Forced Landings and MOBs

Posted By: Dano Superior Pleasure CM30 Rainy Lake ON
Date: 1/5/08 12:25p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: Re:Souix City (Jerry)

Hey Jerry My first crash, at 17, a L4 with skiis on, a CAP plane. We were out spotting for a snowmobile cross country race. A driver had crashed and we landed to pick him up on a frozen lake. Went to take off and the left ski broke loose, so on one ski took the L4 across the lake to where the snow was deeper and cut the engine but it flipped anyways. Only injury was to the passenger and strickly mental for I don't think he ever flew in a plane again I've probably cost you fellow tax payers a bundle over the years. Between all the training flying helicopters for the army, number of flight hours and few crashes. The training now is far more sophisticated than I ever saw. Though permanently grounded, I would not like the missions and conditions they fly into today. In both my father's time (B17s in WWII) and mine, aside from setting up an airstrip, first thing was setting up a bar. Those days are gone but I remember them well and all the stories that were shared, all the TINS! It's hard to tell what it's like going down in trees with the "slow mo" of seeing your rotor blades hitting the branches and the trees. Well they gave the cameras to the Jet Jocks (AF and Navy) and the best us Army guys had were hand held and our hands were always on or at the controls. I really do not believe that they can ever make a movie on Nam that truly shows what it was like from the pilot's seat of a Huey. It's too complicated to recreate. MOB's First major change I made to SP was two swimming/step platforms on the transom. She had a side ladder but there was no means of one person recovering another out of the water soaking wet. Best bet was to tie a rope around them and use the winch on the opposite side. The freeboard on a CM30 is at least three feet and more. Something I'm not comforable with when I have people on board that are not experienced in sailing. MOB and non responsive is my worst night mare. Aside the mandatory life ring/throwable floatation device, I think something like a airmatress with velcro straps, quick inflatable (CO2), and a harness to lift that person into the boat. My other drill is using the boom via the traveler harness to lift one out of the water, multi person operation but could be done by one. So my winch handles never leave the cockpit and I keep two there. Except for testing a MOB, I've never used them under sail. So I'm in the final process of getting a Golden Retriever puppy. House is ready, check list in process. List for the boat is getting longer. Now comes DOB list. Mature Golden (65+ lbs dry) overboard and soaking wet, I better come up with an improved idea for the boom. Dano