls onto a playground.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/13/asia/helicopter-window-japan-intl/index.html

 

[Renegade One]

The obvious answer is to remove all cockpit windows. Next question?

 

[AllYourBass]

The obvious answer is to remove all cockpit windows. Next question?

As per usual, windows will be secured for all helicopters operating in Japan until the media calms down. Then windows will be phased back in on a limited basis while we choke down a bunch of window training. But rest assured: As soon as windows are unrestricted again, another one will come soaring down onto a ramen shop the morning of the announcement.

 

[ChuckMK23]

 

[xj220]

How often do windows fall off? Or was this just a super unlucky event?

 

[ChuckMK23]

It happens - not infrequently, especially in helos. Emergency exit windows and doors especially so - I remember Safety Center did analysis (ok this is a long time ago) and it correlated with Phase Maint inspections where windows were tested for emergency egress release and reinstalled/reset.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I remember hearing about a -53 that tried a split-S when I was in flight school. Apparently all the windows came off.

 

[Recovering LSO]

....a -53 that tried a split-S

 

[Randy Daytona]

Sikorsky did barrel roll a 53 in the past...

 

[Flash]

I remember hearing about a -53 that tried a split-S when I was in flight school. Apparently all the windows came off.

On the crash loop at the P'cola O'Club they had a video of a CH-53 doing the roll in this video, apparently it was part of a sales pitch to Japan.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Way back when...in 1983...when I was in Pensacola for AOCS and VT-10, they had a CH-53 rework facility on the NAS. We used to see CH-53s doing loops all the time as part of their test flights after rework.

 

[sevenhelmet]

On the crash loop at the P'cola O'Club they had a video of a CH-53 doing the roll in this video, apparently it was part of a sales pitch to Japan.

Way back when...in 1983...when I was in Pensacola for AOCS and VT-10, they had a CH-53 rework facility on the NAS. We used to see CH-53s doing loops all the time as part of their test flights after rework.

Badass. I do find it funny that maneuvers like that are ever included in a sales pitch, even though they have no bearing on the mission- kind of like the Boeing guy who did that iconic 707 aileron roll. But hey, you can't argue with salesmanship.

 

[scoolbubba]

The obvious answer is to remove all cockpit windows. Next question?

We could always just remove all the okinawans. Problem solved, problem staying solved.

 

[picklesuit]

How often do windows fall off? Or was this just a super unlucky event?

I read that as “Supahhh Un-Ruckeee” because I’m apparently a bit racist....

 

[Randy Daytona]

If something has to fall off, better the window than the tail section - almost nothing you can do in this situation. (53's were noted in the past for the folding section being a weak link.)