Worst turbulence experienced

[learflyer]

I'm reading John Nance's "Fire Flight". You guys might enjoy it. It's about the operations they used trying to extinguish the yellowstone fires back in the early 90's.

 

[Lostdog65]

mcjohn...

I used to drop smokejumpers out of Shorts 330 (actually a C-23A Air Force reject!) Most of the USFS smokejumpers are dropped by in-house aircraft and pilots with Redding being the exception using a Turbine DC3 on contract. Most regions use the Shorts Sherpa, the DC3-TP or the Twin Otter. The BLM uses Otters and Casa's.

Turbulence can be interesting when you have to keep a 20,000 lb plane steady while guys are jumping out of the back, two at a time, while two spotters are trying to look out the door and manage the jumpers. It can be arses and elbows up front while the guys in the back only experience minor bumps and giggles. That's not to say that turb can rock the whole boat. We had a spotter in Redding bust his leg. He was walking forward in the Turbo Doug, with his harness attached to the overhead line when the Doug dropped out. He went up and came down with his leg hitting one of the seats.

(If you're familiar with Northern California, the area east of Mt. Lassen, towards Susanville and the Warner Mountains, you can be in smooth, clear air and, out of nowhere, the big TX knocks you around for a moment!)

Flying jumpers is ovals at 1500 (for round chute's) or 3000 (for square chute's) agl. Dropping cargo is like a tanker or lead run...drop down to 200 to 150 feet agl and call the drop. The spotters chuck the cargo out the door and hopefully you timed your call right so it all went in the jump spot. Like flying on fire in lead or tanker...a very fun way to excercise the privileges of your ratings!

Eric

 

[tonycondon]

I've heard that some of the worst turbulence around is caused by the Appalachians. Kinda surprising considering how much larger the Rockies and Sierras are.

If the wave off the appalachians was that powerful, glider pilots would be using it to do long distance flights, not the sierras or the andes. most guys probably think of the appalachians as those "little mountains" and dont associate that they still contain wave and rotor and the associated turbulence.

 

[wrxpilot]

If the wave off the appalachians was that powerful, glider pilots would be using it to do long distance flights, not the sierras or the andes. most guys probably think of the appalachians as those "little mountains" and dont associate that they still contain wave and rotor and the associated turbulence.

Thanks for the clarification guys, I was a little surprised to hear it when I did.

Avbug/LostDog, amazing stories.

 

[Lostdog65]

Here's a pic of me in the Baron on the Nuttal Complex a couple of years ago. We were protecting the "Pope Scope" east of Mesa. What you don't see is the C-130 MAAFS behind me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v517/Leadfiveone/MiscPics/nuttall1.jpg

Needless to say, the day before I had shut down the show because I was getting tossed around and rolled on the lee side of this fire which was to the left side of this picture, off the screen.

Eric

 

[RockbrigadePC1]

"Apple became a projectile," that was funny.


My head hit the side window and corner of the ceiling in an Archer between Sioux Falls and Rapid City. It is amazing how fast you can be 200 feet off your altitude and in a 45 degree bank.

 

[av8rbama]

we've had photographers and 40lb film magazines floating around the back before. I had bruises on my hips from the seatbelt on that day, as bad as I had from a t-bone wreck a few years back. the photographer often comes back with a black eye on rough days. 2000 agl in the summer while trying to hold altitude and heading tighter than an ILS at the MM is tough.

speaking of, anyone know where to get custom cargo nets?

 

[Flyerjosh]

If the wave off the appalachians was that powerful, glider pilots would be using it to do long distance flights, not the sierras or the andes. most guys probably think of the appalachians as those "little mountains" and dont associate that they still contain wave and rotor and the associated turbulence.

I think part of the issue is that pilots tend to underestimate the power of the wave that the appalachians create. Your statement proves that point in a way... just because the mountains aren't as big doesn''t mean that the same turbulence doesn't exist, particularly at lower levels (Which you also pointed out). I've seen beautiful standing lenticular formations right around the area that I live/fly from (Roanoke, VA). The difference is that most people in light aircraft that can't fly into the flight levels, tend to be more conservative around the 10000'+ peaks of the Rockies, as opposed to the average 4300-4500 ridges on the east coast.

 

[mcjohn]

I was flying from Roanoke to Asheville at night and I was scared. There is a mountain range from a little north of Grandfather mountain to a little south of Mount Mitchell that is not fun to fly a c152 on the leeward side of. Flight following asked for a pilot report after noticing too many erradic changes in my altitude. This was at night after refueling at Shanadoah Valley airport. As soon as I lifted off it was hell all the way to Asheville. This was my 300nm X-C for commercial so I was scared. It wasn't supposed to go into the night. Penn, MD, VA, to NC. Can't wait to start flying those checks in a Lance around here.

 

[baggage]

another good reason not to go in the mtns.
http://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2006/trex.shtml