Erickson sky crane

[southdave]

Some pic of re-purposed skycrane ect We used Erickson to move new switchgear up into Substation penthouse

 

[197thhhc]

Those helicopters are awesome to watch. So much power.

 

[GREENMV]

We use helicopters all the time to install cooling towers, chillers etc. we have not used this one yet. Look's like a beast.

 

[tcody]

From Olive-drad "CH54A Sky Crane (powered by two Pratt & Whitney T73-P-1 4500 shp turbine engines) could lift 20,000 pounds while the improved CH-54B (powered by two Pratt & Whitney T73-P-700 4800 shp turbine engines) could lift over 40,000 pounds. There was an internal winch so payload could be picked up or delivered without landing. The CH-54 Skycrane was used for loads too heavy for the CH-47 Chinook Helicopter." Wow, I had no idea they could lift that much!

 

[southdave]

From what I understand, Erickson own the design now. it started out life as ch 54b, now it S-64 ect.. I think the air frame has been de rated cause of age maybe? hopefully some fan driver will pipe in and explain some stuff.

 

[wreckerman893]

I got to fly in one of those back in 91......they were moving tank turrets out to a range to use as targets and I covered the event for our post fishwrapper. The Crew Chief was nice enough to allow me to operate the winch they used to move the turrets.

A truly awesome machine....some odd notes:

A CH-54B holds the record for highest level flight altitude: 36,122 feet (11,010 m)—piloted by James K. Church on 4 November 1971.

They were sometimes used as a bomber in Viet Nam. They would put a couple of 15,000 pound Daisy Cutter bombs (BLU-82) into a shipping container (CONNEX) and suspend it under the Skycrane.

They would drop them in areas where they needed firebases or helicopter landing zones.

The bombs were designed to be exploded in mid-air and not to make a big crater. They were filled with a slurry explosive rather than regular bomb explosive.

If the area happened to be occupied by "charlie" well it just sucked to be them.

 

[rchalmers3]

If the area happened to be occupied by "charlie" well it just sucked to be them.

WR, as far as I know it has always sucked to be charlie.

Rick

 

[southdave]

who

WR, as far as I know it has always sucked to be charlie.

Rick

 

[tcody]

1st cavalry skycrane. Father in law was in the cavalry when they still rode horses and then a pilot. He isn't around anymore to ask about them. I wonder if there are any still in service?

 

[wreckerman893]

I wonder if there are any still in service?

There may be one on "gate guardian" duty somewhre but I don't think there are any on active duty.

I think there is one at the musuem at Camp Shelby, MS.

 

[Beerslayer]

Erickson builds these new now. Each one they build gets named, as in Elvis, above.

Very fun to watch them logging here in the PNW.

 

[CARNAC]

I've did a lot of stuff in my life that was...out of the ordinary for most folks (after all I own military vehicles) but have to say that I did an air assault mission in a CH54. There was some kind of personnel pod we were in underneath. We had a hard landing and I remember the crew chief jumping out the window with a pry bar and getting the backend open. We didn't crash, we had a hard landing. I guess since the pilot sits up so high, it'd be tough to judge the distance to mother earth when landing and the dust and brush are flying around.

 

[Capt Pat]

Its truely a shame the military doesn't have this lifting power any more. They're now looking to be rid of the "Jolly Green/SeaStallion" as well, seem to think the re-engineered "super S--thook" and the up engined H-60 can do the work. The last two deployments have proved this horribly wrong. But that is was the DoD calls progress, sort of like the HUMVEE....... No amount of re-engineering is going to make that thing a safe suitable combat vehicle. (not that the jeep/MUTT and 3/4 ton ever were, but then they were never designed for that either.)

 

[Colicab]

i actually used to work for Erickson in southern Oregon. Those are some awesome ships to work on. There aren't anymore in service and when i was there they bought the last of the moth balled ones. we then spliced them together to make some flyable ones. the actual loads are 20,000 lbs for the "E" model. and the "F" model can lift 25,000 lbs. the Pilots said that they can lift a lot more.... but the FAA has only approved them for those loads.

we had some cool attachments. some for logging, others for aerial firefighting and whatnot. we had another that we called the Fry basket. Its purpose is to land on top of a structure and put about 30 people in it and lift them to safety. but it was never green-lighted because they would have to get more certs for "passenger" flight. kinda lame but oh well..

 

[flibob]

Getting ready to walk out the door. Will dig out some pics next week that I think you guys will like.

 

[M813A1]

Erickson now uses the Sikorsky CH-54's after the Army got rid of them in the 1980's. Heavy lifting for the Army is done by the CH-47 Chinhook now !! The Ch-54 was a Good Helo for its day !! It is the coolest thing to wath it work !! I have seen them lifting High Power Electrical towers and other heavy lift objects , as well as doing water drops !!

 

[goodguyzy]

Located a few miles from my motor pool (house) They train a lot of pilots from around the world over my house.

 

[Capt Pat]

Just watched a news story about a wild fire in the "out back" of Australia, and the helo doing the water drop was a Sky Crane. Neat to watch, don't think I'd like to be flying it, that's "rugged" duty....