Heli lifting a 170

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Vertical
Posts: 151
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2018 12:41 am

Heli lifting a 170

Post by Vertical »

Purely hypothetical..

Say you wreck your 170 (A, B) somewhere with no road access, and you don't have seaplane lift eyes bolts. Assume it's too banged up to fly, but not completely balled. Maybe a ground loop, gear collapse etc.

1. How would you rig the plane for lifting by heli in a way that minimizes additional damage and also satisfies the heli pilot?

2. Is it worth putting in the eye bolts just for maintenance tasks and (hopefully never needed) remote recovery? Now that I think about it, are those eye bolts rated/suggested for that type of transport lifting/recovery loads?

3. If it was upside down, would you flip it back over before transport, or rig/transport it upside down.
voorheesh
Posts: 586
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 5:22 am

Re: Heli lifting a 170

Post by voorheesh »

I’ve seen it happen a few times on accidents (not Cessna 170s). My recollection is they use cargo straps to stabilize the airplane around its CG and long line it out. Usually the airplane is beyond salvage and they are not worried about further damage. They need to hoist it so it doesn’t start spinning or slipping so I saw one where they had to set back down and adjust a couple of times before they got it right. It happens pretty quick. Usually when a wreck was inaccessible and needed to be taken to a point where it could be trucked out. They don’t like leaving wrecks in national parks or wilderness areas.

For a 170 that is repairable, I would think the lift fittings on the wing would work. But it’s expensive using helos and you might be better off pulling the wings off and putting it on a trailer. My company had an Islander go off the runway in Marin County back in the 1970s and we contracted with SFO Helicopters to use a big Sikorsky to haul it up to Santa Rosa (about 40 miles) for repairs. Plane weighed about 5000 lbs. That job required 3 hooks, 2 behind the engines and one to the aft fuselage in front of the empennage. The boss told us helicopter was the cheapest solution (I heard insurance paid for it) and the Islander was back flying after a major repair. Another time, a new pilot landed by mistake at that little ranch strip next to 101 on Marin/Sonoma county line (grass runway was about 800’ with a big hill nearby). This guy thought it was Smith Ranch down near San Rafael. They almost brought the helo back, but the boss pulled the seats and took nearly all the fuel out and flew that Islander off with no problem. But It’s amazing what helicopters can do.

To get a better answer to your question, ask a helicopter operator who does external load ops. In my experience working accidents the operators figured out the logistics of how you would attach the loads and how much/how far they could go. They also have specific Rotorcraft Combination Flight Manuals that guide them. I’m sure a Cessna 170 could be lifted as long as you can find the right operator.

https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/med ... 133-1b.pdf
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mit
Posts: 1049
Joined: Wed May 01, 2002 1:54 am

Re: Heli lifting a 170

Post by mit »

I have seen a rag wing brought in upside down. Three pointed to the gear. The helo driver then picked up just the tail wheel and flipped it right side up. I think there was one hole in the fabric.
Tim
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mit
Posts: 1049
Joined: Wed May 01, 2002 1:54 am

Re: Heli lifting a 170

Post by mit »

voorheesh wrote:I’ve seen it happen a few times on accidents (not Cessna 170s). My recollection is they use cargo straps to stabilize the airplane around its CG and long line it out. Usually the airplane is beyond salvage and they are not worried about further damage. They need to hoist it so it doesn’t start spinning or slipping so I saw one where they had to set back down and adjust a couple of times before they got it right. It happens pretty quick. Usually when a wreck was inaccessible and needed to be taken to a point where it could be trucked out. They don’t like leaving wrecks in national parks or wilderness areas.

For a 170 that is repairable, I would think the lift fittings on the wing would work. But it’s expensive using helos and you might be better off pulling the wings off and putting it on a trailer. My company had an Islander go off the runway in Marin County back in the 1970s and we contracted with SFO Helicopters to use a big Sikorsky to haul it up to Santa Rosa (about 40 miles) for repairs. Plane weighed about 5000 lbs. That job required 3 hooks, 2 behind the engines and one to the aft fuselage in front of the empennage. The boss told us helicopter was the cheapest solution (I heard insurance paid for it) and the Islander was back flying after a major repair. Another time, a new pilot landed by mistake at that little ranch strip next to 101 on Marin/Sonoma county line (grass runway was about 800’ with a big hill nearby). This guy thought it was Smith Ranch down near San Rafael. They almost brought the helo back, but the boss pulled the seats and took nearly all the fuel out and flew that Islander off with no problem. But It’s amazing what helicopters can do.

To get a better answer to your question, ask a helicopter operator who does external load ops. In my experience working accidents the operators figured out the logistics of how you would attach the loads and how much/how far they could go. They also have specific Rotorcraft Combination Flight Manuals that guide them. I’m sure a Cessna 170 could be lifted as long as you can find the right operator.

https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/med ... 133-1b.pdf

Here in Alaska, it is a bit tough to trailer in a wreck. We don't have roads everywhere.
Tim
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