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Unusual Flying Machines


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I've spent a fair amount of time watching examples of those haul and dump water buckets on forest fires.   Very cool to watch.

When I was a kid my step-dad was stationed at Bergstrom AFB, TX, (which is the Austin airport now), and they had some of these flying around at the time:

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30 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

I hope they have a fool-proof method of keeping those rotors in sync.

I agree, but it's not really hugely different from the venerable CH53, except they are closer together.

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When the rotors were spinning it made my head spin.  Just weird looking.  All your power is used for lift and not wasted on the anti torque force provided by the tail rotor.

Helicopters are complex machines with many moving parts I'm not sure if this configuration helps or hurts.

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47 minutes ago, 1964-M20E said:

Helicopters are complex machines with many moving parts I'm not sure if this configuration helps or hurts.

I think it allows a lot of power to be put into lifting with a smaller helicopter.   The elimination of the tail rotor is a safety feature when operating in close quarters (like dipping for firefighing, etc.).   

Seems to solve some problems.   The HH-43 Huskies were around in the 1950s, so it's not a new design.   I seem to remember them being described as two helicopters flying in close formation.
 

 

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1 hour ago, 1964-M20E said:

 

Helicopters are complex machines with many moving parts I'm not sure if this configuration helps or hurts.

I've seen them described as a collection of spare parts rotating around an oil leak . . . .

But this configuration appears to work, as long as timing holds up.

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There is some inefficiency built in...

1) the counterrotating blades have some torque cancelling advantage.  The cost is in the fact that, the rotors are tilted a bit away from each other to clear each other's hub. So not all 100% of the power goes into lift...

2) the 'approach from the front' advice probably comes from a warning that you will get hit by the blade as it comes closer to the ground than a typical horizontal blade.

3) There is some mechanical timing involved. It probably requires breaking a gear tooth to lose the timing.

4) the single turbine engine must have a really interesting complex gearbox.

I really like the useful load characteristic.  If the Mooney could lift like that, the fuel doesn't get included with the payload. And the payload was nearly the same as the Aircraft fully fueled...

Best regards,

-a-

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18 hours ago, Chupacabra said:

The Huskie has that same warning on the side, "warning approach from front". I wonder what that is about? I think I'll get some T-shirts made with that warning on the back.  

Pretty sure that's just to keep you from getting your noggin thumped by a rotor blade.

This is kind of fun.

 

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35 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

I have loved absolutely all kinds of winged aircraft and flying since I can remember, but helicopters do absolutely nothing for me. It's actually a little surprising to me but that is how I feel. Does anyone else here feel that way?

Jim

Depends where you live.  Here in Los Angeles an hour in a heli can get you all over the city - at very low altitudes with full forward visibility though a bubble canopy.  You can even land in the Santa Monica mountains on a hilltop and shut down.  Minimum altitudes don't REALLY apply and VFR restrictions are lower than fixed wing.

Flying lower gives you a much greater sensation of speed too.  Once flew up to Santa Barbara with my instructor at 20 feet AGL.  Not sure it was legal, but he was Italian so it doesn't matter. :wacko:

Did I mention you can also fly backwards?

 

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