Errol Cavit
September 14th 04, 08:54 AM
The below article talks about landing a Herk on a strip in the back of
beyond in Afghanistan.
'The strip, composed of dirt, rock and gravel, is about 8 thousand feet long
with a five-degree bend in the centerline. Its elevation is nearly 8500 feet
in the air."
I'm curious as to how much of a challenge a 5deg bend is to handle in
something like a Herk.
Cheers
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/articles/2004/09/0910-afh.html
Air Force Hercules Touches Down in Afghanistan
10 September 2004
Amid a cloud of dust and a shower of gravel an Air Force C-130 Hercules
touched down for its first flight in to Bamyan airfield in Afghanistan.
The flight, on 1 September carried 56 personnel joining the Provincial
Reconstruction Team (PRT) and was the first of several to the region.
<photos snipped>
A sight to behold from the air, the bent Bamyan airfield is lined by jagged
mountains that tower thousands of feet above the strip. On one side
buildings pass within 100 feet of the aircraft's wingtip.
Further down the valley and within easy sight on the airfield is what
remains of the two Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban. Nearby, the New
Zealand camp houses around 100 members of the PRT.
For the pilots, their first recent 'in-theatre' flight posed an extra degree
of technical difficulty. The strip, composed of dirt, rock and gravel, is
about 8 thousand feet long with a five-degree bend in the centerline. Its
elevation is nearly 8500 feet in the air.
The high altitude not only affects the performance of the four engines, but
the aircraft's true approach speed is also significantly increased.
For aircraft captain Squadron Leader Greg Caie and co-pilot Flight
Lieutenant Oliver Bint, preparation was the key.
" We conducted practice runs in a flight simulator, as well as high
altitude, short field training flights around the South Island of New
Zealand," said Greg Caie.
And their homework paid off. After a clearing pass Greg Caie skillfully
maneuvered the Hercules onto the deck.
To avoid problems with high altitude engine starts the passengers
disembarked out the tail of the aircraft with all four engines running. Four
minutes later the Hercules was airborne again and making its way down the
valley towards Bagram to the East.
The flight in to Bamyan highlights the versatility of the C-130 and the
broad skill set required by the New Zealand crews.
For Greg Caie the weeks of preparation were well worth it.
"Such a large team effort was required to mount this a task. It really is
rewarding for the crew and everyone else involved behind the scenes, " he
said.
--
Errol Cavit | | "The Battle of Romani was the
decisive engagement of the entire Sinai and Palestine Campaign. Before
Romani British policy, strategy and tactics were all defensive, those of the
Turks were offensive. The stand of the 1st and 2nd Light Horse brigades and
the counter-attack of the New Zealanders reversed the situation." ANZACs at
War, J Laffin
beyond in Afghanistan.
'The strip, composed of dirt, rock and gravel, is about 8 thousand feet long
with a five-degree bend in the centerline. Its elevation is nearly 8500 feet
in the air."
I'm curious as to how much of a challenge a 5deg bend is to handle in
something like a Herk.
Cheers
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/articles/2004/09/0910-afh.html
Air Force Hercules Touches Down in Afghanistan
10 September 2004
Amid a cloud of dust and a shower of gravel an Air Force C-130 Hercules
touched down for its first flight in to Bamyan airfield in Afghanistan.
The flight, on 1 September carried 56 personnel joining the Provincial
Reconstruction Team (PRT) and was the first of several to the region.
<photos snipped>
A sight to behold from the air, the bent Bamyan airfield is lined by jagged
mountains that tower thousands of feet above the strip. On one side
buildings pass within 100 feet of the aircraft's wingtip.
Further down the valley and within easy sight on the airfield is what
remains of the two Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban. Nearby, the New
Zealand camp houses around 100 members of the PRT.
For the pilots, their first recent 'in-theatre' flight posed an extra degree
of technical difficulty. The strip, composed of dirt, rock and gravel, is
about 8 thousand feet long with a five-degree bend in the centerline. Its
elevation is nearly 8500 feet in the air.
The high altitude not only affects the performance of the four engines, but
the aircraft's true approach speed is also significantly increased.
For aircraft captain Squadron Leader Greg Caie and co-pilot Flight
Lieutenant Oliver Bint, preparation was the key.
" We conducted practice runs in a flight simulator, as well as high
altitude, short field training flights around the South Island of New
Zealand," said Greg Caie.
And their homework paid off. After a clearing pass Greg Caie skillfully
maneuvered the Hercules onto the deck.
To avoid problems with high altitude engine starts the passengers
disembarked out the tail of the aircraft with all four engines running. Four
minutes later the Hercules was airborne again and making its way down the
valley towards Bagram to the East.
The flight in to Bamyan highlights the versatility of the C-130 and the
broad skill set required by the New Zealand crews.
For Greg Caie the weeks of preparation were well worth it.
"Such a large team effort was required to mount this a task. It really is
rewarding for the crew and everyone else involved behind the scenes, " he
said.
--
Errol Cavit | | "The Battle of Romani was the
decisive engagement of the entire Sinai and Palestine Campaign. Before
Romani British policy, strategy and tactics were all defensive, those of the
Turks were offensive. The stand of the 1st and 2nd Light Horse brigades and
the counter-attack of the New Zealanders reversed the situation." ANZACs at
War, J Laffin