Alps helicopter rescue gone bad

August 08, 2017, 03:39 PM

quote:
Originally posted by TMats:
That looks like A-Star country to me. Lots of passenger seat time in helos, and for 20 years now, most high-elevation work for SAR and FF in both the Forest Service and NPS has been contracted to companies who fly A-Stars (now Airbus H-125).

Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of Bell Helicopters out there under contract, but if the work includes high-elevation SAR and FF...A-Star

We are lucky enough to have a pair of Agusta 109 K2s that we use for our S&R (and hoist rescue) out here. But you hit the nail on the head with regard to our .gov brethren... They're using AS350s/H125s for their S&R birds.

August 08, 2017, 03:47 PM

TMats

quote:
Originally posted by WingedMedic:
quote:
Originally posted by TMats:
That looks like A-Star country to me. Lots of passenger seat time in helos, and for 20 years now, most high-elevation work for SAR and FF in both the Forest Service and NPS has been contracted to companies who fly A-Stars (now Airbus H-125).

Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of Bell Helicopters out there under contract, but if the work includes high-elevation SAR and FF...A-Star

We are lucky enough to have a pair of Agusta 109 K2s that we use for our S&R (and hoist rescue) out here. But you hit the nail on the head with regard to our .gov brethren... They're using AS350 B2s/H-125s for their S&R birds.

Looks like a helluva ship. Must admit I wasn't familiar with it. Stay safe--as the saying goes: Helicopters don't fly through the air, they beat it into submission.