Those Messerschmidt rescue choppers

[Dave Homewood]

i was just looking at the news report of the bus that crashed into a truck today on SH2. A shot from above looking down on the Auckland rescue helicopter really made me think. Soem firemen were loading a gurney into the helicopter, and to do this the door is at the back, under the tailboom. As they man-handled the stretcher around, I noted the two firemen on the back end of the stretcher got awfully close to the tail rotor which was spinning at the time. The helicopter was running as it obviously was doing a quick pick up and go.

As firemen on the scene are usually volunteers and never have any experience around helicopters, it's a little scary to think this particular type means they could in fact walk straight into the rotor while trying to save someone else's life.

Has this happened before overseas? Are firemen and ambulance crews, etc, around NZ trained in care around rotors I wonder? Even if you are trained, in the heat of the moment, mistakes can happen.

[Kereru]

I am glad the rotor was off when I took this one.

www.airliners.net/open.file/1122776/L/

Front side view.

www.airliners.net/open.file/1122695/L/

Colin

[Bruce]

If you see Colin's second picture you will see the tail rotor sits at the top of the tail fin (sort of like the Iroquois) and the rotor blades do not extend down below the tailboom. there is also a tailskid to provide a visual barrier and the tailplane and endplate fins between the loading doors and the choppy bits. Providing you stay alert, as you should do around ANY aircraft of any sort whilst running, you shouldnt get close enough to get hurt. You would still need to be very careful about FOD (hold onto your hat) and reaching upwards above the boom.

Incidentally although the BK117 lineage starts with a Messerschmitt design (MBB105) its now Kawasaki - Bolkow... .. but hey, it one of those fling - wing helicopter thingees....

[Dave Homewood]

They just showed the same piece of footage again. The fireman closest to the tail rotor has his back to it, does not look at it at all and is fully concentrating on the strecter in front of him. In the high angle shot seen it appears he comes within a foot of the blade behind his head as he sidles the stretcher into position.

It may be an optical illusion but seeing it the second time was just as scary as the first time last night. Watch the late news (Nightline) tonight as it's bound to be on again.