Article

2006-04-30 India-Pakistan

Bell Helicopter in lead to replace India Army's aging French Choppers

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Posted by john 2006-04-30 10:04|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 carry loads of up to 75 kg heights of 23,000 feet on the Siachen Glacier
I understand the difficulties of ~~beating the air into submission~~ flying a helicopter at that altitude, but is 75 kg a typo?

Posted by 6 2006-04-30 12:30|| 2006-04-30 12:30|| Front Page Top

#2 No.
75-100 kg is the typical load at these heights.

India spends $ 0.5 million a day to hold the Siachen glacier, which overlooks the Karakoram pass into China.

Posted by john 2006-04-30 12:44|| 2006-04-30 12:44|| Front Page Top

#3 It also has 3 entire divisions of mountain warfare troops stationed at heights, accclimatized and ready for action against either Pakistan or China.

Posted by john 2006-04-30 12:53|| 2006-04-30 12:53|| Front Page Top

#4 220 lbs = 1 or at most 2 guys' weight...that seems light, John

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-04-30 14:14|| 2006-04-30 14:14|| Front Page Top

#5 Choppers don't work too good at 21 000 ft.

Hindustan Aeronautics re-engining the Chetan helicopter a few months ago boasted of "a service ceiling of 21,300 feet with a 100 kg
load."

Posted by john 2006-04-30 15:09|| 2006-04-30 15:09|| Front Page Top

#6 The air up there is rare. I had a pilot friend rescue a guy off Mt. McKinley 20,000 feet in a Hiller 12E with a Saloy Allison C-250 turbine conversion. He stripped the thing down to nothing and had just enough to land on the summit with his baba of oxygen and get the guy off. It took that pair of long blades to swat enough air to do the mission. A smaller rotor disk, like that on a MD 500 series won't cut it. And woe to him that gets into gusts.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2006-04-30 15:36|| 2006-04-30 15:36|| Front Page Top

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