First helicopter landing on Mt Everest

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of this yet. IMHO, this isn't
getting nearly enough attention (here or in the media in general).

http://www.mounteverest.net/story/Fr...ay272005.shtml

"Peter Duniho" writes:

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of this yet. IMHO, this isn't
getting nearly enough attention (here or in the media in general).

http://www.mounteverest.net/story/Fr...ay272005.shtml

Did it land, or didn't it? Apparently there is some controversy:

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=41844

Chris
--
Chris Colohan Email: PGP: finger
Web: www.colohan.com Phone: (412)268-4751

"Chris Colohan" wrote in message
.. .
Did it land, or didn't it? Apparently there is some controversy:

Well, while acknowledging that there's certainly a question as to whether
the summit of Everest is even landable terrain, and as to whether the
helicopter did in fact support 100% of its weight on that terrain, it seems
to me that it's not being questioned as to whether the helicopter actually
made it to the summit, and that in fact is the real accomplishment.

Put "landing" in quotes if you like. It's still pretty impressive.

It would be interesting to know what the conditions were, after all gliders
have been over 49,000'

Mike
MU-2
Leaving for Everest 4/1/06

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Chris Colohan" wrote in message
.. .
Did it land, or didn't it? Apparently there is some controversy:

Well, while acknowledging that there's certainly a question as to whether
the summit of Everest is even landable terrain, and as to whether the
helicopter did in fact support 100% of its weight on that terrain, it
seems to me that it's not being questioned as to whether the helicopter
actually made it to the summit, and that in fact is the real
accomplishment.

Put "landing" in quotes if you like. It's still pretty impressive.

Trouble is now climbers are going to expect a rescue capability that
practically doesn't exist in most summit weather.

It may not be possible to operate with two people aboard

Mike
MU-2

"nrp" wrote in message
oups.com...
Trouble is now climbers are going to expect a rescue capability that
practically doesn't exist in most summit weather.

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
k.net...
It would be interesting to know what the conditions were, after all
gliders have been over 49,000'

That's true. A wave could have gotten the helicopter above the summit, at
which point it could have simply glided there. However, I think it's
noteworthy that it did remain at the summit (whether it landed or hovered)
for a couple of minutes.

Besides, folks who pilot gliders over 49,000' are noteworthy too. That's
hardly a "walk in the park" accomplishment, even with good mountain wave
around!

Pete

I was thinking more about ridge lift. I know that ridge lift has been used
to fly 152s over Mt Kilimanjaro 19,000+'

Mike
MU-2



"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
k.net...
It would be interesting to know what the conditions were, after all
gliders have been over 49,000'

That's true. A wave could have gotten the helicopter above the summit, at
which point it could have simply glided there. However, I think it's
noteworthy that it did remain at the summit (whether it landed or hovered)
for a couple of minutes.

Besides, folks who pilot gliders over 49,000' are noteworthy too. That's
hardly a "walk in the park" accomplishment, even with good mountain wave
around!

Pete

Chris Colohan wrote in
:

"Peter Duniho" writes:

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of this yet. IMHO, this
isn't getting nearly enough attention (here or in the media in
general).

http://www.mounteverest.net/story/Fr...persUtopiasumm
it-VIDEOMay272005.shtml

Did it land, or didn't it? Apparently there is some controversy:

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=41844

Chris

Unless I misread the article, it seems that the issue is if
they had permission to land on the summit. Since they weren't
explicetly given permission to land on the summit, the attempt
doesn't count towards the record.

Kinda reminds me of the flap over the world land speed record.
Who broke mach 1 first? ThrustSST in 1997 or the Budweiser
rocket car in 1979? It's controversial to this day.

Well, I'm still damned impressed anyway, on both events.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism

Home of the Seismic FAQ
http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html

Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?

Did you see the video shot from the A-Star's belly? If this is genuine (and
I have no reason to think it's faked), the pilot made a more or less
horizontal approach to the peak -- he did not descend from a ridge-lift
situation. The summit was a blunt arrowhead of hard, windblasted snow --
the rotor wash didn't move the surface snow around at all. There was no
level ground, no way to get both skids onto the snow at once. No ground
effect there because of the way the terrain falls off in all directions.
The machine hovered for two minutes, repeatedly pressing one skid into the
hard snow and leaving an impression. Then the collective came back, the
machine rose a foot or two, torqued around and dove for the valley.

I call it a landing. It was close enough that a ballsy climber could have
flopped into the machine for a ride home.

Seth
Comanche N8100R

"Skywise" wrote in message
...
Chris Colohan wrote in
:

"Peter Duniho" writes:

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of this yet. IMHO, this
isn't getting nearly enough attention (here or in the media in
general).

http://www.mounteverest.net/story/Fr...persUtopiasumm
it-VIDEOMay272005.shtml

Did it land, or didn't it? Apparently there is some controversy:

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=41844

Chris

Unless I misread the article, it seems that the issue is if
they had permission to land on the summit. Since they weren't
explicetly given permission to land on the summit, the attempt
doesn't count towards the record.

Kinda reminds me of the flap over the world land speed record.
Who broke mach 1 first? ThrustSST in 1997 or the Budweiser
rocket car in 1979? It's controversial to this day.

Well, I'm still damned impressed anyway, on both events.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism

Home of the Seismic FAQ
http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html

Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?