how to board a chopper

[stevet]

maybe we could have a competition at the Dragon to see who can do this with a seven and a trailer... Al?

 

http://www.break.com/index/special-ops-extraction.html

 

:hurray:

[slngsht]

pretty cool... must've taken 20 gallons of gas to load that sucker in :lol:

[slomove]

What does that do to the aluminum of the airframe?

[MHKflyer52]

When it is in salt water it is tough on the aluminum if they do not do a fresh water wash when they get to their base. All of the helos that I have seen used for that special opps operation are cleaned and lubercated after that type of mission. The hardest part on the aircraft is the outboard motor if the coxswain (the guy steering and operating the outboard) dose not get it up into the stowed position as the prop will hit the ramp floor and it can due a number to that. All those floor pannels come out and are replacable in no time plus the helo has drains built into the belly to let what ever water that gets under the flooring out. From what I saw in that video it was a training mission and was in fresh water due to the color of the back wash just before the IBS entered the cargo bay. The CH-46 will float for quite a while and has even been known to due a water taxi when needed to pickup downed aviators / survivors.

By the way the only groups that I know of that due that procedure are called US Navy SEALS and some very special US Force Recon Marines and guess which one I did not serve with....been their and done that...lots of fun.